Sehwag one short of 12th Test hundred, India 140/0 at lunch

St Lucia, June 10 (UNI) Virender Sehwag was just one run short of his 12th Test hundred as India raced to 140 without losing a wicket at lunch on the first day of the second Test here today.

Sehwag led the charge as the opener returned to form in style and needs just one run to complete his century. His power-packed performance enabled the Indians to score at a rate of over five in the first session.

The Najafgarh lad scored 99 off only 78 balls with 15 hits to the fence and two sixes.

At the other end, Wasim Jaffer provided excellent support to Sehwag as he guarded his wicket with minimum fuss. Jaffer began sedately but later hit on both sides of the wicket to demonstrate the good form that fetched him a double ton in his last innings. He was giving company to Sehwag at 34.

After Indian skipper Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to bat first, Sehwag started confidently and dealt in boundaries right from the start. He hit a beautiful cover drive to the boundary to open the scoring and with the pitch plying good, Sehwag looked comfortable against the pace of Pedro Collins and Jerome Taylor.

He hit Taylor behind point and square leg boundary for fours.

Collins was not spared either as Sehwag hit a beautiful straight drive for four.

After nine overs, India were 45 without loss and West Indian skipper Brian Lara replaced Taylor with Dwayne Bravo from the pavilion end. But the tactic did not yeild result as Sehwag punished Bravo as well. He hit the bowlers all over the park to raise India's fifty in 10 overs.

Bravo was in for some more harsh treatment in the next over as Sehwag hit him over extra cover for six to raise his fifty. He followed it with a cut that was in air for some time but dissected second slip and gully for four.

Bravo was then hit over long-on for four and was dispatched in the same area for a six, the next ball.

Corey Collymore was the next to be taken to task by Sehwag and was driven for a four followed by a cover boundary.

Lara tried all his five specialist bowlers but met with no success.

Earlier, India made one change to the squad which played in the first Test in Antigua as Irfan Pathan came in for S Sreesanth. West Indies brought in Pedro Collins and Jerome Taylor for Dave Mohammad and Fidel Edwards.

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