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Lara hits KO punch, forces draw
Defiant Lara's century ensured that late strikes by Sehwag and Kumble be rendered ineffective for India. Scorecard
With a match-saving century, West Indies skipper Brian Lara hit a knockout punch at India to force a draw in the second Test at St Lucia.
Lara's defiant knock ensured that the late strikes by the Indian bowlers be rendered ineffective for the visitors.
Earlier, after the fourth day's play was washed out due to rain, India got off to a stupendous start on the final day of the second Test to leave West Indies reeling.
Once again, Anil Kumble struck early for the Indians as he bowled Daren Ganga with a googly that the batsman failed to read.
Ganga came forward and let the ball go, only to see it strike the top of the stumps. He made 26.
Two overs later, Munaf Patel followed suit to dismiss Ramnaresh Sarwan when he induced an edge from the batsman that carried to keeper M S Dhoni.
Captain Brian Lara however batted defiantly to smash a century and keep the Windies afloat at St Lucia.
Taking cue from the skipper, Chanderpaul too hit a resilient fifty. But just when things were starting to look good for the West Indies, Anil Kumble struck.
The veteran off-spinner got the vital breakthrough for India when he dismissed Shivnaraine Chanderpaul for 54. Chanderpaul mishit a full toss outside the off stump and Irfan Pathan caught him at mid-on.
Chanderpaul's departure ended his 129-run partnership with Brian Lara, a crucial stand for the hosts in a bid to draw the match.
Thereafter, the skipper well-supported by Dwayne Bravo at the other end managed to evade the Indian bowlers for a while before Sehwag struck gold to dismiss the former to bring India back in the game.
The two were involved in a run partnership which almost took the game away from India. Lara's match-saving knock of 120 runs was studded with 10 hits to the fence.
After Lara's fall, Kumble struck in quick time to get rid of Bravo and fire India's hopes of a late surge. Bravo made 47 handing a catch to Yuvraj.
Thereafter, Munaf Patel struck in the penultimate over to dismiss Bradshaw but by then the curtains had already fallen.
Day 4
India's push for a victory was put on hold as persistent rains forced abandonment of the fourth day's play in the second cricket Test against the West Indies.
The whole of morning session was lost to continuous drizzle and chances of play starting later in the day did not look bright with puddles of water on the cover and heavy, dark clouds hanging over.
More rains would be bad news for Rahul Dravid and his men who, however, have one more day to pick the nine West Indian wickets to seal a victory.
Day 3
Backed by a mammoth total, the Indian bowlers came up with a clinical performance to skittle out the West Indies for 215 and force a follow-on in the second Test at St Lucia.
Thereafter, Pathan struck on the third ball of the innings to dismiss Chris Gayle and put the tourists in a commanding position. At stumps, West Indies were 43/1 with Lara batting on 15 and Ganga 24 not out.
The bowlers tore through the Windies' batting line-up to put India in a position to impose follow-on and press for victory.
After a smashing knock in India's first innings, Virender Sehwag picked up the last three wickets to send the hosts packing at the stroke of tea.
Earlier, looking to dig deep and tough it out, Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul survived dangerously till Anil Kumble and Irfan Pathan struck early to dismiss the two in quick succession to end the West Indies resistance.
Resuming on the overnight score of 65 for three, Chris Gayle and Chanderpaul added 41 runs before Kumble struck for India.
Gayle had just begun to open up when the off-spinner struck to send him back. He was dismissed for 46 when he edged a beauty by Kumble and Dhoni managed to grab a juggling catch.
Chanderpaul then made his way back to the pavillion in the very next over. He was trapped leg before by Irfan Pathan for 30.
Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Bravo then came together to put up a 61-run partnership
Kumble picked up his third wicket of the match when he had Dwayne Bravo caught brilliantly at first slip by Rahul Dravid for 25.
Two over later and Ramdin too made his way to the pavillion. He edged a Patel delivery to Dhoni for 30.
Then it was Sehwag's show till the end. He first dismissed Jerome Taylor for 23. The batsman fell when he hoicked a delivery to Mohammad Kaif at deep midwicket.
One over later, Sehwag struck again to remove Pedro Collins for a duck, caught at first slip by Rahul Dravid. The Delhi batsman then picked his third, a brilliant caught and bowled effort to dismiss Ian Bradshaw for 20.
Batsmen involved in partnerships following each other to the pavilion the moment one of them departed marked the day's play.
Day 2
After the batsmen posted a mammoth total on board that gave India a firm footing, bowlers too joined in the effort to give West Indies some early jitters and take home the advantage.
At stumps on Day Two, West Indies were 65/3 with Gayle batting on 34 and Chanderpaul 5 not out.
Munaf Patel bowled a fiery spell early on to dismiss opener Daren Ganga (16) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (0) on consecutive balls to put West Indies on the backfoot. Thereafter, Kumble trapped Brain Lara for just 9 runs to leave the hosts tottering.
In a match that has been a run feast for the Indians, Kaif too joined the party with his maiden century after the Sehwag and Dravid show.
India declared their first innings at 588 for eight following the dismissal of Anil Kumble by Jerome Taylor. Mohammad Kaif remained unbeaten on 148.
Earlier, resuming on the overnight score of 361 for four, Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif played well to consolidate India's position and put the hosts in the driver's seat in the second Test at St Lucia.
Dravid hit a resolute 146 that included 16 hits to the fence. Kaif on the other end put in a solid contribution and with his captain put on a 179-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Day 1
Following Virender Sehwag's hurricane knock, skipper Rahul Dravid pitched in to put India on a firm footing in the second Test against West Indies at St Lucia.
At stumps, Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 95 and Mohammad Kaif was batting on 18. Pedro Collins who grabbed all the four wickets, was clearly the pick of the bowlers for West Indies.
Sehwag's majestic century gave India a blazing start after Dravid elected to bat.
The Nawab of Najafgarh cut loose from the beginning to send the West Indies bowlers on a leather hunt. It was vintage Sehwag all the way before Collins ended his odyssey with a brilliant catch off his own bowling. The opener's magnificent 180 came off just 190 balls and included 20 fours and 2 sixes.
The Delhi batsman was involved in two crucial partnerships that set the tone for India. He combined with Wasim Jaffer for an opening stand of 159 runs and then with skipper Rahul Dravid for a 139-run partnership.
Earlier, India made only one change to the side that played in the first Test at Antigua. After missing the first Test, Irfan Pathan is back in place of injured Sreesanth.
West Indies have dropped spinner Dave Mohammad and brought in Pedro Collins and Jerome Taylor. Fidel Edwards was ruled out of the second Test because of a hamstring injury.
After the drawn first Test in Antigua, both the teams will be looking for a result in St Lucia.
Teams
West Indies : IDR Bradshaw, DJ Bravo, S Chanderpaul, PT Collins, CD Collymore, D Ganga, CH Gayle, BC Lara, D Ramdin, RR Sarwan, JE Taylor
India : MS Dhoni, R Dravid, W Jaffer, M Kaif, A Kumble, VVS Laxman, MM Patel, IK Pathan, V Sehwag, VR Singh, Yuvraj Singh
