West Indies grind through turgid day 3 against India

A day of turgid, rain-interrupted cricket saw the West Indies grinding their way to 229 for five in reply to India's first innings total of 438 at stumps on the third day of the second and final Test at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on Saturday.

In adding 143 runs in 65 overs between seasonal showers the cricket certainly wasn't electrifying, although the determination of the home side to avoid a repeat of the capitulation of the first Test meant survival was prioritised over any attempt at entertainment.

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Kraigg Brathwaite's innings of 75 typified the home side's purposeful, if unattractive, demeanour in the aftermath of their three-day innings humiliation in Dominica a week earlier.

Never one to be preoccupied with the aesthetics of batsmanship, the West Indies captain spent almost five hours at the crease in facing 235 deliveries, striking five fours and one six before being undone by a familiar foe.

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed him twice at Windsor Park Stadium and the wily spinner again got the better of the right-hander, bowling the opening batsman between bat and pad midway through the afternoon.

Brathwaite had started the day with debutant Kirk McKenzie with the West Indies well positioned at 86 for one.

They made serene progress almost to the end of the first hour when McKenzie wafted at a wide delivery from fellow debutant Mukesh Kumar to give the 29-year-old his first Test wicket as he edged a catch to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan.

With only one wicket in each of the first two sessions, India pressed hard for more success at the start of play after tea and were rewarded immediately when the usually attacking Jermaine Blackwood fell to a superb