NEW DELHI, India, CMC – West Indies were staring another defeat in the face after squandering their advantage with a second innings batting meltdown on the third day of the opening Test against India here yesterday.
Resuming the day on 21 for two in their second innings, West Indies were bundled out for a paltry 180, leaving the hosts to chase 276 for victory at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
At the close, they were well en route to their target, finishing on 152 for two with attacking opener Virender Sehwag stroking a run-a-ball 55.
Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid – India’s two most experienced campaigners with 338 Tests between them – will resume on the penultimate day unbeaten on 33 and 30 respectively, in search of the remaining 124 runs.
Earlier, West Indies needed a top score of 47 from veteran left-hander Shiv Chanderpaul and a breezy 42 from Darren Sammy, to get up to their eventual total.
The innings was wrecked by debutant off-spinner Ravi Ashwin who snared six for 47 while pacer Umesh Yadav, also in his debut Test, picked up two for 36.
Harbouring thoughts of building on their 116-run, first innings lead, West Indies suffered an early blow when nightwatchman Fidel Edwards wafted at the 13th delivery of the day from seamer Ishant Sharma and nicked a catch behind to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni at 26 for three.
Kirk Edwards (33) and stylish left-hander Darren Bravo (12) then put on 27 for the fourth wicket, attempting to mend the broken innings.
Edwards, who resumed the day on 15, looked in fine touch with two nicely timed off-side boundaries but misjudged an ordinary delivery from Yadav, offered no stroke and lost his off-stump.
Bravo, meanwhile, appeared out of sorts during his 55-minute stay at the crease. Dropped at cover by Ashwin off Sharma before he had scored, he struggled with his timing and judgement especially against the spinners.
It was no surprise when he prodded forward to a relatively straight one from Ashwin, missed it and was adjudged lbw, leaving the Windies precariously placed at 63 for five.
Marlon Samuels (0) lasted the last four balls over the over before Ashwin hit his off-stump with one that drifted and Carlton Baugh (7) stayed around for just over half-hour before edging a drive behind off Yadav.
At 84 for seven, the situation called for a calm head and steady hands and Chanderpaul stepped up, combining in a up tempo 40-run stand off 47 balls with his skipper Sammy.
While Chanderpaul struck seven fours off 57 balls, Sammy faced only 37 deliveries and slammed five fours and a six – a wonderful straight hit off Sharma that carried the Windies past 150.
Chanderpaul got off the mark with boundaries off the first two balls he faced, and kept up the momentum despite losing Bravo and Samuels in quick succession.
He pulled Sharma for his third boundary and followed up by smashing Yadav through backward point and wide cover for fours, in an over that cost 11.
Sammy joined the fray, taking boundaries off Ashwin and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, as he hunted quick runs for his side.
Chanderpaul eventually fell to Ashwin, lbw pushing forward, and Sammy carried on merrily before playing back to the same bowler and finding his stumps rattled.
Ravi Rampaul then clattered two fours and a six in gathering 18, as he added a crucial 23 for the last wicket with Devendra Bishoo (9 not out).
India’s run chase was ignited by Sehwag who slammed five fours and two sixes in a typically cameo knock, in adding a hasty 51 off 59 balls for the first wicket with Gautam Gambhir (22).
Sehwag, who also got 55 in the first innings, put on another 44 with Dravid for the second wicket before playing on to Sammy’s medium pace.
Tendulkar and Dravid have so far added 57 for the third wicket.