October 20 Sunday 2002
Stroke-happy West Indies face tall order 

CHENNAI: Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh turned in impressive all-round performances to push the West Indies closer to defeat in the second Test against India here on Saturday. 

Fast bowler Srinath (2-16) and off-spinner Harbhajan gave a good account of themsleves as lower-order batsmen before sharing three wickets to reduce the West Indies to 186-4 at stumps on the third day at the Chidambaram Stadium. The tourists were just 37 runs ahead, with their slim hopes of setting a stiff fourth-innings target largely depending on Ramnaresh Sarwan. 

Sarwan was batting on a solid 62, hitting Harbhajan for two sixes during his 14th Test half-century in 26 matches. He put on 72 for the fourth wicket with skipper Carl Hooper, who scored a brisk 58-ball 46 with two sixes off leg-spinner Anil Kumble before being caught behind off the same bowler in the sixth over before the close. 

India were all out for 316 in reply to their opponents' 167 before grabbing four big wickets to strengthen their chances of clinching their first Test series against the West Indies in 23 years. The hosts have already won the opening Test of a three-match series by an innings and 112 runs at Mumbai. 

India prospered on their rivals' fielding lapses to gain a sizeable lead as they added 112 crucial runs for the last four wickets. The West Indies had an opportunity to restrict India to a modest total when they reduced the hosts to 204-6, but missed chances cost them dearly. They grassed six catches in the innings, including three on Saturday. 

Indian tailenders Srinath (39), Harbhajan (37) and Parthiv Patel (23) made merry in overcast conditions to help their team add 110 under lights in the extended morning session after resuming at 190-5. The light improved, but not the West Indies' condition as they lost vital wickets in bright sunshine. 

The top-order batsmen went for strokes in a bid to neutralise the Indian bowlers' efficacy on a pitch of dubious bounce, but perished playing one shot too many against tidy bowling. Left-handed opener Chris Gayle fell to the fourth ball of the innings, caught by Kumble at deep third-man while slashing Srinath. Jamaican left-hander Wavell Hinds counter-attacked vigorously and shared a 96-run stand for the second wicket with Sarwan, hitting one six and eight fours in his 83-ball 61 for his ninth Test half-century. He was dismissed a ball after swinging Harbhajan over mid-wicket for a six in the opening over after tea. He stepped out to repeat the shot, but mistimed it to be caught by skipper Sourav Ganguly at short mid-wicket. 

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, more of a stayer than a stroke-maker, went for shots early in his innings but flicked Srinath straight to Harbhajan at square-leg after contributing three. The Indian tailenders also had taken the same route to put their team in a strong position, but were helped by the shoddy West Indies catching. Harbhajan was let off on seven, 17 and 30 during his entertaining 43-ball knock before being bowled by paceman Mervyn Dillon, but only after hitting one six and five fours in a 51-run stand for the seventh wicket with Patel. Srinath also chanced his arm and struck one six and six fours in his 37-ball knock. Harbhajan had shown the way after the fall of Venkatsai Laxman, the last specialist batsman who added just six to his overnight 18. Laxman checked his drive and offered a return catch to become debutant off-spinner Gareth Breese's first Test victim.