Kolkata, Nov 17 (IANS): Darren Bravo scripted a fine unbeaten 100 as the West Indies put up determined resistance to save an innings defeat on day four of the second cricket Test against India at the Eden Gardens here Thursday. At lunch, the visitors were 339/4 in their second innings, still needing 139 to make the hosts bat again.
The Caribbeans had been bundled out for 153 in their first knock in reply to India's mammoth 633/7 declared.
The 22-year-old Trinidadian Bravo played with perfect balance, putting a defensive bat to the good deliveries while pouncing on the loose ones, thereby not allowing the Indian bowlers to get on top. He was in the middle on 117 (204 b, 268 m, 13x4, 4x6), with Marlon Samuels 34 (42 b, 6x4) giving him company. The duo has already put up 70 for the unfinished fifth wicket stand.
Bravo got to his second hundred in 12 Tests with a boundary off Umesh Yadav past third-man. The mark was reached facing 181 deliveries in 240 mins with 10 fours and four sixes.
His maiden ton - 195 - had come against Bangladesh in Dhaka last month.
However, the morning fightback started with Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, with the visitors resuming at 195/3 - 283 runs short of stopping India from an innings victory.
The two batsmen stitched together a 108-run partnserhip for the fourth wicket before Chanderpaul (47 94 b, 6x4) departed.
Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma (both 2-68) have been the successful bowlers in the innings so far.
Bravo and Chanderpaul played with lot of grit and determination against the double spin attack of Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha. They duo rotated the strike and played with supreme caution, perhaps keeping in mind the side's collapse in the first innings in the morning session Wednesday.
Bravo brought up the team's 200 with a single in the third over and the two batsmen opened up as the session progressed.
Only two boundaries came in the first 11 overs, while Bravo was lucky to survive being run out on 54. He went halfway down for a run but Chanderpaul did not back up. However, Gautam Gambhir's ill-directed throw to keeper M.S. Dhoni gave the batsman time to regain his crease.
Skipper Dhoni opted for pace after 10 overs, introducing Ishant Sharma, while Umesh Yadav joined the action eight overs later, triggering a debate as to whether they should have been brought on earlier.
The new ball was taken in the 81st over - the 19th of the morning - and soon after the Indians managed to break the partnership.
Yadav got success in his very second over, as Chanderpaul - who had to to be attended by the physio for cramps a short while previously - went on the backfoot to a short length delivery bowled at over 140 km and inside edged onto his stumps. The Guyanese had hit a boundary off the previous ball.
Marlon Samuels, who joined the action, was immediately struck on the body by Yadav in the next ball as he ducked, anticipating a bouncer.
Bravo, who was increasing hin confidence, clobbered Yadav for a couple of boundaries while Samuels also hit one as 15 runs came off the young pacer's 14th over.
The 300 of the innings came from 90.5 overs in 377 minutes. Altogether 144 runs came in two-and-a-half hours of play in the pre-lunch session.