India battles to get ahead

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32564, 25 March 1971, Page 22

India battles to get ahead

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) GEORGETOWN. A draw now seems envitable in the third test between the West Indies and India after a marathon struggle for the first innings lead was finally resolved on the fourth day, yesterday.

India edged in front by 13 runs, and at stumps the West Indies was 63 for one in its second innings. India, starting the day at 256 for five in reply to the West Indies, 363, lost only one wicket adding 59 runs in the morning session, but then crumbled to 376 all out in 55 minutes after lunch. Although the pitch yielded spin it was slow-paced, but the Indians made their opponents’ task easy with poor running between the wickets. Three of their batsmen were run out.

When the West Indies batted again, it lost the opener R. Fredericks, who hit across a ball from Solkar that kept low, before the first innings deficit was cleared. M. C. Carew and C. Davis both looked uncomfortable against the off-spin of Venkataraghavan but managed to play out time.

WEST INDIES First innings 363 Second innings R. Fredericks lbw b Solkar .. 5 M. Carew not out ..21 C. Davies not out . 34 Extras (byes 1, leg-byes 2) 3 Total (for one wkt) .. 63 Bowling.—Abid All, 5,2, 12, 0; Solkar, 7,4, 6. 1; Bedi. 10, 7, 15. 0; Venkataraghavan, 11, 6. 23, 0; Durrani, 2,0, 4, 0. INDIA First innings A. Mankad b Noreiga 40 S Gavaskar c Carew b Sobers 116 A. Wadekar b Sobers .. 16 G. Vishwanath b Boyce .. 50 S. Durrani lbw b Sobers .. 2 D. Sardesai run out . ..45 E. Solkar run out .. ..16 S. Abid All not out .. .. aO S. Venkataraghavan lbw b Shillingford -12 p. Krishnaniurthy run out .. 0 B. Bedi lbw b Joyce .. -2 Extras 27 Total 376 Fall of wickets: one for 75, 116, 228, 244, 246, 278, 339, 370, 374. Bowling.—Boyce, 20.2, 5, 47 . 2; Shillingford, 21. 2, 76, 1; Sobers, 43, 15, 72, 3; Gibbs. 39, 17, 61, 0; Noreiga, 42, 9, 91, 1; Carew, 2,0, 2, 0.