India's Rahul Dravid plays a shot on his way to making a century during the second day's play of the first Test match between India and West Indies in Mumbai yesterday. - ReutersMUMBAI, India, CMC:
THE WEST INDIES produced a battling day in the field but another century from the in-form Rahul Dravid and the dismissal of both openers late in the day left them under pressure against India on the second day of their first Test match at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday.
Dravid, following three centuries in England this summer, scored 100 retired hurt, pushing India's total to 457, and the West Indies closed at 33 for two in reply, with Ramnaresh Sarwan not out on 20 and night-watchman Mervyn Dillon on four.
Pacer Dillon and legspinner Mahendra Nagamootoo evenly shared six wickets, but India's last-wicket pair vitally lengthened their innings before left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan and spinner Harbhajan Singh sent back Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds to significantly dent the touring team's top-order.
Beginning their reply with 14 overs remaining in the day, the West Indies' bid for the solid start they needed crashed when Gayle (seven) was trapped leg before wicket by Khan at seven for one.
Hinds departed at 27 for two, caught at forward short leg by substitute Shiv Sunder Das as he pushed forward to Singh in the day's penultimate over and the West Indies immediate worry is to attain the follow-on target of 258.
The Windies, after a frustrating opening day in the field on Wednesday, had rallied to enjoy a more profitable morning session with the new ball.
Dillon's impressive spell before lunch accounted for star batsman Sachin Tendulkar - in the third over of the morning - caught behind without adding to his overnight 35, and pacer Cameron Cuffy trapped captain Sourav Ganguly (four) leg before wicket as India added only 16 runs in the first hour from their overnight 278 for two.
Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman prevented any further damage and fended off the West Indies attack before the break, adding 46 runs to go to lunch at 342 for four.
The pair appeared set to go to the tea-break without further loss, but last ball before the break, Laxman (45) lost his patience and was stumped - by Ridley Jacobs - lunging at Nagamootoo, who bowled a negative leg-stump line in the session.
India batted more than an hour in the session without a boundary against a restrictive West Indies attack that celebrated dramatic success immediately after the break.
Dravid, who had posted 105 for the fifth wicket with Laxman, completed his fourth consecutive Test century but retired hurt, collapsing in pain as he ran two to reach a hundred.
In a flash, three wickets tumbled and the Indians staggered to 408 for eight, from 401 for four just before tea.
Dravid forced Dillon through mid-wicket with a wristy shot to complement his three centuries in England this summer, but strained his hamstring muscle as he set off for his runs. He is now one behind the 53-year-old world record five consecutive Test centuries by West Indies batting legend Sir Everton Weekes.
At the same time, Dillon was also forced to make a hasty trip to the bathroom with a stomach trouble, and Cuffy - continuing his over - removed Singh (0) with the first ball he bowled.
Nagamootoo then dislodged Anil Kumble (0) and Zaheer Khan (0) with successive balls.
Kumble stretched forward to drive and lobbed a comfortable catch to Carl Hooper at short extra cover and Khan was sent back lbw next ball, playing back to a flipper, but the Guyanese was denied a hattrick when umpire Asoka de Silva turned down a confident lbw appeal against Javagal Srinath.
Srinath, dropped by Ryan Hinds at mid-on off Nagamootoo on eight, then added 49 for the ninth wicket with 17-year-old Parthiv Patel (21), before he was caught behind off Carl Hooper for 31 to end the Indian innings at 457 for nine.
Dillon was easily the West Indies' top bowler with three for 54 off 31 overs.
Nagamootoo grabbed three for 132 off 47 overs, and the other wicket-takers were Cuffy (2-88) and Hooper (1-40).
SCOREBOARD
India first innings
(Resumed at 278-2)
R. Dravid ret. hurt 100
S. Tendulkar c Jacobs b Dillon 35
S. Ganguly lbw Cuffy 4
V.V.S. Laxman st Jacobs b Nagamootoo 45
P. Patel not out 21
Harbhajan Singh c Jacobs b Cuffy 0
A. Kumble c Hooper b Nagamootoo 0
Z. Khan lbw Nagamootoo 0
J. Srinath c Jacobs b Hooper 31
Extras (lb7, w3, nb9) 19
TOTAL (for nine wkts - innings closed) 457
Fall: 1-201, 2-213, 3-281, 4-296, 5-401, 6-407, 7-408, 8-408, 9-457.
Bowling: Dillon 31.2-9-54-3 (1w); Collins 28-7-76-0 (4nb); Cuffy 28.4-6-88-2; Nagamootoo 47-12-132-3 (1nb, 2w); Hooper 11.5-3-40-1; W.Hinds 4-0-11-0; R.Hinds 10-0-40-0 (1nb); Gayle 2-1-3-0; Sarwan 1-0-6-0.
West Indies first innings
C. Gayle lbw Khan 7
W. Hinds c sub (S.S.Das) 1
R. Sarwan not out 20
M. Dillon not out 4
Extras (nb1) 1
TOTAL (for two wkts) 33
Fall: 1-7, 2-27.
Bowling: Srinath 4-1-12-0; Khan 4-1-10-1; Harbhajan Singh 3-1-6-1; Kumble 3-1-5-0.
