Indian hopes vanish with fall of Tendulkar

West Indies 422 & 197 India 212 & 237-7

For a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, Sachin Tendulkar batted with an authority that suggested the little maestro could have knocked off the 408 runs India were set by the West Indies for an unprecedented victory in the fifth and final Test on his own.

But once he was dismissed for the third time in his last five innings by left-arm fast bowler Pedro Collins, bowled for 86 to the sixth ball after tea, Indian hopes of even making a fight of it quickly disappeared. They scraped through to the end of the fourth day at 237 for 7.

Only one team has ever scored over 400 to win a Test ­ ironically India against West Indies in 1976 when they reached 406 for 4 in Port of Spain ­ and they are 171 shy of their goal with only wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra, a century-maker in the previous Test, and three fast bowlers remaining.

The West Indies should not need long on the final day to complete the victory that would secure the series 2-1 and commit India to another overseas failure. They have not won a series outside the geographical confines of the sub-continent since 1986 in England.

The outcome was in little realistic doubt once the West Indies extended their lead to over 400 in the morning, with Collins to the fore with his highest Test score of 24.

Tendulkar's wicket capped the best day of Collins' 11 Tests. He then had opener Wasim Jaffer smartly caught at short-leg by Wavell Hinds for 7 with his third ball and Jaffer's partner, Shiv Sunder Das, lbw for 10 in his next over.

The lively Adam Sanford tightened the West Indies' grip with an lbw decision against Rahul Dravid at 77 for 3 before Tendulkar took charge.

But once Collins had accounted for him, India collapsed. Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman fell cheaply to catches off miscued hooks off Sanford, and Harbhajan Singh hoisted a catch to mid-on off the off-spinner Chris Gayle as the West Indies closed in on their goal.

Fourth day; West Indies won toss

WEST INDIES – First innings 422 (W W Hinds 113, C H Gayle 68, R R Sarwan 65, ÝR D Jacobs 59, S Chanderpaul 58; Harbhajan Singh 5-138).

INDIA – First innings 212 (V V S Laxman 65 not out; M Dillon 5-71).

WEST INDIES – Second innings (Overnight: 165 for 7)
S Chanderpaul c and b Khan 59
P T Collins b Harbhajan Singh 24
A Sanford c Ganguly b Harbhajan Singh 5
C E Cuffy not out 3
Extras (b4 nb8) 12
Total (62.2 overs) 197

Fall (cont): 8-170, 9-187.

Bowling: Srinath 16-3-49-2; Nehra 9-2-23-1; Khan 20-2-79-4 (nb8); Harbhajan Singh 17.2-2-42-3.

INDIA – Second Innings
S S Das lbw b Collins 10
W Jaffer c Hinds b Collins 7
R Dravid lbw b Sanford 30
S R Tendulkar b Collins 84
S C Ganguly c Sarwan b Sanford 28
V V S Laxman c Dillon b Sanford 23
A Ratra not out 16
Harbhajan Singh c Cuffy b Gayle 17
Z Khan not out 4
Extras (b5 lb1 w1 nb9) 16
Total (for 7, 80 overs) 237

Fall: 1-19, 2-25, 3-77, 4-170, 5-176, 6-209 7-228.

To bat: J Srinath, A Nehra.

Bowling: Dillon 18-4-67-0; Cuffy 14-4-29-0; Collins 17-4-60-3 (nb5, w1); Sanford 19-8-48-3 (nb2); Hooper 5-1-15-0; Gayle 4-2-7-1; Sarwan 3-0-5-0.

Umpires: D R Shepherd (Eng) and R B Tiffin (Zim).