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Sachin 33 short of landmark

By The Assam Tribune

MUMBAI, Nov 24 (PTI): Sachin Tendulkar inched closer to his much-awaited 100th international century with an unbeaten 67 as India gave a strong reply to the huge West Indian total of 590 on day three of the third and final Test here today.

At stumps, the home team were 281 for 3 in 80 overs - 110 runs short of saving the follow-on and were 309 runs adrift of the tourists� massive tally on a wicket that was playing true but showing some signs of wear and tear.

The unbeaten batsman accompanying Tendulkar, who has faced 133 balls in his three-hour stay and struck a six and five fours and was 33 short of his landmark century, was V V S Laxman (32 in 53 balls with 3 fours) and the duo�s unbroken fourth-wicket partnership has yielded 57 runs.

Play was called off four overs early because of bad light and the visitors can take the second new ball right after it commences tomorrow.

India lost the wicket of opener Gautam Gambhir, who made 55 in 99 balls with eight fours, in the second session after the dismissal of his opening partner Virender Sehwag (37 in 50 balls with a six and three fours) in the pre-lunch period after the duo had put on a brisk 67 runs in 14.3 overs.

Later, the hosts lost Rahul Dravid after the batting mainstay made a superb 82 off 149 balls in 195 minutes with 11 hits to the fence, his 62nd half century in 160th Test.

All the three wickets were of batsmen�s errors. Sehwag stretched forward to drive rival captain Sammy and left a gap between bat and ball to be bowled for the third time by the accurate seamer.

Gambhir top-edged a pull off a short ball from Ravi Rampaul going over his head to rival skipper Carlton Baugh and Dravid tried to cut a ball by leaning back one ball after he drove Samuels handsomely past extra cover for a four.

Dravid�s dismissal in the 61st over post tea brought Tendulkar and Laxman together and the duo batted diligently to carry the score past 250.

Tendulkar, who was mostly content in getting runs off nudges after once slashing a short ball from Fidel Edwards for a stunning six over third man, was lucky not to have been dismissed by his series nemesis Devendra Bishoo after compiling his career�s 63rd half ton in his 180th Test appearance.

He followed a leg break from Bishoo, who has taken his wicket twice in the three innings, with his bat and the thin edge was grassed by stumper Baugh, much to the relief of the crowd. The batsman was 58 in a team score of 263 for 3 at that time.

West Indians had also dropped Gambhir on 31. Kirk Edwards failing to latch on to the southpaw�s edge off the unlucky Sammy when India were 87 for one in the fourth over after lunch.

In the morning, the hosts took only 16 minutes to dismiss the last West Indian wicket after the visitors had resumed at 575 for 9.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, bowling round the wicket, clean bowled last man Bishoo when the tailender tried an almighty heave to leg to terminate the visitors� innings off the 19th ball of the morning.

Left-handed Bishoo added 10 runs to his overnight two while Edwards remained unconquered with 11 after being on seven last evening.

SCORECARD

West Indies (1st innings): 590

India (1st innings): Gambhir c Baugh b Rampaul 55, Sehwag b Sammy 37, Dravid b Samuels 82, Tendulkar batting 67, Laxman batting 32. Extras: (B-1, NB-4, W-3) 8. Total: (for 3 wkts, in 80 overs) 281. Fall of wkts: 1-67, 2-138, 3-224. Bowling: Fidel Edwards 15-5-70-0, Ravi Rampaul 12-1-42-1, Darren Sammy 22-3-67-1, Marlon Samuels 11-0-48-1, Devendra Bishoo 12-4-53-0.

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