Fast bowler Ishant Sharma took 5-77 and offspinner Harbhajan Singh claimed his 400th test wicket at Windsor Park as India bowled out West Indies for 204 on a rain-hit day two yesterday of the third and final cricket test. Wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh top-scored with 60 while Darren Bravo completed an even 50. Harbhajan grabbed 2-26 while swing bowler Praveen Kumar took 2-22. India reached 8-0 before showers and bad light ended play a quarter hour after tea. Rain, which limited the first day to just 31.1 overs, caused a delayed start to day two proceedings but India hit swiftly once play got under way 50 minutes late. Left-handers Bravo and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul stretched their fourth-wicket partnership to 52 before Munaf Patel made the crucial breakthrough. Chanderpaul, in his record 133rd test for West Indies, nibbled at a good length delivery outside off stump and edged to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The 36-year-old compiled 23 off 59 balls.
West Indies slumped to 99-5 soon after when Kumar bowled Marlon Samuels (9) off the inside edge.
But Bravo batted with grit and determination and Baugh played with enterprise to stall the visitors’ charge. The pair added 59 either side of lunch, emerging after the break with a boundary-laden attack that had India on the back foot. Bravo collected his 50 off 130 deliveries but Sharma removed him a few balls later. Bravo, who struck eight fours in 197 minutes, pushed outside off stump and edged to Dhoni, celebrating his 30th birthday. Baugh found another useful ally in captain Darren Sammy after the loss of Bravo. The pair shared a stand of 41 before Sammy’s dismissal sparked a slide in which the final four wickets tumbled for five runs. Sammy lashed three fours and a six in 20 off 23 balls before he prodded to short leg for Harbhajan’s 399th wicket.
One run later, Harbhajan was celebrating his landmark wicket when Baugh was bowled trying to square cut a delivery too close to him. The pint-sized Jamaican hit seven fours and a six off 79 balls. Harbhajan, who turned 31 last Sunday, is the third Indian to 400 wickets (and 11th overall) following seamer Kapil Dev (434) and legspinner Anil Kumble (619). Sharma wrapped up the innings with tailenders Fidel Edwards (3) and Devendra Bishoo (0) falling to short balls that were deflected onto the stumps.
Edwards tried an ugly pull while left-hander Bishoo tried to ride a lifter. Sharma’s third five-wicket haul in his 34th test carried his series tally to 21. Light rain brought an early tea before India emerged to begin their reply. The visitors faced only four overs before the showers became more steady and prompted another lengthy interruption.
SCOREBOARD
WI vs India
WI 1st Inns (o/n 75-3)
A Barath b Sharma 12
K Powell c Laxman b Kumar 3
K Edwards c Dhoni b Sharma 6
D Bravo c Dhoni b Sharma 50
S Chanderpaul c Dhoni b Patel 23
M Samuels b Kumar 9
C Baugh b Harbhajan 60
D Sammy c Mukund b Harbhajan 20
F Edwards b Sharma 3
R Rampaul not out 0
D Bishoo b Sharma 0
Extras: (8b, 10lb) 18
TOTAL: (76.3 overs) 204
Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-24, 3-32, 4-84, 5-99, 6-158, 7-199, 8-200, 9-204, 10-204.
Bowling: P Kumar 16-7-22-2, I Sharma 21.3-4-77-5, M Patel 20-7-48-1, Harbhajan 15-7-26-2, Raina 4-1-13-0.
India 1st Inns
Abhinav Mukund not out 6
Murali Vijay not out 1
Extras: (1lb) 1
TOTAL: (without loss) 8
Bowling: Fidel Edwards 2-1-2-0, Darren Sammy 2-0-5-0.
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough, England, and Asad Rauf, Pakistan.
Third umpire: Joel Wilson, T&T.
Match referee: Chris Broad, (Eng)
