Close West Indies 131 for 2 (Lara 40*, Hooper 1*) and 245 need 182 runs more to beat India 339 and 218 (Ganguly 75*, Laxman 74)
scorecard

Ramnaresh Sarwan's wicket just three overs before close of play ended a 57-run partnership between him and Brian Lara, and left the second Test tantalisingly poised for the last day. Sarwan's dismissal breathed some life back into the Indians, but Lara was in ominous form, having raced to a fluent 40.

India began the day on top, leading by 259 runs with six wickets in hand, but lost their way completely against the second new ball, as six wickets went down for 13 runs in an abysmal lower-order collapse. And then, West Indies's top-order showed admirable resolve keeping the Indian attack at bay.

Both Stuart Williams and Chris Gayle started confidently in their quest of a stiff target. Gayle showed uncharacteristic restraint, but Williams was in aggressive mood, slashing at anything wide of off stump. He raced to 13, before Javagal Srinath, India's most consistent warrior, struck. A perfect ball in the corridor found the edge and Rahul Dravid at first slip latched on (27 for 1).

Sarwan came in and was assured from ball one, defending with ease and putting away the loose deliveries with minimum fuss. Gayle curbed his attacking instincts, as West Indies went in to tea at 62 for 1.

They suffered a setback soon after resumption, when Gayle was forced to retire with cramps in his left arm. His 21 took all of 88 balls. The crowd didn't seem to mind that though, for it brought Lara to the crease. West Indies required a further 245 runs then, and the stage was set for a Lara special.

Sourav Ganguly went on the offensive immediately, bringing Srinath and Zaheer Khan back into the attack – both bowlers had dismissed Lara once in the series. Srinath started off with four men in the slips cordon, but that hardly bothered Lara. He got off the mark with a punch down the ground for three off Srinath, and then beat the crowded off-side cordon with a steer for four.

Sarwan seemed inspired too, a straight-drive off Zaheer and a back-foot cover-drive off Srinath being shots of the highest order. Harbhajan Singh was introduced and almost dismissed Lara with a faster one that beat the batsman's attempted cut. Ajay Ratra clung on to the ball and raced down the pitch to celebrate, but umpire Daryl Harper was unmoved. Lara's riposte was a fine sweep which raced to the long-leg fence and brought up the hundred of the innings.

The frustration in the Indian camp was palpable, with Ganguly ringing in the bowling changes. Sachin Tendulkar came in for an over, but Lara won that mini-battle with a fine sweep that raced to long leg and brought down the target to under 200.

Things seemed to be slipping away from India's grasp, when Harbhajan struck. Ramnaresh Sarwan was deceived by one that went the other way, and edged to Rahul Dravid at slip. Sarwan made 41, and again failed to convert a start – he'd made 53 at Georgetown and 35 in the first innings here.

Earlier, India's batsmen capitulated in a heap against the second new ball in an eventful morning session. Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman were cruising until the new ball was taken, but the scenario changed depressingly quickly once Mervyn Dillon and Cameron Cuffy worked up a good head of steam. By lunch, India were 218 for 9, having lost five wickets for just 12 runs.

Laxman was the first casualty, chopping a Dillon delivery back onto his stumps (206 for 5). The up-and-down bounce did him in, but he had reason to be satisfied with his knock of 74, and a partnership of 149 runs with his captain.

Ratra avoided the dreaded pair but didn't stay around long enough to do much else. Cameron Cuffy rapped him on his front pad with one that nipped back. The ball struck him fractionally outside off, but umpire Daryl Harper thought otherwise (210 for 6).

Harbhajan lasted just one ball, edging Cuffy to Gayle at first slip for his second duck of the Test. Moments later, a magnificent catch from Stuart Williams ended Javagal Srinath's all too brief resistance for 2 (213 for 8). There was more drama to follow, when Zaheer was run out for 4 in the last over before lunch, following a mix-up with Ganguly. A straight delivery from Mervyn Dillon was all it took to see off Ashish Nehra, and West Indies were back in the contest. Ganguly remained undefeated with a fighting 75.

Buoyed by their effort on the field, the batsmen put up a spirited display. But much work remains to be done, and with the tail they possess, Lara and Hooper must score the bulk of the remaining 182 runs themselves.

The last time a Test was played here, West Indies had gone into the last day needing 200 runs to beat South Africa, with nine wickets in hand. They choked. Lara got a duck – a shocking lbw decision – as West Indies crashed to 162 all out. That's a record Lara will want to set straight.

India 1 SS Das, 2 Sanjay Bangar, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 6 VVS Laxman, 7 Ajay Ratra (wk), 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Ashish Nehra 10 Javagal Srinath, 11 Zaheer Khan.

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

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Wisden.com India. S Rajesh is sub editor.

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