Close India 237 for 4 (Tendulkar 79, Dravid 57*, Laxman 46*) trail West Indies 501 all out (Hooper 233, Chanderpaul 140) by 264 runs
scorecard

A priceless 93-run fifth wicket partnership between Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman took India a fair way towards avoiding the follow-on and saving the first Test. At close of play on the third day at the Bourda Oval, India were just 65 runs away from making West Indies bat again.

It was an enthralling day's cricket. West Indies's seamers made early inroads into India's top-order, only to be thwarted by Sachin Tendulkar. That was when Hooper turned to Mahendra Nagamootoo, the only specialist spinner in the team. Nagamootoo immediately staunched the runs and frustrated Tendulkar, much in the manner Zimbabwe's Ray Price had done in the Delhi Test in March, before finally getting his man in the last over before tea, for 79.

At 144 for 4, with Tendulkar back in the hutch, West Indies had an excellent opportunity to get into the lower-order of the Indian batting. They were denied though, by the Dravid-Laxman partnership.

Dravid had pottered around for 74 balls in making 11 runs before tea, but found his fluency after the break, stroking Dillon and Nagamootoo square on the off side for fours. Laxman showed none of the impetuosity he has been accused of so often. He still managed seven fours in his 46, but what stood out was his resolute defence and concentration.

Hooper claimed the second new ball in the 85th over, but Laxman greeted Dillon with an effortless cover-drive. Dravid got two fours off his next over to reach his half-century, before the umpires called off play for bad light.

Needing 302 to avoid following on, India could not have made a worse start. Deep Dasgupta's miserable Test match continued, when Cameron Cuffy trapped him in front for a fifth-ball duck in the second over of the match (6 for 1).

Sourav Ganguly's bold decision to promote himself to No. 3 looked foolish, as Mervyn Dillon and Cuffy had him all at sea. On a wicket considerably livened up by overnight rain, both got the ball to seam and bounce. Ganguly played and missed repeated, and was even hit on the arm by a Dillon bouncer. His misery ended when a clumsy, unconvincing attempt to hook Dillon found Nagamootoo at square leg. Ganguly made 5 as India slumped to 21 for 2.

Tendulkar began the recovery with SS Das. The pair took India to lunch at 41 for 2, and then Tendulkar turned it up a notch as the sun came out and the wicket eased up. Playing some delectable flicks and on-drives, he forced Hooper to abandon his attacking off side field. He was especially severe on Dillon and debutant Adam Sanford, whom he creamed for three fours in one over.

Sanford got his own back though, when Das inside-edged an attempted off drive onto his stumps (99 for 3). Though he made only 33, it was an assured knock, which promised much more.

Dravid's entry suddenly slowed proceedings, as Hooper found the ideal bowling combination in Cuffy and Nagamootoo. Just 17 runs came in 101 deliveries in the period of play before tea. Nagamootoo tied down both batsmen with his excellent control over length and line, and was finally rewarded when Tendulkar tried an uncharacteristic pull in the last over before tea, missed, and was caught plumb in front. It was a strange shot, especially because the previous ball he had survived a chance – an edge had flown off keeper Junior Murray's pad, and just past first slip.

Earlier, India needed just 24 minutes to take the remaining three wickets, as West Indies were bowled out for 501. Sanjay Bangar was finally rewarded for some accurate, wicket-to-wicket bowling, when he trapped Dillon in front with an inswinger for 0 (494 for 8). It was his first Test wicket, and one he richly deserved.

Anil Kumble joined in, trapping Adam Sanford in front for 1 (499 for 9), and the innings closed soon after, when Cameron Cuffy was run out attempting an impossible second run.

While Dravid and Laxman have done an excellent job, they haven't pulled India out of the woods yet. At Kolkata, they had come to the crease towards the end of the third day's play and batted through the entire fourth day. A similar effort here wouldn't do India's cause any harm.

Teams
West Indies 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Stuart Williams, 3 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 4 Brian Lara, 5 Carl Hooper (capt), 6 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 7 Junior Murray (wk), 8 Mahendra Nagamootoo, 9 Cameron Cuffy, 10 Mervyn Dillon, 11 Adam Sanford.

India 1 Shiv Sunder Das, 2 Deep Dasgupta (wk), 3 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Rahul Dravid, 6 VVS Laxman, 7 Sanjay Bangar, 8 Anil Kumble, 9 Javagal Srinath, 10 Zaheer Khan, 11 Sarandeep Singh.

S Rajesh is sub editor of Wisden.com India.

Day 2 Bulletin

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