India close in on series win after meek West Indies reply

West Indies trail by 283 runs with only seven second innings wickets intact after being forced to follow-on after being bowled out for 153 on day three.

KOLKATA // India moved toward a series-clinching victory with the West Indies trailing by 283 runs and only seven second innings wickets remaining at stumps on the third day of the second Test at Eden Gardens.

West Indies reached 195 for three after being asked to follow on having earlier been meekly bowled out for 153 in reply to India's 631 for seven declared.

Darren Bravo (38) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (21) were the not out batsmen at the close.

Opener Adrian Barath (62) and Kirk Edwards (60) defied the Indian attack with a 93-run stand for the second wicket after the early dismissal of Kraigg Brathwaite (nine), who was caught behind off paceman Umesh Yadav.

Barath and Edwards played some attractive shots before Ishant Sharma broke the stand immediately after the tea-break when he had Barath caught by VVS Laxman, who held a low catch to his left at first slip.

Barath hit 10 fours in his third Test half-century. Sharma struck again when he removed Edwards, trapped lbw after hitting one six and six fours in his second Test half-century.

Earlier, resuming on 34 for two at the start of the day, the tourists struggled against spinner Pragyan Ojha (four for 64) and pace bowler Umesh Yadav (three for 23) in just 48 overs.

Yadav, who took one wicket yesterday, struck twice in the morning to finish, while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bagged two for 49.

The West Indies' batsmen failed to apply themselves in the first innings on a pitch offering turn and bounce to spinners, with Bravo top-scoring with 30.

Ashwin and Ojha did the early damage when they took one wicket each before Yadav jolted the West Indies by removing Bravo and Marlon Samuels (25) in successive overs.

Ojha got a wicket in the fifth over of the day when he trapped Edwards (16) lbw for his 50th Test victim in 13 matches after the batsman had added only four runs to his overnight score of 12.

Ashwin, who got married a day before the Test started, captured a big wicket in his opening over when he removed in-form Chanderpaul, who was also trapped lbw.

Chanderpaul, who scored 118 and 47 in the opening Test, was able to contribute just four runs this time.

Bravo and Samuels played some attacking shots during their 46-run stand for the fifth wicket before falling in the space of seven runs to leave their team struggling at 99 for six. Darren Sammy, the captain, tried to counter-attack but did not last long, caught behind off Ojha immediately after smashing the spinner for a straight six. He hit one six and two fours in his 14-ball 18.

Ojha finished the innings when he trapped Fidel Edwards lbw for 16.

India won the first Test in New Delhi by five wickets last week. The third and final Test in Mumbai starts next Tuesday.