India - 109 for no loss at lunch

Basseterre, St Kitts, June 26 (UNI) Chasing a victory target of 392 runs, India were 109 for no loss at lunch on the last day of the third test.

Earlier, West Indies declared their innings at 172 for 6 setting a target of 392 for the Indians.

It was an exciting first session in which 168 runs were scored.

Overnight 113 for 4, West Indies batted for another 8 overs in the day and added 59 runs in 8 overs and lost two wickets in the process. Darren Ganga remained not out on 66 of 75 balls that included six hits to the fence. Samuels also made a quick 20 to set a challenging target.

Indian coach Greg Chappell had hinted yesterday that whatever the target is best to go for it rather than play for draw as that would put more pressure on his batsmen. Sehwag and Jaffer began in right earnest.

Jaffer has been in supreme form this series and he played with ease rotating the strike. But it was mercurial opener Virender Sehwag, who lived a charmed life and yet found enough boundaries to send West Indies skipper Brian Lara to the lunch table with some ceases on his forehead.

Sehwag was let off twice in his innings so far. First in the fourth over, he edged Taylor to slips but Gayle at first slip dropped an easy chance. Seeing that Sehwag was going for the target, Brian Lara took more protection on the off side. He also set an interesting field position, putting a man each at short cover and short extra cover to latch on to anything that Sehwag plays in air.

Sehwag has a tendency to play uppishly in the cover region and Lara's ploy almost succeeded when on 56 Viru hit Bravo in the air.

But Sarwan at short extra cover couldn't catch hold to the powerful drive and Sehwag was let off once again.

In between these twe chances Sehwag flourished and regularly pierced a strongly guarded off side boundary. He scored 65 runs in 74 balls with 8 fours by lunch. Jaffer was batting on 35 off 83 deliveries.

India need another 283 runs with all ten wickets remaining. At least 62 more overs would be bowled today, leaving India with an asking rate of 4.56 runs per over.

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