Windies flay Indian attack, take 77-run lead

St John's, Antigua, Jun 4 (UNI) Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo scored fifties as West Indies ended the day on 318 for six, taking a vital 77-run lead after bowling out India for 241 on the second day of the first Test here.

Gayle, Sarwan and Bravo took apart an inexperienced Indian seam attack after the visitors were bundled out for 241 early in the morning.

It was Gayle's batting that lit up the Antigua Recreation Centre as the West Indian opener played a brilliant 77-run knock after India struck early to take the wicket of Darren Ganga.

S Sreesanth opened the attack for India and bowled a good first over that tested Ganga's off stump twice. Gayle also survived a very close call for LBW off Munaf Patel in the second over of the innings.

However, in his typical style, Gayle slashed hard at a wide delivery next ball and saw the ball fly over the slip cordon for the first four of the day.

But Munaf returned in the next over to trap Ganga plumb in front of the wicket for nine. Gayle then negated all the early advantage with some savage shots.

India were fielding without a third man and as many as three fours went past that area easing the pressure on the hosts' openers.

Gayle was in a punishing mood and the fall of an early wicket didn't deter him. The tall Jamaican cut Sreesanth for a boundary over slips and then hit Munaf on the on-side boundary to keep the scoreboard ticking. If that was not enough, Gayle lofted Sreesanth straight over his head for a massive six in the seventh over.

He hit two more boundaries in the same over to take the West Indies score past fifty in only the ninth over of the innings.

Indian skipper Rahul Dravid had to take Sreesanth off the attack and debutant VRV Singh was brought in. VRV was the fastest of all the Indian seamers but didn't taste any success. At lunch, West Indies were 81 for one with Gayle batting on 45 and Sarwan on 19.

Gayle became sober after lunch as he got near his fifty. He soon completed his 23rd Test half century as Indian bowlers struggled to make any break-through. Sreesanth continued to bowl short of length and was regularly hit around the park.

MORE UNI XC PDS PM BST1002