Bridgetown (Barbados), Jul 3: West Indies batsmen led by young Darren Bravo showed gritty resistance to eke out a draw against India in the second Test match at the Kensington Oval thus keeping alive the hopes levelling the series.
Chasing a competitive target of 281, West Indies reached 202 for seven when the umpires Ian Gould and Asad Rauf decided that light wasn't good enough to continue although 10.3 mandatory overs were still left to be bowled.
Bravo's innings of 73 turned out to be the match saving one for the West Indies despite lion-hearted effort from Ishant Sharma (4/53) who ended with a match haul of 10/108.
Barring Ishant, none of the other Indian bowlers looked incisive as Bravo played them with ease hitting eight boundaries. By the time he was dismissed, he had ensured that the home team had little chance of losing the match.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's sporting declaration at 269 for six promised an exciting final day as he provided his bowlers with 83 overs to take 10 West Indies wickets. The home team never tried to make a match of it after losing two quick wickets in the opening session.The visitors might sniffed victory in the final session when the quick dismissals of seasoned pros Shivnarine Chanderpaul (12) and Marlon Samuels (9) reduced the home team to 132 for five.
But wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh (46 not out) counter-attacked which put paid to any hopes of victory that Indians harboured. India lead the series 1-0 as the two teams now head to Dominica for the third Test starting from July 6.PTI
