Wasim Jaffer's second career ton led India's batting revival and hopes in the second cricket Test against the Windies on Sunday.
ST JOHN'S/ANTIGUA: Wasim Jaffer scored his second Test century on Sunday to gain the upper hand for India after three days of the first Test against West Indies. At the close India were 215 for two in their second innings, a lead of 85.
West Indies were earlier dismissed for 371, a first innings lead of 130. The patient Jaffer, playing in his 11th Test, scored a career-best 113 not out from 223 balls with 12 fours. His previous highest score was the 100 against England in Nagpur in March this year.
Jaffer shared an opening stand of 72 with Virender Sehwag (41), added 75 for the second wicket with Vangipurappu Laxman (31) and scored most of the runs in an unbroken partnership of 68 with captain Rahul Dravid (21 not out).
Earlier, the Indian top order, which failed to fire in the first innings, came up with a disciplined performance to chip away at the West Indies' first innings lead of 130 runs, reaching 121 for one at tea on the third day.
Jaffer was unbeaten on 60 from 95 balls with eight fours with the stylish VVS Laxman four not out at the other end at the Antigua Recreation Ground.
The Mumbai opener put up a solid 72-run partnership for the first wicket with Virender Sehwag who had the West Indian attack at his mercy when he edged an away going delivery from Corey Collymore to first slip.
Sehwag's 41 came from 58 balls with six fours and a six.
Earlier, the West Indies' tail wagged long enough to enable the hosts gain a substantial lead over India.
The hosts, resuming at 318 for six, batted for 16 more overs and added 53 runs before folding up at 371, half an hour before lunch.
The morning's play was notable for Punjab youngster Vikram Rajvir Singh's fiery spell who got two batsmen out off deliveries which jumped from a spot.
Singh bowled quick and dug in a few nasty short-pitched deliveries which hit batsmen on gloves and body.
His first dismissal was that of obdurate overnight batsman Ian Bradshaw who batted for 111 minutes and faced 85 balls, scoring 33 runs with six fours.
Singh's other victim was Fidel Edwards (4) who squared up to a short-pitched delivery and ballooned a catch in the air, gratefully accepted by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Kumble closed the lid on the innings when he won a leg before shout against Collymore for nought.
But the first breakthrough for the Indians was provided by Munaf Patel who removed the overnight batsman Denesh Ramdin for 26 runs, coaxing an edge to Dhoni.
Ramdin batted for 90 minutes and faced 68 balls, hitting three fours, and added 49 runs for the eighth wicket with Bradshaw.
Patel and Kumble picked up three wickets each while two wickets each were claimed by VRV Singh and Sehwag.
Scoreboard:
India (1st innings) 241
West Indies (1st innings)
C Gayle c Dravid b Kumble 72
D Ganga lbw b Patel 9
R Sarwan lbw b Kumble 58
B Lara c Y Singh b Patel 18
S Chanderpaul c Dhoni b Sehwag 24
D Bravo st Dhoni b Sehwag 68
D Ramdin c Dhoni b Patel 26
I Bradshaw c Y Singh b V Singh 33
D Mohammed 19
F Edwards c Dhoni b V Singh 4
C Collymore lbw b Kumble 0
Extras (b-2 lb-14 nb-22 w-2) 40
Total (all out, 98.3 overs) 371
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-137, 3-159, 4-182, 5-255, 6-282, 7-331, 8-359, 9-370, 10-371.
Bowling: S Sreesanth 16-1-96-0 (nb-1 w-2), M Patel 28-7-80-3 (nb-6), V Singh 15-1-61-2 (nb-4), A Kumble 27.3-6-86-3 (nb-5), V Sehwag 12-2-32-2 (nb-2).
India (2nd innings)
Wasim Jaffer batting 113
Virender Sehwag c Gayle b Collymore 41
VVS Laxman c Bradshaw b Mohammed 31
R Dravid not out 21
Extras (lb2, w2, nb5) 9
Total (for two wickets, 68 overs) 215
Fall of wicket: 1-72, 2-147
Bowling: F Edwards 5.4-2-16-0, C Collymore 14-6-27-1, I Bradshaw 15-1-61-0, D Bravo 12.2-4-37-0, D Mohammed 10-1-39-1, C Gayle 7-2-18-0, R Sarwan 4-0-15-0
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