November 04
Tendulkar, Laxman shine as India secure draw 

KOLKATA: Indian player Sachin Tendulkar celebrates during the third Test match between India and the West Indies at Eden Gardens on, November 2 2002.

KOLKATA: Vangipurappu Laxman struck an unbeaten 154 after Sachin Tendulkar's classy 176 as India secured a draw in the third and final test against West Indies on Sunday to win the series 2-0. The stylish Laxman completed his fourth test hundred at his favoured Eden Gardens venue after India opted to bat on until the end rather than make a declaration and push for a series sweep. India amassed 471 for eight in their second innings and, with the result a foregone conclusion, the match was declared a draw.

The 28-year-old Laxman batted with uncharacteristic restraint until he reached his century shortly before tea, going on to play his typical wristy shots on a true pitch. 

He batted for almost nine hours, faced 396 balls and struck 17 fours. Laxman's second century against West Indies followed his Indian record 281 at the ground last year, which lifted India to a series-levelling win over Australia after they had followed on.

Tendulkar and Laxman shared a record 214-run partnership for the fifth wicket after India resumed the day still facing the prospect of defeat as they were only 56 runs ahead. 

Tendulkar, who hit his 31st test century on the fourth day to revive India from 87 for four, continued to dominate the attack until he was out in the second over after lunch. 

Tendulkar dominated the morning's play to dash West Indian hopes of an early breakthrough, playing classy cover drives and his trademark flicks through mid-wicket to go past 150. 

The master batsman was dropped on 173 close to lunch by Chris Gayle at gully after fiercely cutting fast bowler Jermaine Lawson. 

But he was out without adding to his lunch score, cutting fast bowler Cameron Cuffy uppishly for Gayle to make no mistake with a shoulder-high chance. 

Tendulkar suffered a hamstring strain during his marathon effort and has been ruled out of the seven-match one-day series starting on Wednesday after being advised to have three weeks rest. 

Tendulkar faced 299 balls in his marathon seven-hour knock which included 26 fours, dominating the partnership in which Laxman's contribution was only 68. 

His stand with Laxman surpassed India's previous best fifth-wicket effort against West Indies, 204 between Sunil Gavaskar and Brijesh Patel at Port of Spain in 1975-76. 

The scoring rate dipped after Tendulkar's dismissal as Laxman inched towards his own century, but he also benefited from sloppy catching by the visitors. 

Laxman, on 83, was dropped by Chanderpaul a slip edging Hooper's off-spin, before he pulled the bowler to square leg to complete his century. 

He carried on with the tail-enders as Hooper chose to give his part-time bowlers long spells to rest his pace quartet. 

Harbhajan Singh brought some late excitement by smashing an 18-ball 26, including two fours and two sixes in succession in one Ramnaresh Sarwan over costing 21 runs. 

Tendulkar was named man-of-the-match and off-spinner Harbhajan player of the series for his 20-wicket haul.