Spinner Ojha destroys West Indies batting

Pragyan Ojha grabbed four wickets as the West Indies were dismissed for just 153 on the third day of the second Test at Eden Gardens on Wednesday in reply to India's mammoth first-innings 631-7 declared. The left-arm spinner finished with 4-64 as the tourists lost their remaining eight wickets for just 119 runs in 36 overs after resuming at 34-2, with Ojha taking four wickets and seamer Umesh Yadav two in the morning session. Darren Bravo top-scored with 30 in a dismal West Indies batting performance on a slow pitch. Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ojha did the early damage when they took one wicket each before Yadav jolted the West Indies by removing Bravo and Marlon Samuels (25) in successive overs. Ojha struck in the fifth over of the day when he trapped Kirk Edwards (16) leg-before for his 50th Test victim in 13 matches after the batsman had added only four runs to his overnight score of 12. Off-spinner Ashwin, married a day before the Test started, captured a big wicket in his opening over when he removed in-form Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was also trapped leg-before. Chanderpaul, who scored 118 and 47 in the opening Test, could contribute just four runs this time. Bravo and Samuels played some attacking shots during their 46-run stand for the fifth wicket before falling in the space of seven runs to leave their team struggling at 99-6. Skipper Darren Sammy tried to counter-attack but did not last long, caught behind off Ojha immediately after smashing the spinner for a straight six. He hit one six and two fours in his 14-ball 18. Ojha finished the innings when he trapped Fidel Edwards leg-before for 16. India were indebted to Venkatsai Laxman (176 not out), skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (144) and Rahul Dravid (119) for posting a huge first-innings total on Tuesday. The hosts lead 1-0 in the three-Test series following their five-wicket victory in the opening match in New Delhi.