Jaffer paves the way for strong Indian response

Opening batsman Wasim Jaffer hit a half-century and shared two vital stands to help India make a strong reply in the third Test against West Indies at Warner Park here on Saturday.
Jaffer scored 60, as India, replying to West Indies first innings total of 581, reached 150 for two when stumps were drawn on the third day.
Jaffer struck 10 boundaries from 101 balls in 2-3/4 hours before he was caught at second slip - the last of two catches for West Indies captain Brian Lara there - off Dwayne Bravo in the final hour before the close.
The tall, languid opener shared 61 for the first wicket with fellow opener Virender Sehwag, who fell for 31, and added 63 for the second with Venkatsai Laxman to lay a solid platform for the Indians.
Laxman was not out on 28 and Indian captain Rahul Dravid was not out on 20 at the close, after the visitors had collected the last five West Indies first innings wickets for 19 runs in the space of 33 balls.
West Indies had continued to grind the Indian attack for most of the morning period with Shivnarine Chanderpaul being left stranded on 97 not out and Marlon Samuels with 87 leading their charge.
Chanderpaul struck half-dozen fours and two sixes from 213 balls in 5-1/4 hours, and Samuels smote eight fours and three sixes from 161 balls in nearly 3-1/2 hours.
Off-spin bowler Harbhajan Singh however, snared four of the last five West Indies scalps to end with five wickets - for the 18th time in Tests - for 147 runs from 44 overs to be India's most successful bowler.
Munaf Patel supported with three for 134 from 32 overs and Shantha Sreesanth and Sehwag snared one wicket apiece. India then lost Sehwag after making a brisk start to their first innings to reach 64 for one at tea.
The four-Test series is still level at 0-0, after the first two Tests at the Antigua Recreation Ground and the Beausejour Cricket Ground ended in tense draws.
The series concludes at Kingston's Sabina Park from June 30 to July 4. Warner Park is staging its first Test. It has become the ninth Test venue in the West Indies and the 94th in the World.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES (1st Innings - overnight 420 for five):

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C. Gayle b Patel                       83

D. Ganga b Patel                      135

R. Sarwan lbw b Sreesanth             116

B. Lara lbw b Patel                    10

S. Chanderpaul not out                 97

D. Bravo c wkpr Dhoni b Harbhajan      21

M. Samuels c Harbhajan b Sehwag        87

D. Ramdin c Jaffer b Harbhajan          3

J. Taylor c Yuvraj b Harbhajan          2

P. Collins c *Dravid b Harbhajan        1

C. Collymore b Harbhajan                0

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EXTRAS: (LB-14, W-1, NB- 11)           26

TOTAL: (all out)                      581

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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-143, 2-346, 3-362, 4-371, 5-406, 6-562, 7-570, 8-576, 9-581.
BOWLING: Patel 32-4-134-3 (nb8, w1); Sreesanth 31-8-99-1 (nb1); Kumble 47-8-140-0 (nb2); Harbhajan 44-6-147-5; Sehwag 16-3-47-1. OVERS: 170.
INDIA (1st innings):

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W. Jaffer c Lara b Bravo               60

V. Sehwag c Lara b Collymore           31

V. Laxman not out                      28

R. Dravid not out                      20

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EXTRAS: (LB-1, NB-10)                  11

TOTAL: (for 2 wickets)                150

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