BBC SPORT | Cricket | Sehwag ton puts India on top

First Test, Bombay (stumps):
India 278-2 v West Indies

Opener Virender Sehwag smashed a career-best 147 as India took complete control on the opening day of the first Test.

Despite a double breakthrough for West Indies in the evening session, the hosts were still 278 for two by the close.

Sehwag, whose third century came in just his 10th Test, was part of a record 201-run opening partnership with Sanjay Bangar.

And, after both men fell to pace bowler Merv Dillon, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar saw out the remaining overs with an unbroken 65-run stand.

At stumps Dravid was 28 not out and hometown hero Tendulkar was unbeaten on 35, with five fours.

Dillon finally struck six overs after tea, when Bangar was caught at short midwicket after making a circumspect 55 from 187 deliveries.

And Sehwag, whose innings occupied just 206 balls, with 24 fours and three sixes, was finally caught behind off a slight edge as he looked to flick to fine leg

Sehwag had started shakily, surviving a confident shout for lbw from Pedro Collins when he had yet to score.

Sanjay Bangar
Bangar hit 55 in support
But he prospered as the tourists were forced to use nine bowlers, passing his previous best of 106 against England at Trent Bridge earlier this year.

The stand was India's highest for the opening wicket against the West Indies, eclipsing the 153 between Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan, also in Bombay, in 1978-79.

The Windies named all-rounder Ryan Hinds in their team that features the pace attack of Dillon, Collins and Cameron Cuffy, backed up by the leg-spin of Nagamootoo.

India selected veteran seamer Javagal Srinath, who recently came out of Test retirement, in their side in place of Ashish Nehra.

India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sanjay Bangar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Cameron Cuffy

Umpires: David Shepherd (England), Asoka de Silva (Sri Lanka).

Third umpire: I.Sivaram (India)

Match Referee: Mike Proctor (South Africa).


	Links to more Cricket stories