Gros Islet (St Lucia): India A look like losing the third and final cricket 'Test' and with it the series to West Indies A after pacers Delorn Johnson and Kevin McClean devastated them on the third day of the match.
Trailing by 106 runs on first innings, India were 181 for seven at stumps on the penultimate day of the game here at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium Monday.
West Indies lost their remaining two wickets in 20 minutes, adding 16 runs to their overnight 320 for eight to be bowled out for 336 in the first innings in reply to India's 220. Off-spinner Jalaj Saxena and medium-pacer Parvinder Awana claimed three wickets each.
India's top-order batsmen, barring Manoj Tiwari, yet again struggled against the new ball bowlers and Johnson (3/43)and McClean (3/47) who bowled with a lot of fire, making the ball wobblearound.
Tiwary's 62 propped the innings while wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha was holding things together at the end with an unbeaten 48 and India barely have a 75 runs lead with three wickets in hand.
Johnson then ran through India's top-order to leave the visitors tottering at 30 for three at lunch.
Left-handed Abhinav Mukund clobbered two fours and a six in 20 off 13 balls before nicking Johnson behind and his partner Ajinkya Rahane followed in a similar fashion after scoring only two runs.
McClean then claimed the prized wicket of captain Cheteshwar Pujara for two, courtesy a brilliant one-handed diving catch at gully by Kieran Powell, leaving India at 28 for three in the sixth over of the innings.
After the break, Indian innings was in complete disarray as Rohit Sharma's poor form continued when he edged Johnson to Kyle Corbin at third slip for two (35/4).
Tiwary and Saha then rescued the innings with a precious 95-run fifth-wicket stand.
Tiwary hit 10 fours and a six in an innings lasting 119 balls and 154 minutes while Saha has so far faced 152 balls in three hours and 34 minutes at the crease, and hit six fours.
India were rebuilding their innings steadily when McClean returned to trap Tiwary in front at 130 for five and with just two runs added, Saxena was brilliantly taken by Devendra Bishoo at point off McClean.
Bishoo then bowled Akshay Darekar for 15 to leave West Indies in full control of the 'Test.'
Brief scores:
India A 230 (Jalaj Saxena 61, Cheteshwar Pujara 33, Ajinkya Rahane 32, Manoj Tiwary 32, Wriddhiman Saha 27; Devendra Bishoo 3-40, Jonathan Carter 3-57) 181 for seven (Abhinav Mukund 20, Manoj Tiwary 62, Wriddhiman Saha batting 48, Akshay Darerkar 15, Shami Ahmed batting 16; Delorn Johnson 3-43, Kevin McClean 3-47)
West Indies A 336 (Kieran Powell 139, Devon Thomas 50, Donovan Pagon 30, Kyle Corbin 26; Jalaj Saxena 3-55, Parvinder Awana 3-81, Shami Ahmed 2-75) (IANS)
