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Bridgetown, June 28: Language: India's second Test
against West Indies in their first innings 201 runs here
today.
India's pacemen brought them back into the second Test
against West Indies, after they suffered a batting
collapse on the first day here on Tuesday.
Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer
Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave
West Indies in tatters on 30 for three, in reply to
India's first innings total of 201 at the close.
Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath
caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next
over, Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for
two, leaving West Indies five for two.
Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan, and stemmed the
fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind
for nine from the penultimate ball of the day from
Mithun.
Earlier, India were given further cause to usher in the
use of the umpire decision review system.
Left-hander Suresh Raina was dubiously dismissed for 53,
triggering a batting collapse that saw the Indians lose
their last five wickets for 34 runs in the space of 55
balls.
Raina was caught at forward short leg off West Indies
leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo for 53, following a 117-run,
fifth-wicket stand with V.V.S. Laxman, whose 85 was the
top score, and helped to rescue the visitors from a
perilous 38 for four before lunch.
The left-hander was clearly upset by the decision from
Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf, which television replays
suggested was highly dubious, dropping his bat, staring
in anger at the official, and swinging his bat in
disgust.
Fidel Edwards then ran through the lower half of India's
batting, removing their captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for
two, Harbhajan Singh for five, and Mithun for a duck,
finishing with three for 56 from 19 overs.
Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the West Indies bowlers,
with three for 38 from 16 overs, and Bishoo snared three
for 46 from 14 overs.
Laxman reached his 50 from 75 balls, glancing Edwards to
the fine leg boundary for his eight four, and Raina
reached the landmark from 90 deliveries, paddling Bishoo
to long-leg for a single.
The two batsmen ensured India did not lose a wicket
between lunch and tea, after the top order were given a
real going over by Rampaul, who exploited helpful
conditions in taking three of the wickets to fall.
India suffered an early setback, when left-handed opener
Abhinav Mukund was caught at gully for one off Rampaul
in the second over of the day.
The Indians ran into further trouble, when Rahul Dravid,
a century-maker in the first Test, was caught behind for
five, playing defensively forward to a delivery from
West Indies captain Darren Sammy.
Murali Vijay was fortunate on four, when he sliced a
drive at a delivery from Sammy, and Bishoo failed to
hold onto a low, diving chance at backward point.
India reached 13 for two from 14 overs after the first
hour, failing to strike a boundary, but Laxman brought
India their first four, when he pulled Sammy through
wide mid-on.
But the Indians were jolted, when Rampaul had opener
Murali Vijay caught behind down the leg side for a
painstaking 11, and two deliveries later, Virat Kohli
caught at second slip for a duck, fending a sharply
rising delivery.
India are looking to wrap up their second straight Test
series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.
They will also be looking to create a piece of history
by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and
One-day International series in the Caribbean - but they
will also have to overcome their poor history here.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team still have cause for
optimism though - following a 10-wicket defeat for
Sourav Ganguly's side nine years ago, West Indies have
lost six of the next eight Tests they have played at
this venue. |