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June 24, 2006 (Click to see the Scorecard)

India gave a sound reply to West Indies’ total of 581 with Wasim Jaffer providing a good start with his classy half century. The tourists had lost two wickets including that of Jaffer’s but they look good to bat for a long time in their first innings. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid are developing a useful partnership and once these two get into their groove, it’s highly difficult to dislodge them. West Indian bowlers did reasonably well but the pitch was hardly assisting them. They will now have to rely on the reverse swing and the batsmen to make mistakes. Overall it has been India’s day as they could get to bat just 46 overs in the entire day’s play and West Indies had wasted 45 overs to add just 161 runs to their overnight score.

 
Tale of the Morning Session

West Indies resuming at an overnight total of 420 for 5 started off positively with both Chanderpaul and Samuels playing their shots. But the Indians got hold of the situation and bowled a lot tighter. Sreesanth, Munaf and Kumble were the bowlers used in the first hour. Kumble was taken for a six each by both the batsmen and Dravid was soon forced to take him off the attack. It was a long first session with play starting half an hour early and there was a second drinks break as well and WI at that stage were 515 for the loss of 5 wickets with both Chanderpaul and Samuels getting past their half centuries. After the drinks break, it was a completely different story with Harbhajan and Sehwag bowling in tandem. Both Chanderpaul and Samuels seemed to have forgotten to play their shots and they went into lunch adding up a mere 21 runs in the 14 overs after the drinks break. Harbhajan was operating smartly by pitching his offbreaks just outside the offstump of Chanderpaul and both the batsmen were so eager in protecting their wickets. West Indies looked very pathetic at this stage taking the game absolutely nowhere.
 

Tale of the Afternoon Session

Chanderpaul and Samuels walked in with a completely different motive this time and they started to take some risks. Samuels began the fireworks by smashing Harbhajan for two sixes in one over and he soon fell trying to hit Sehwag out of the park. Sehwag who had seen Samuels charging down the track kept it flat onto his legs and Samuels picked it up only to play it to the mid wicket fielder Harbhajan Singh. Samuels fell for 87 and West Indies were at 562 for 6 and yet no declaration had come. Harbhajan Singh started to get his doosras going and West Indies fell apart to them and soon folded up to 581! Shivnarine Chanderpaul who was batting mostly for himself was fittingly stranded on 97. Harbhajan ended up with a fifer as he got the last four wickets of West Indies to fall. Ramdin was the first to go in those four wickets as his sweep shot was caught at square leg by Jaffer and then he got rid of Jerome Taylor who was brilliantly caught by Yuvraj Singh who took a sideways running catch from short mid wicket. It was then a doosra that got the leading edge off Collins’ attempted flick shot and the fourth and the final wicket was that of Corey Collymore’s who was bowled in between his legs as he decided not to play Harbhajan’s doosra around the middle stump.

India had to bat over an hour before the tea break. Jerome Taylor started off the proceedings for Windies in a hostile manner getting the ball to hurry onto the two openers Sehwag and Jaffer. Taylor did not get much support from Collins who was short and wide on more than one occasion. That was enough for Sehwag to get going and minimize the threat from Taylor. India got off to a flier scoring its first fifty in just 8.4 overs. Just when the Indians were dreaming of a massive start, Corey Collymore provided the breakthrough with the wicket of Sehwag. Sehwag had gone for 31 after he had given catching practice to Lara at 2nd slip. He had paid the penalty for opening the face of the blade in his backfoot defence. Both Jaffer and Laxman then batted carefully to take India to Tea at 64 for 1.

Tale of the Final Session

West Indies were required to bowl 37 overs in the last session. Wasim Jaffer was continuing to stroke the ball beautifully into the gaps and he soon brought up his 5th Test Match fifty. He was soon out though as he lost patience and drove Bravo’s wide outswinger into the hands of 2nd slip. Wasim Jaffer threw his wicket after making 60 and his innings had 10 boundaries including three fours in one over off Pedro Collins. VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid batted with caution and they grinded the West Indian attack to ensure that India did not lose any more wickets in the day’s play. West Indies did introduce spin in the form of Chris Gayle during the dying moments of the day’s play. They have used five bowlers so far and the attack revolved around the four pacers. India closed the 3rd day’s play at 150 for 2 with VVS Laxman working hard for his 28 and Dravid showing good patience for his 20.

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