West Indies pacer Pedro Collins (left) seems delighted after dismissing India's VVS Laxman, caught by Brian Lara (out of pic), in action on the fifth and final day of the third Test match in the Digicel Series, at Warner Park in St. Kitts yesterday. - DELLMAR PHOTOS
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC):
THE THIRD Digicel Test between West Indies and India ended in an intriguing draw on the final day at Warner Park yesterday to keep the series deadlocked ahead of the last match.
Set a challenging 392 in a minimum of 88 overs, India made a gallant effort to reach 298 for four before the match was called off with three overs remaining.
The contest seemed headed for a dull finish at tea when India still needed another 192 from 33 overs, but the match was revived after Mahendra Dhoni, promoted to No. 5, smashed two sixes that reduced the asking rate to less than a run-a-ball.
Once Dhoni fell to a diving catch by Chris Gayle at extra-cover with the total on 273 for four just before the start of the final 15 overs, the visitors abandoned the chase.
After West Indies batted a further 33 minutes in the morning session when they added 59 runs, India were given hope of an unlikely win with two century partnerships.
MISSED CATCHES
Openers Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer launched the chase with a stand of 109 in even time and captain Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman put on 100 to bring India within reach of the target.
While Sehwag played aggressively for 65 off 75 balls, Jaffer, with 54 off 118 balls, Laxman, with 63 off 106 balls, and Dravid, with an unbeaten 68 off 131 balls, played more soundly.
West Indies missed three catches, two of which went to Sehwag and one which proved costly.
Sehwag benefited from chances on five and 57, while Laxman was missed on 39.
West Indies had an early opportunity to break the opening partnership when only ten runs were scored, but Gayle at first slip, missed a relatively simple chance off fast bowler Jerome Taylor.
Sehwag was also dropped just before lunch when Ramnaresh Sarwan put down a sharp chance at short extra-cover off medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo.
India continued to benefit from more chances in the second session.
Laxman offered a low, difficult chance on 39 to Bravo at backward short-leg off Marlon Samuels and in the same over his firm pull hit the fingers of Daren Ganga as he attempted to take evasive action at forward short-leg.
INDIA'S EVEN HUNDRED
West Indies broke the opening stand with the first ball after lunch when Sehwag was lbw to Corey Collymore.
After Jaffer reached his half-century, he edged a drive to be caught low at first slip by Gayle off Pedro Collins, who finished with two for 66 off 18 overs.
Dravid and Laxman, India's two most experienced batsmen, came together to add an even hundred.
At that stage, India did not give the impression they were chasing the runs, but it became evident when Laxman slashed at a wide ball from Collins and was caught at second slip.
Dhoni, who did little apart from his two sixes, made 20 from 32 balls, but after he fell, the excitement died down.
Earlier, West Indies, resuming their second innings on 113 for four after securing a first innings lead of 219 on Sunday, batted for a further eight overs before declaring on 172 for six.
Opener Daren Ganga, resuming on 41, finished unbeaten on 66 to follow up his 135 in the first innings that earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.
West Indies lost Dwayne Bravo in the first over to a catch at long-on and the aggressive Marlon Samuels, who was stumped for 20.
Leg-spinner Anil Kumble finished with three for 60 in 12 overs.
The fourth and final Test starts on Friday at Sabina Park in Kingston.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 581
INDIA 1st Innings 362
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
(overnight 113-4)
C. Gayle c wkpr Dhoni b Sreesanth 3
D. Ganga not out 66
R. Sarwan c Dravid b Sreesanth 23
B. Lara st Dhoni b Kumble 19
S. Chanderpaul c and b Kumble 11
D. Bravo c Sreesanth b Kumble 9
M. Samuels st Dhoni b Harbhajan 20
+D. Ramdin not out 8
Extras: (b4, lb7, w1, nb1) 13
TOTAL: (6 wkts decÕd, 32 overs) 172
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-46, 3-81, 4-102, 5-120, 6-152.
Bowling: Patel 7-0-43-0 (nb1), Sreesanth 6-1-19-2, Kumble 12-0-60-3 (w1), Harbhajan Singh 7-0-39-1.
INDIA 2nd Innings
W. Jaffer c Gayle b Collins 54
V. Sehwag lbw b Collymore 65
VVS Laxman c Lara c Collins 63
R. Dravid not out 68
+M. Dhoni c Gayle b Taylor 20
Yuvraj Singh not out 8
Extras: (b9, lb8, w1, nb2) 20
TOTAL: (4 wkts, 85 overs) 298
Fall of wickets: 1-109, 2-143, 3-243, 4-273.
Bowling: Collins 18-1-66-2 (w1, nb1), Taylor 11-1-40-1 (nb1), Collymore 15-3-40-1, Samuels 20-3-68-0, Bravo 7-1-36-0, Gayle 14-2-31-0.
Result: Match drawn.
Man-of-the-Match: Daren Ganga.
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen, Brian Jerling.
TV replays: Clancy Mack.
Match referee: Jeff Crowe.
