Windies wilt under pressure
From Joanthan Gaskin in Gros Islet, St Lucia
June 12, 2006

THREE centuries and three early West Indies wickets, including the prized scalp of Brian Lara, put India in a seemingly impregnable position in the second Test today (AEST).

Replying to India's formidable first innings 8(dec)-588, West Indies was 3-65 at stumps on the second day.

Mohammed Kaif hit an undefeated on 148 and Rahul Dravid, the India captain, scored 146 to take the number of hundreds in the visitor's first innings to three.

It ensured India mounted its second highest total against West Indies in all Tests, and its highest in the Caribbean.

Lara, who has not been in a rich vein of form, would have been eyeing an innings similar to his opposite number when he arrived with West Indies in turmoil on 2-36. He hit a rasping extra cover drive off Patel for his only boundary before he was adjudged lbw to Anil Kumble for seven playing down the wrong line.

He was the last of three lbw verdicts India gained.

Munaf Patel struck twice in his fifth over to remove Daren Ganga for 16 and Ramnaresh Sarwan for a first-ball duck off successive balls.

The beanpole Patel, similar in build, height, delivery, and execution to Australia's Glenn McGrath, snared Ganga and Sarwan with well pitched deliveries that moved back from outside the line of the off-stump.

Earlier, Dravid completed his 23rd Test hundred and Kaif hit his maiden Test ton, after India continued from its overnight 4-361.

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They followed in the footsteps of opener Virender Sehwag, whose typically cavalier 180 on the opening day had set the tone.

Dravid hit 17 boundaries from 234 balls and added 179 for the fifth wicket with Kaif.

He reached his hundred by pulling a short delivery from Jerome Taylor through backward square leg for two in the fourth over of the morning.

Dravid was the only success West Indies had before lunch, caught at square cover off Sarwan chasing a wide ball and spooning the penultimate ball before the interval to the fielder to leave India 5-485.

After lunch, Kaif took control and steadily progressed to the hundred that had eluded him in 10 previous Tests.

He reached the landmark by pulling a full toss from Sarwan over mid-wicket for his 10th boundary in the fourth over after the interval.

Either side of his landmark, West Indies made a few more breakthroughs but not until there was a surprising stoppage for about 15 minutes for bad light.

On resumption, Dhoni was dismissed with the first ball when he sliced a drive to square cover off Ian Bradshaw.

Irfan Pathan came to the wicket and hit a few firm strokes before he was caught at cover off Chris Gayle to leave India 7-555.

Anil Kumble helped Kaif to carry India to 7-584 at tea before Jerome Taylor bowled him off the inside-edge for 14 to prompt India's declaration.

The four-Test series is level after the first Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground ended in a tense draw. It concludes with Tests at Basseterre (June 22-26), and Kingston (June 30-July 4).

Scoreboard (Stumps day two)
India 1st innings (overnight 4-361)
V. SEHWAG c and b Collins 180
W. JAFFER c Bravo b Collins 43
V. LAXMAN c Ramdin b Collins 0
R. DRAVID c Lara b Sarwan 146
Y. SINGH b Collins 2
M. KAIF not out 148
M. DHONI c Ganga b Bradshaw 9
I. PATHAN c Ganga b Gayle 19
A. KUMBLE b Taylor 14
Sundries (b4, lb7, w4, nb12) 27
Total; for 8 wickets dec 588
Fall: 159, 161, 300, 306, 485, 517, 555.
Bowling: Collins 28-5-116-4 (nb1); Taylor 24.2-4-88-1 (nb6); Bravo 10-0-66-0 (w1); Collymore 21-1-92-0 (nb3); Bradshaw 26-6-80-1 (nb2); Sarwan 18-0-83-1 (w2); Gayle 21-6-52-1
Overs: 148.2

West Indies 1st innings
C. GAYLE not out 34
D. GANGA lbw b Patel 16
R. SARWAN lbw b Patel 0
B. LARA lbw b Kumble 7
S. CHANDERPAUL not out 5
Sundries (nb3) 3
Total; three wickets for 65
Fall: 36, 36, 55.
Bowling: Pathan 6-0-35-0; Patel 8-3-20-2; Kumble 7-3-10-1 (nb3); V. Singh 2-2-0-0; Sehwag 2-2-0-0
Overs: 25>
Umpires: S. Taufel (Aus), A. Rauf (Pak)
TV umpire: S. Bucknor (WIS)
Match Referee: J. Crowe (NZ)

Agence France-Presse