BBC SPORT | Cricket | Windies pacemen make inroads

Third Test, Calcutta, day one (close): India 275-6 v West Indies.

West Indies enjoyed their best day so far in India as their pace attack took five wickets on the opening day of the final Test in Calcutta.

By the close, India were 275 for six, with tailenders Parthiv Patel and Harbhajan Singh at the crease.

Pictures from day one

With the series already lost, the tourists opted for a four-pronged pace attack on a newly-relaid pitch.

And all four bowlers contributed after home skipper Sourav Ganguly elected to bat first.

All of India's batsmen made starts, but only Sanjay Bangar passed the half-century mark, having been dropped in the slips on five.

Sanjay Bangar
Bangar stood firm for 77 while team-mates perished
A 201-ball marathon brought 77 for the opener before extra bounce from the recalled Cameron Cuffy saw him hole out to cover.

He was joined in an aggressive 77-run stand for the fifth wicket by VVS Laxman.

The Hyderabad batsman was two runs short of a half-century when he provided Chris Gayle with his second catch of the day at first slip, edging Dillon.

Of India's illustrious top-order, Virender Sehwag fell for 35 and Rahul Dravid, unluckily, for 14 during the morning session.

Sachin Tendulkar was out for 37 and Ganguly was dismissed for 30 on the stroke of tea to leave India in trouble.

Merv Dillon
Dillon led a pace attack which all fired
Starting in his usual flamboyant style, Sehwag struck six boundaries in a blistering innings before Mervyn Dillon trapped him leg before with an in-cutter.

Dravid was unlucky to be ruled out lbw despite apparently edging a Darren Powell delivery on to his pads.

Tendulkar chased a wide delivery from Jermaine Lawson to first slip - the second time in two Tests that the 20-year-old Jamaican has dismissed the Indian great.

And Ganguly was the only man not to fall to pace, thick edging the innocuous off-spin of Carl Hooper behind.

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

West Indies (from): Carl Hooper (captain), Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Darren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ryan Hinds, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Gareth Breese, Mahendra Nagamootoo.

Umpires: David Shepherd and Asoka De Silva. TV umpire: Arani Jayaprakash. Match Referee Mike Procter.


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