Indian batsmen struggle, 144 for four at tea

St John's, Antigua, Jun 2 (UNI) Indian batsmen struggled against disciplined West Indian attack as the visitors were tottering at 144 for four at tea on the first day of the first Test here today.

Skipper Rahul Dravid was keeping one end intact at 35 while wickets fell at regular interval from the other end. Md. Kaif on 13 was giving company to Dravid.

The lone West Indies success post lunch came in the form of Yuvraj Singh's wicket. Yuvraj, who survived few anxious moments and appeals, was sent back by spinner Dave Mohammad. The Punjab batsman made 23 and raised a partnership of 54 runs with Dravid, the only fifty plus partnership in the innings so far.

Earlier, West Indies made early breakthroughs taking three wickets as India were reduced to 74 for three at lunch.

India began disastrously after Dravid won the toss and elected to bat first losing wickets of Wasim Jaffer for one and Virender Sehwag (36) in the first hour's play. Dwayne Bravo then struck just before lunch snaring Laxman as India looked to struggle on a pitch that offered good bounce and carry.

India left out Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan and chose to play with a combination of six batsmen and four bowlers. S Sreesanth, Munaf Patel and debutant VRV Singh would spearhead the Indian seam attack that appears the most inexperienced pace attack in a long time.

Jaffer was nicely done in by Fidel Edwards in the third over of the day. Edwards bowled a couple of deliveries on the leg side. He followed it with a short one that looked like going down the leg side but shaped up and carried a thin nick to wicketkeeper Ramdin.

Virender Sehwag looked comfortable on a pitch where ball was coming nicely on to the bat. He twice played Collymore to the leg-side boundary. Just when Sehwag looked set to play a long innings, he threw away his wicket, playing an away-going delivery from Collymore and edged to first slip to Lara for a comfortable catch. Sehwag made 36 runs off 37 balls and India were 51 for two then.

VVS Laxman, who came at number three, looked at his fluent best, playing a couple of wristy boundaries to race to 29.

India needed big partnership at that stage, but Laxman flattered to deceive. Like Sehwag, Laxman too flashed at a delivery outside off stump and was snared gleefully by keeper Ramdin off Bravo.

West Indies attack didn't look menacing but the bowlers kept a tight off stump line and they were rewarded for their discipline. Sehwag, Laxman and Yuvraj threw away their wickets after good starts.

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