Laxman leads India’s recovery
West Indies in tatters after day one of second Test.
BRIDGETOWN:
India’s pace battery brought the tourists back into the second Test against West Indies, after they suffered a batting collapse on the first day.
Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave West Indies in tatters on 30 for three, in reply to India’s first innings total of 201 at the close.
Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next over, Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for two, leaving West Indies five for two.
Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan, and stemmed the fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind for nine off the penultimate ball of the day from Mithun.
Meanwhile, India batsman VVS Laxman lamented his failure to convert another fluid innings into a hundred. Laxman was the top scorer with 85 but he rued the manner of his dismissal, and his failure to add to his 16 Test hundreds.
“I have not converted many of my 50s into hundreds, and so you feel bad after having put in the hard work,” said Laxman.
West Indies fast-bowler Ravi Rampaul said it was important for West Indies to gain a first-innings lead over India to enhance their claims for a series-levelling victory.
“We want to have a lead, a total of 300 would be ideal,” said Rampaul.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2011.
India’s pace battery brought the tourists back into the second Test against West Indies, after they suffered a batting collapse on the first day.
Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, and Test newcomer Abhimanyu Mithun all collected a wicket apiece to leave West Indies in tatters on 30 for three, in reply to India’s first innings total of 201 at the close.
Sharma made the breakthrough, when he had Adrian Barath caught at gully for three in the fourth over, and next over, Praveen Kumar had Lendl Simmons caught behind for two, leaving West Indies five for two.
Darren Bravo joined Ramnaresh Sarwan, and stemmed the fall of wickets before the left-hander was caught behind for nine off the penultimate ball of the day from Mithun.
Meanwhile, India batsman VVS Laxman lamented his failure to convert another fluid innings into a hundred. Laxman was the top scorer with 85 but he rued the manner of his dismissal, and his failure to add to his 16 Test hundreds.
“I have not converted many of my 50s into hundreds, and so you feel bad after having put in the hard work,” said Laxman.
West Indies fast-bowler Ravi Rampaul said it was important for West Indies to gain a first-innings lead over India to enhance their claims for a series-levelling victory.
“We want to have a lead, a total of 300 would be ideal,” said Rampaul.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2011.