Finance
Kraigg Brathwaite and Alick Athanaze fought hard and frustrated Indian bowlers on a calm pitch as the hosts went into stumps at 229/5, behind by 209 on the third day of the second Test on Saturday.
West Indies’ careful approach was headed by Kraigg Brathwaite’s 235-ball 75, but the other batters, who also displayed restraint, were unable to convert their promising starts into larger contributions as India managed to take some important wickets.
West Indies, who scored only 143 runs in the day’s play, will rely on Alick Athanaze (37 not out) and Jason Holder (11 not out) to get them closer to India’s first-innings total.
Before rain forced an early lunch, India’s debutant Mukesh Kumar dismissed West Indies debutant Kirk McKenzie for 32 off 57 balls in the opening session.
Brathwaite hit fifty early in the second session, thanks to a pair off Mukesh. Though India’s bowlers were disciplined, Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood were up to the task, forming a careful partnership and ensuring that stray deliveries were taken away.
Ashwin finished the partnership worth 40 off 128 deliveries, outplaying Brathwaite’s defense with drift and spin. Athanaze looked to play his chances, and he and Blackwood batted for the rest of the prolonged second session, scoring only 57 runs in 35.4 overs.
Ajinkya Rahane took a spectacular one-handed grab at first slip to end a 21-run fourth wicket partnership that lasted 83 deliveries.
Following that, Jadeja and Unadkat bowled in combination and had the batters in trouble on a few occasions, but Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva kept West Indies going as they passed the 200-run mark. Their partnership was broken when Da Silva was bowled by Siraj. But, like with the preceding session, rain halted play just after a wicket.
Play began following a roughly hour-long rain delay, with Siraj and Ashwin continuing to bowl. In the 103rd over, India chose the second new ball, which Mukesh and Siraj used.
Mukesh found some movement and caused Athanaze some trouble, but he couldn’t grab a wicket. With the light failing, India got Jadeja to bowl one over, but the umpires quickly called it Stumps.
Brief scores: India 438 lead West Indies 229/5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 75, Alick Athanaze 37 not out; Ravindra Jadeja 2/37, Mukesh Kumar 1/35) by 209 runs.
Source:OCN
