Sparkling Bravo puts Windies on top

Sparkling Bravo puts Windies on top

Darren Bravo hit his third century in four matches as the West Indies compiled a formidable total of 575 for nine on day two of the third Test against India.

Heading into the final game of the series 2-0 down, the tourists put up a laudable fight with the bat, with each of the top six scoring half-centuries for the only the fifth time in Test history.
Bravo was the headline act of the innings, making a classy 166 in 284 balls.
After two wickets in as many sessions left the Windies 494 for four at tea, debutant Varun Aaron and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finally started wickets tumbling in the evening, the latter closing with figures of four for 154.
Bravo was 57no overnight and looked intent to cash in fully on helpful conditions as he reached his second century of the series after also reaching three figures in the second innings in Kolkata last week.
The 22-year-old played with the elegant assurance that has marked him as one of the most promising West Indies batsman of recent times.
Bravo reached his latest century from 156 balls and it was fitting he did so with a trademark cover drive to the ropes.
He had earlier combined in a 164-run stand with Kirk Edwards (86) before Ishant Sharma claimed the first breakthrough of the day from a faint edge.
Edwards, who himself looked set for a third century in just his sixth Test, got a faint edge that wicketkeeper MS Dhoni easily held.
Kieran Powell wasted no time in picking up the baton and had 38no to his name at lunch, with Bravo 105no.
Dhoni had cause to resort to the lesser used spin of Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar to vary his attack but they offered too many loose deliveries and both batsmen put them away with ease.
India, with slow bowlers at both ends, were racing through their overs but could not constrict the scoring as Bravo and Powell relentlessly worked the ball on both sides of the wicket to keep the board ticking.
Powell's half-century came with a dabbed single off Ashwin, meaning all the top five had reached the landmark.
The left-hander looked set fair for a maiden Test century but fell for 81 when he nicked Pragyan Ojha behind, Dhoni clinging on to a sharp catch.
At tea Bravo had moved smoothly to 156, with Marlon Samuel in support on 18no.
Bravo's innings, which contained 17 boundaries, ended in the 167th over when he gave Aaron his maiden Test wicket with an edge to Dhoni.
Carlton Baugh (four) soon handed the seamer a second and he completed a fine spell when he added the scalp of skipper Darren Sammy (three) with another edge.
With the total well above 500, those wickets were as much down to West Indian aggression as Indian bowling and Samuels was scoring quickly at the other end.
He became the last of the top six to make his fifty during an Aaron over that was milked for 17 runs, but lost partner Ravi Rampaul for 10 off the first ball of Ashwin's next.
Samuels was Ashwin's fourth victim, going for 61, but last-wicket pair Fidel Edwards and Devendra Bishoo ensured the innings lasted until the end of the day's play, mustering another nine runs between them.