By IANS,
Mumbai : The flamboyant Darren Bravo scored an unbeaten 156 as the West Indies reached 494 for four in their first innings at tea on the second day of the third and final cricket Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium here Wednesday.
Giving company to Bravo, who struck third century in four Tests, was Marlon Samuels batting on 18.
Bravo was involved in two crucial partnerships, 164-run for the third wicket with overnight batsman Kirk Edwards (86, 165 balls, 13×4) and 160-run stand with Kieran Powell (81, 149 balls, 9×4).
Resuming at overnight 267/2, the West Indies scored rapidly on the second day. In the first session, 111 runs were scored and 116 came off in the post-lunch session.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni used as many as seven bowlers but the West Indies batsmen were hardly troubled. Indian spinners bowled an astonishing 22 overs in an hour after lunch but without much success.
Bravo made his intentions clear right from the start and hit debutant fast bowler Varun Aaron for two consecutive fours off the first two balls of the day. Aaron found himself at the receiving end as Edwards also came down hard, hitting him for three fours in his back-to-back overs.
Ishant Sharma finally gave the Indian team something to cheer for in the first session by removing Edwards with an excellent delivery that pitched just outside off and took the outside edge of the bat.
New batsman Powell, however, kept the scoreboard moving at a fast pace. He struck six quick boundaries in the first six overs he faced and the 50-run stand for the fourth-wicket came up in just 66 balls. Bravo got to his third Test century in style with a four off off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Powell, however, slowed down later and along with Bravo kept stealing the singles, which were plenty on offer as the Indian shoulders drooped. Powell reached his half-century in 91 deliveries. He smacked Sachin Tendulkar for two fours in the legend’s second over.
It was completely against the run of play that India got the second wicket of the day after Powell attempted a late cut of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, only to edge it to Dhoni.