BBC SPORT | Cricket | India in driving seat

First Test, Bombay, day two: India 457 all out; West Indies 33-2 (at close)

Rahul Dravid became the first Indian batsman to make a century in four successive Test innings as the home side put themselves in a commanding position at the Wankhede Stadium.

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Dravid was 98 not out at tea and went to three figures with two runs through mid-wicket, but suffered a leg injury in the process and was forced to retire hurt.

His departure sparked a collapse which saw India slump from 401 for five to 416 for eight.

Consecutive Test 100s

5 E Weekes (WI)
141 v England (Kingston)
128 v India (Delhi)
194 v India (Bombay)
162 v India (Calcutta)
101 v India (Calcutta)

4 J Fingleton (Aus)
112 v SA (Cape Town)
108 v SA (Jo'burg)
118 v SA (Durban)
100 v England (Brisbane)

4 A Melville (SA)
103 v England (Durban)
189 v England (Trent B)
104no v England (Trent B)
117 v England (Lord's)

4 R Dravid (India)
115 v England (Trent B)
148 v England (Leeds)
217 v England (The Oval)
100 v W Indies (Bombay)

But a last wicket stand of 49 between veteran Javagal Srinath and teenage wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel carried the total past 450 before Srinath was caught behind for 31.

India too strong for the Windies? Have your say

West Indies had 14 overs to survive before the close, but lost openers Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds as Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh picked up a wicket each.

Dillon strikes

Resuming on 278 for two, India lost Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Sourav Ganguly in the first eight overs of the morning.

Merv Dillon bowled an impressive spell at the start, troubling Tendulkar more than once before having him caught behind for 35 as he attempted a square cut.

Ganguly came out to join Dravid but was kept in check by accurate bowling as he toiled for 26 minutes to make four.

Merv Dillon bowling in Bombay
Dillon was the pick of the West Indies seamers

He was then adjudged lbw to a ball from Cameron Cuffy by umpire Asoka de Silva, although TV replays suggested he may have been unlucky.

Dravid halted the slide as he repeated the form which brought him scores of 115, 148 and 217 in the recent series in England.

It took him more than three hours to reach his half century, and he maintained the same focus through the afternoon as he and Laxman 105 for the fifth wicket.

Collapse

They were separated by the last ball before tea as Laxman was lured out of his ground by leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and was stumped by Ridley Jacobs for 45.

Jacobs was in the action again following Dravid's painful exit as he caught Harbhajan Singh first ball off Cameron Cuffy.

Nagamootoo then removed Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan in the same over as he returned figures of three for 132.

But Srinath showed a level of ability not normally associated with a number 11 and Patel provided able support to reach 20 not out.

West Indies were soon in trouble when they began their reply as Gayle was lbw to Khan for seven.

Ganguly gave Khan and Srinath four overs each with the new ball before turning to his spinners and the move paid off when Hinds was caught by sub Shiv Sunder Das at short leg for a single.

Dillon was sent in as night-watchman and he and Ramnaresh Sarwan succeeded in preventing further damage before the close.

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).


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