Munaf's double strike earns some relief for India

Basseterre, St Kitts, June 23 (UNI) A double strike by Munaf Patel earned some relief for India but not before Darren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan had put the West Indies in a commanding position at lunch on the second day of the third test.

At Lunch West Indies were 362 for three and has added 155 runs in the first session.

Darren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan both completed their centuries as West Indies went past the 300 run mark for the loss of one wicket only.

Overnight 207 for 1, West Indies had added 114 runs in 90 minutes only. Play started half an hour early to make up for the lost overs due to rain on day one.

It was a thoroughly entertaining batting from the West Indies duo as the Indian bowlers struggled to bowl to any plan.

Even though Chris Gayle was not there to punish the Indian bowlers hammer and tong, runs came in pretty quick time for the West Indies.

Sarwan and Ganga continued the run riot that increasingly took the game away from India.

If Ganga was stoic on the first day, he allowed himself the luxury of hitting through the line today. Skipper Lara had spoken to him how he played more freely for his home team Trinidad and Tobago than while playing for the West Indies.

Ganga paid back well the confidence imposed on him by his captain by going on all the way from a good start to complete his third Test century.

Sarwan came into his elements immediately after Ganga's hundred.

It was an over that Sarwan and bowler Patel would not forget in a hurry.

Sarwan hit six fours in the over to race from 75 to 99. The first boundary was a delectable cover drive. Sarwan followed it up with his penchant pull to mid on boundary. Munaf bowled a slower one next ball that Sarwan hit in the air through cover which a diving Yuvraj couldn't reach to.

An inside edge next ball fetched another boundary for Sarwan but he followed that up with a cut through point and a cover drive to complete six fours in six balls.

Sarwan equalled the world record of six boundaries in an over held by his teammate Chris Gayle and India's Sandeep Patil.

Sarwan celebrated his flurry of fours with a single next over that earned him his 9th Test century.

Indian skipper tried all the bowlers including Sehwag but none looked like even taking a wicket. Ganga and Sarwan went past 200 runs in their partnership for second wicket.

Finally it was left to Munaf only to provide the much needed breakthrough. Munaf nipped one in sharply that took the inside edge of Ganga's blade and rocked the stumps.

Ganga had done enough damage by then scoring 145 runs and adding 203 runs for second wicket with Sarwan.

Munaf struck again when he had Brian Lara caught plumb in front of the wicket for 10.

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