Srinath supports Laxman's resistance

His 29th Test hundred safely in the book, Sachin Tendulkar managed only another four runs before West Indies finally got rid of him on the second morning of the Second Test here yesterday.

The West Indies fast bowlers quickly made further inroads into India's lengthy tail before their one remaining batsman, V V S Laxman, found a worthy partner in the No 10, Javagal Srinath. Laxman, reprieved on six the previous afternoon when his thick edge off Cameron Cuffy with the second new ball flew past an unsighted Brian Lara at first slip, reached 61 at lunch, when Srinath was 18, their partnership worth 33 and India 331 for 8.

Tendulkar's innings brought the little Indian maestro on a par with the hundreds accumulated by the legendary Australian Don Bradman, of whom he is widely regarded as the modern embodiment. But he has rarely had to work harder for his runs or owed as much to luck.

He had several close shaves in the first half of his diligent five-and-a-half hours on the opening day and spent another 40 minutes and 25 balls on resumption trying to readjust to a slow pitch that confounded his timing. He then succumbed to the second of two lbw appeals off successive balls from Cuffy, the Vincentian who has been West Indies' most consistent bowler. Padding up to one delivery as he misjudged the line, Tendulkar was relieved to find the Sri Lankan umpire Asoka de Silva remain impassive on the roared West Indian claim. There was no doubt next ball as Cuffy pinned him on the back foot with the 260th ball Tendulkar faced.

Cuffy accounted for Ajay Ratra for a duck on debut. The 20-year-old has replaced Deep Dasgupta, which would not have surprised England players who saw Dagupta's uncertain glovework in last year's series in England. The wicketkeeper Junior Murray tumbled low to his right to gather the thick edge and when Adam Sanford removed Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan in quick succession, the West Indies could have anticipated batting by lunch.

Sanford shook up Harbhajan with a first-ball bouncer and set him up with another one that was hooked into long-leg's lap. He plucked out Zaheer's middle stump at 298 for 8 but the West Indies attack again could not complete the job as Laxman and Srinath counterattacked.

Srinath has four half-centuries in Tests but his confidence has been reportedly shaken by damage to his right hand. It was not evident as he comfortably countered everything presented to him by Sanford, Merv Dillon and Marlon Black, back after a night on the drip in hospital recovering from dehydration.