Close West Indies 167 and 186 for 4 (Sarwan 62*, W Hinds 61) lead India 316 (Sehwag 61) by 37 runs
Scorecard

Two combative partnerships, both involving Ramnaresh Sarwan, helped West Indies survive a day on which they could have given India a rude surprise. Instead, ten dropped catches gave India a fat 149-run lead that all but snuffed out West Indian hopes.

Still, the West Indian batsmen brandished a refreshing resilience in their second effort on a mischievous pitch, where the odd ball kept low or leapt helmet-high. But mixing caution and aggression, West Indies maintained a run rate of 3.26 an over, even after the deficit-reduction had begun badly. Chris Gayle fell in the first over for a duck, slashing Javagal Srinath into Anil Kumble's hands at third man (0 for 1).

Wavell Hinds and Sarwan led West Indies' fightback in a 96-run stand. Then Carl Hooper put on 72 with Sarwan to revive West Indian hopes, until a dubious umpiring decision ended his innings for 43. Umpire David Shepherd deemed that Hooper had inner-edged a googly from Kumble into Parthiv Patel's gloves. Hooper and the snickometer didn't think so. West Indies were only 30 ahead with the last specialist batting pair at the crease.

Kumble had struck a telling blow after the West Indian batsmen had consistently used their feet to ensure the Indian spinners did not easily bully them in this innings.

Sarwan, who benefited from David Shepherd ruling him not out after he nicked an attempted leg glance off Zaheer Khan, even leapt out of the crease and clouted Harbhajan Singh for two sixes on either side of the sightscreen in front of the pavilion stand. Otherwise, Sarwan played an innings of quiet maturity to remain unbeaten on 62.

After a stroke-filled knock of 61 and a 96-run partnership with Sarwan, Wavell Hinds succumbed to a rush of blood, gifting India a vital breakthrough in the first over after tea. He perished trying to repeat a big six off Harbhajan that he had smashed the ball before. But Harbhajan, after a chat with Sourav Ganguly, held back the ball a bit and Ganguly gratefully accepted the descending gift from the skies at short midwicket after Hinds went through with the shot.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul departed 11 runs later, flicking airily at Srinath, and Harbhajan at short midwicket caught the easy lob. Chanderpaul left the pitch banging his head twice with his bat, while the Indians banged each other on the back. Srinath bowled with excellent control, his figures reading 9-4-16-2.

Zaheer Khan supported him ably with his eight overs costing just 17, a fine effort considering expectations that the batsmen would go after the pacemen.

West Indian butterfingers had squandered the morning session that began in murky conditions and with floodlights on duty. Catching was not on the West Indian agenda before lunch, as they dropped Harbhajan four times – Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs and Pedro Collins were the culprits. Harbhajan duly blasted a quickfire 37 (five fours and one six), and demolished any West Indian hopes of a deficit below 100.

After Harbhajan was bowled by Merv Dillon with the score at 255, Srinath smashed 39 off 35 balls to fill Hooper's cup of misery in the elongated pre-lunch session of 31 overs. With Patel (23) holding one end together in a 85-minute innings of grit and responsibility, the last four Indian wickets had added 112 runs after Laxman (24) had popped a simple return catch to give Gareth Breese his first Test wicket. The tail had wagged merrily to give India a possible winning edge.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd