India vs West Indies 3rd Test – West Indies finally fall at 590, as Ravichandran Ashwin’s completes his five-wicket haul, with India making a brisk start in their first innings courtesy of openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir at
the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, November 24, 2011.
The start of the third morning brought the Men In Blue their first chance to bat on the track as Ashwin cleaned up Devendra Bishoo to end the resilience of their opponents. The last pairing resumed on 575 and added 15 more runs with Bishoo managing to earn
a couple of crucial boundaries.
However, the 600-run mark eluded the tourists as they were bundled out on 590 after playing more than 184 overs. The innings marked some towering performances from the Windies contingent with the top 6 all making half-centuries.
The pick was Darren Bravo, who managed to go one step further and secured his third Test century in his last four five-day games. All was achieved in the previous days play as the Men In Blue had to battle hard on the Wankhede track, which offered little
in terms of bounce and pace, as identified by Ashwin himself.
The hosts finally got the last scalp and went into to bat with Sehwag and Gambhir again starting briskly. The left-hander got the first boundary, lashing onto a wide delivery off pacer, Fidel Edwards and dispatching it between cover and point.
Sehwag then turned on the style, earning a couple of boundaries in back to back overs off Ravi Rampaul to kick start his innings. Windies skipper, Darren Sammy than brought himself onto bowl and he was greeted with an off-side strike which cleared the boundary.
Boundaries were now a necessity in every over with the 50-run mark achieved easily. The field was spread, which also aided the Indian openers in collecting easy singles.
At the end of 12 overs, the Men In Blue have posted 58 for the loss of no wicket. The opening pairing has provided some solid openings but both will look to amass big scores which have so far eluded them in the series.