MUMBAI : In-form Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo capped an impressive West
Indies batting performance with unbeaten half-centuries on the opening
day of the third and final Test against India on Tuesday Edwards
(65 not out) and left-handed Bravo (57 not out) put on 117 for the
unfinished third-wicket stand as the West Indies reached 267-2 at stumps
in their first innings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.The
tourists suffered a setback even before the first ball had been bowled
when key batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul was ruled out of the Test due to
a calf injury.But the West Indies made the most of winning
the toss on a good batting track, with teenager Kraigg Brathwaite (68)
and Adrian Barath (62) adding 137 for the opening wicket to give their
team a solid start.Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin removed
the well-set openers in four overs in the afternoon session, but there
was no respite for India as Edwards and Bravo executed attractive shots.India took the second new ball in the 85th over, but failed to break the Edwards-Bravo stand.Edwards,
who scored a century on Test debut against India in Dominica in July,
extended his impressive run in Test cricket as he has so far made two
hundreds and three half-centuries in six matches.He has so far hit 10 fours in his 117-ball knock in the ongoing Test.Bravo,
who cracked a brilliant 136 in the last Test in Kolkata, was lucky to
survive on 33 when he was dropped by Rahul Dravid at lone slip off
left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. He hit seven fours in his seventh Test
half-century.India struggled for success on a first-day
pitch which had little in it for the bowlers as they went wicketless in
the opening and last sessions.The hosts had to wait for
more than three hours for their first wicket, with Ashwin having Barath
caught behind. Barath, who scored 62 in the last match, hit eight fours
in his second successive Test half-century.Ashwin struck
again when he removed Brathwaite, with Virat Kohli holding a bat-pad
catch at forward short-leg. Brathwaite cracked eight fours in his third
Test half-century.Brathwaite, who turns 19 next month, was
dropped on 57 by Venkatsai Laxman at backward short-leg off Ashwin, but
failed to capitalise on the chance as he could add only 11 more runs.The
West Indies openers batted patiently in the morning, with Barath
playing some handsome shots especially against Aaron and Ishant Sharma
in the opening hour.Barath fluently drove Aaron through the
covers and turned him to fine-leg for fours before cover-driving Sharma
for another boundary.He continued to punish loose deliveries, cutting and driving Ashwin for two fours in an over.The
hosts lead 2-0 in the series after winning the opening Test in New
Delhi by five wickets and the second match in Kolkata by an innings and
15 runs.The West Indies made two changes from the side that
played in the last Test as they brought in batsman Kieran Powell and
paceman Ravi Rampaul in place of Chanderpaul and Kemar Roach.
