India 150 for two, Harbhajan takes five to restrict Windies to 581

Basseterre, St Kitts, June 25 (UNI) India were off to a steady start, making 150 for two, after a five wicket haul by Harbhajan Singh restricted the West Indies to 581 on the third day of the third Test here.

India did well to claim the last five West Indies wickets for a mere 19 runs and then batted sensibly to the 581-run challenge put up by the hosts. The visitors need another 232 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Pedro Collins and Jerome Taylor bowled with a lot of fire and got good lift off the pitch. Virender Sehwag survived a loud leg before shout on a no ball by Collins.

The pacer was unlucky once again as Sehwag was dropped at gully by Daren Ganga on 12 and the Indian opener was finally sent back by Corey Collymore when a delivery that pitched on the middle stump carried an edge to Brian Lara at the second slip.

Sehwag made 31 and India lost their first wicket on 64.

At the other end, Wasim Jaffer (60) played another crucial knock but never looked under any discomfort because of the added responsibility of holding the innings after Sehwag's departure.

Collins and Taylor were digging it short and steep but Jaffer was up to the task getting out of the line and leaving the ball alone.

He also played some delectable cover drives and pulls to add to his growing reputation. A slight loss in concentration led to Jaffer's downfall when he edged Dwayne Bravo to the slip cordon for a well made 60.

Jaffer added 63 runs for second wicket with VVS Laxman who hung on to his wicket till stumps. Laxman played with a mix of sublime elegance and shaky defence and showed some of his trademark late cuts and drives but at the same time looked troubled in reading Collymore. On more than one occasion he committed forward only to miss the line of Collymore's away going deliveries.

Under pressure to retain his place in the side if the team management decides to play five batsmen, Laxman hung in grimly along with his captain Rahul Dravid to remain unbeaten at stumps.

Dravid looked good in his brief stay and would be needed once again to play a long innings as India still need 232 more runs to avoid the follow on.

Earlier, West Indies' lower order collapsed with the last five wickets falling for just 19 runs. Harbhajan Singh took four of the last five wickets finishing the innings with a figure of five for 147.

Shivenarine Chanderpaul remained not out on a gritty 97.

West Indies consolidated their commanding position in the match by reaching a score of at 536 for five at Lunch. Overnight unbeaten batsmen Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels completed their fifties as the West Indies struggled to score at a brisk pace.

The hosts had scored 116 runs in the first session in which India failed to take any wicket. India were on the defensive but the Windies batsmen didn't show any urgency to accelerate the run rate.

Groundsmen here at the Warner Park did a commendable job to get the out field dry after overnight rain and start the day's play on time. But the pitch was still playing its best for batting and the Indian seamers failed to utilise any assistance from early moist conditions.

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