West Indies pacer Jerome Taylor (centre) and his teammates celebrate the dismissal of India's Mohammad Kaif (out of pic) during fourth day action in the third cricket match of the Digicel Series at Warner Park, St. Kitts, yesterday. - DELLMAR PHOTO
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (CMC):
INSPIRED BY their fast bowling trio, West Indies captured a big first innings advantage over India to press for victory on the fourth day of the third Digicel Test at Warner Park yesterday.
West Indies secured a lead of 219 after dismissing India for 262 at tea in spite of a fighting century from V.V.S. Laxman.
Captain Brian Lara opted not to enforce the follow-on and West Indies, in search of quick runs in their second innings, ended the day on 113 for four for an overall lead of 332 ahead today's final day.
On an eventful day in which Laxman reached his 10th Test century, India were undermined by the efforts of pacers Jerome Taylor, Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins.
After Taylor's three early wickets set back India in the pre-lunch session, Collymore and Collins combined to make inroads after the interval before West Indies were frustrated by a last wicket stand of 47 that forced tea to be delayed by half-hour.
Collymore finished with three for 63 off 25 overs, while Taylor took three for 118 from 26 overs.
SAVED FROM COLLAPSE
Collins, who was forced to leave the field just before the end of India's innings with cramps, collected two for 117 off 29.3 overs and medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo had two for 38 from 17 overs.
India, resuming from their overnight 150 for two in response to West Indies' 581, slipped to 159 for five before Laxman prevented a complete collapse by featuring in successive half-century partnerships with Mahendra Dhoni and Anil Kumble.
Dhoni, restraining his natural aggression, made 29 in a sixth-wicket partnership of 61, while Kumble lashed an attacking 43 that contained eight hours in a seventh wicket stand of 77.
Laxman, who was 20 at the start of the day, reached his century mid-way into the post-lunch session, but fell to the next ball when wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin swooped low to his right to take an excellent catch off Collins. Laxman batted for just under six hours, faced 231 balls and hit 15 fours.
West Indies maintained the initiative with two further quick wickets before Harbhajan Singh (38 not out) and Munaf Patel (13) held them up in the last wicket stand.
They came together after Kumble was caught by a juggling Collins at fine-leg from an attempted hook off Collymore and Sreesanth was caught at second slip by Lara off Collins.
In the morning session, India were put under pressure by Taylor's three blows in his first two overs at the start of the day.
Taylor first had Dravid lbw with the fifth ball of his first over as the ball just grazed the batsman's pad when he attempted to push forward.
BRISK KNOCKS
In Taylor's next over, left-hander Yuvraj edged a defensive stroke to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off the second ball, and Kaif was adjudged lbw two balls later although television replays suggested the ball would have beaten leg stump.
Left with 37 overs batting in the post-tea period, West Indies got brisk knocks from Ramnaresh Sarwan and Brian Lara, while Daren Ganga, one of three century-makers in the first innings, held things together with an unbeaten 41.
Despite losing wickets at intervals, West Indies would have been satisfied in scoring at a rate of 4.71.
After Chris Gayle (3) fell in the second over, Sarwan stroked 23 off 28 balls before giving pacer Sreesanth his second wicket of the innings.
Lara smashed leg-spinner Kumble for two sixes down the ground before the West Indies captain was stumped for 19 when he missed a defensive stroke after advancing down the pitch.
West Indies also lost Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 11 with a return catch to Kumble. Sreesanth has so far taken two for 19 and Kumble has two for 36.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 581 (D Ganga 135; H Singh 5-147)
INDIA 1st Innings (overnight 150 for 2):
V. Sehwag c Lara b Collymore 31
W. Jaffer c Lara b Bravo 60
VVS Laxman c wk Ramdin b Collymore 100
R. Dravid lbw b Taylor 22
Yuvraj Singh c wk Ramdin b Taylor 0
M. Kaif lbw b Taylor 0
+M. Dhoni lbw b Collymore 29
A. Kumble c Collins b Collymore 43
Harbhajan Singh not out 38
Sreesanth c Lara b Collins 0
M. Patel c Ganga b Bravo 13
Extras: (b8, lb5, nb13) 26
TOTAL: (all out - 107 overs) 362
Fall of wickets: 1-61, 2-124, 3-157, 4-159, 5-159, 6-220, 7-297, 8-311, 9-315, 10-362.
Bowling: Taylor 26-3-118-3, Collins 29.3-4-117-2 (nb10), Collymore 25-4-63-3 (nb2), Bravo 17.3-6-38-2 (nb1), Gayle 2-0-3-0, Samuels 7-1-10-0.
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
C. Gayle c wk Dhoni b Sreesanth 3
D. Ganga not out 41
R. Sarwan c Dravid b Sreesanth 23
B. Lara st Dhoni b Kumble 19
S. Chanderpaul c and b Kumble 11
D. Bravo not out 9
Extras: (lb5, w1, nb1) 7
TOTAL: (4 wkts - 24 overs) 113
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-46, 3-81, 4-102.
Bowling: Patel 7-0-43-0 (nb1), Sreesanth 6-1-19-2, Kumble 8-0-36-2 (w1), Harbhajan Singh 3-0-10-0.
Position: West Indies lead by 332 runs with six wickets standing.
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen, Brian Jerling. TV replays: Clancy Mack.
Match referee: Jeff Crowe.
