BRIDGETOWN-Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels shared a partnership of 41 either side of persistent rain showers yesterday to lift a struggling West Indies to 98-5 in reply to India's 201 on day two of the second Test. The hosts, overnight 30-3, slumped to 57-5 during a rain-shortened morning session before Chanderpaul and Samuels revived the innings. The 36-year-old Chanderpaul, who joined former world record wicket-taker Courtney Walsh as the most capped West Indian Test player with 132 Tests, compiled a boundary-free 20 not out off 63 balls.
Samuels struck three fours in an undefeated 21 off 58 deliveries. The second session, whose start was delayed through a sharp shower, lasted only 38 minutes before persistent rain again halted play, and the day was finally cut short when rain prevented any resumption after tea. Ishant Sharma led the Indian bowling with 3-31, including the two wickets to fall on day two. He claimed nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo (13) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (18) in the morning to move to 99 career wickets. Bishoo lived an edgy life in compiling 13 off 18 balls and India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni reacted to his tentativeness by placing nine fielders on the off side. The move paid off when Bishoo sparred a ball to Virat Kohli at gully to make it 53-4.
Four runs later, Sharma claimed the key wicket of Sarwan, who shuffled across and was plumb leg before wicket. Sarwan scored 18 off 43 balls. There was some hope of play after tea as umpires Ian Gould of England and Asad Rauf of Pakistan took to the middle but showers soon forced them off again and rain and bad light ensured there was no further action. India leads 1-0 in the three-Test series.
Scoreboard
INDIA 1st Innings 201
WEST INDIES 1st Inns (o/n 30-3)
A Barath c Kohli b Sharma 3
L Simmons c wkp Dhoni b Kumar* 2
R Sarwan lbw b Sharma 18
D Bravo c wkp Dhoni b Mithun * 9
D Bishoo c Kohli b Sharma 13
S Chanderpaul not out 20
M Samuels not out 21
Extras (lb2, w5, nb5) 12
TOTAL (5 wkts; 37.3 overs) 98
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Barath), 2-5 (Simmons), 3-30 (Bravo), 4-53 (Bishoo), 5-57 (Sarwan)
Bowling: Kumar 17-3-39-1, Sharma 10-4-31-3, Mithun 8.3-3-18-1, Harbhajan Singh 2-0-8-0.
Position: West Indies trail by 103 runs.
Toss: West Indies.
Umpires: Asad Rauf, Ian Gould; TV – Gregory Brathwaite.
