India 41/2, lose two quick wickets,

By Staff

Published: Sunday, July 2, 2006, 5:32 [IST]

Kingston, Jamaica, July 2 (UNI) Batsmen continued to struggle on a tricky Sabina Park pitch as India lost two quick wickets in their second innings after bowling out West Indies for a paltry 103 in their first innings.

At tea, India were 41 for 2. Dravid was batting on 20 and Laxman was unbeaten on 13. Dravid also completed 9000 runs in test cricket when he reached 19.

As many as 12 wickets fell in the first two sessions. The pitch was offering some assistance to the bowlers but more than that it was batting without application on either side that have seen 22 dismissals in just five sessions so far.

Conceding a lead of 97 runs, first innings 5-wicket taker Jerome Taylor again began with good promise for West Indies. He removed Jaffer caught at slips for 1 and then had Sehwag out lbw to send the Indian openers back for just 6 runs on the board.

Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman batted with straight bats to see that there was no further loss in the session.

Earlier, Harbhajan Singh took five wicket haul as West Indies were bundled out for their lowest total against India. Replying to India's 200 all out, West Indies were all out for 103 in just 33.3 overs.

Harbhajan returned a figure of 4.3 -0-13-5 and took wickets in his first, second and fourth overs to give India a handful lead of 97.

Harbhajan tightened the noose after lunch accounting for Bravo's wicket in the first over itself. Bravo was caught by Yuvraj Singh for 0 at forward short leg.

Sarwan who came with a runner looked to hit Harbhajan out of the ground but managed to sky an easy catch to Kaif at mid on.

Ramdin also fell to Harbhajan-Yuvraj combination, while Collins was caught at long on by Sehwag off Harbhajan.

Taylor was run out in a funny mix, the only batsman who didn't fell to Harbhajan after lunch. This is Harbhajan's 19th five wicket haul in test cricket.

Earlier, Indian bowlers did fabulous job to take five wickets in the first session leaving West Indies at 80 for 5 at lunch on day two of the last test.

S Sreesanth struck early removing opener Chris Gayle in his first over and then accounted for skipper Brian Lara's wicket too to give India a good start on the second day of the last test played here.

After bowling out India for 200, West Indies were 42 for 2 after first hour's play.

Ganga was batting on 16 and Samuels was giving him company on 0. Gayle has had a very good series so far and has tormented Sreesanth quite a lot with his lusty hittings. But it was payback time for Sreesanth who opened the bowling for India.

Fourth ball of his first over came in a bit and also kept low to completely castle Gayle for nought.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara came to bat one down as Sarwan was injured during fielding yesterday. Lara survived a loud appeal from Seesanth in the first ball he faced.

Seeing that the pitch as offering help early on, Sreesanth and Munaf bowled with a lot of venom. First run on the board was a sneaky edge off Ganga that just fell between second and third slips for four.

But the West Indies pair tried to assert themselves from there on and with Lara at crease, it wasn't such a difficult task.

Lara pulled a short one from Sreesanth in the fifth over of the match to announce his intentions. Sreesanth who bowled his first two overs maiden was hit for 23 runs in his next three. Lara was looking extremely dangerous as he carted Kumble for two fours in an over. He followed that with two boundaries at cover and leg side region in Sreesanth's over to stamp his authority.

But Sreesanth had the last laugh when he bowled a beauty that bounced high to Lara's rib cage. Lara jumped to fend the ball but only managed an edge that Jaffer at third slip gleefully accepted.

Lara was out for 26 and West Indies were 42 for two.

Samuels was dropped in 15 th over of the match when he launched into an expansive cover drive that carried a bold edge to Jaffer at third slip. But Jaffer made a mess of the offer letting off Samuels.

Sreesanth bowled unchanged from one end for 9 overs with a figure of 34 Kingston, Jamaica, July 2 (UNI) Batsmen continued to struggle on a tricky Sabina Park pitch as India lost two quick wickets in their second innings after bowling out West Indies for a paltry 103 in their first innings.