Gayle’s dismissal brought stumper Junior Murray out to the middle. Having not scored a single run in two knocks in this series, there was not much expected of the man. After working one ball away to fine leg for a single, Murray committed suicide, taking off for a single without looking to Chanderpaul for confirmation. A good throw from Ratra to Das found Murray well short of his ground.

Merv Dillon lasted a breezy thirty seconds, walking all the way out to the middle to be clean bowled by a quick, straight one from Javagal Srinath. Dillon’s duck paved the way for an early entry for Marlon Black.

Using a very basic technique, planting his foot well forward and defending with a dead bat, Black managed to see off 24 balls before Srinath snuffed him out. With Black (3) playing forward almost every ball, Srinath banged one in a touch short, only for Black to awkwardly glove the ball through to Das at forward short leg.

Chanderpaul, motoring along with a look of growing anxiety on his face brought up his half century with a streaky slash over the slips that raced away to the third man fence. Going after Harbhajan Singh off the very last ball before tea, Chanderpaul (60 batting, 122 balls, 4 fours) had the hearts of West Indian supporters in their mouths as Asoka de Silva looked long and hard before saying “not out” to the appeal for a catch behind. West Indies still need 50 for an unlikely win. A dramatic last session beckons.

Overnight on 40, still searching for that elusive hundred at his home ground in Port of Spain Lara flattered to decieve. After adding seven runs to his overnight score in a period that was a mixture of abundant caution and a hint of nervousness, Lara edged a quick one from Ashish Nehra to Dravid at slip. A perfectly pitched ball just outside the off stump did just enough off the wicket to kiss the edge of the bat before landing safely in the hands of first slip. West Indies were 157/3 at this stage.

Just two overs later Nehra became an unlikely hero as Hooper pulled a short one from the left-arm seamer straight to the hands of Shiv Sunder Das at square leg. Hooper had already played a couple of handsome strokes on the day, but was clearly cramped for room when he attempted his shot. 164/4 and more trouble for the hosts.

The Indians were ecstatic. Ganguly, obviously desperate for that elusive win outside the subcontinent cheered every wicket vigourously, spoke to his bowlers incessantly.

Chris Gayle, who went off the field of play after making 20, made his way out to the middle at the fall of his captain’s wicket. Getting his foot to the pitch of the ball, Gayle too made full use of very loose delivery that came his way. At the other end, Chanderpaul was his usual self, playing with care and application.

There’s still a lot of work to be done – more so for West Indies, who need a further 103 runs, than India.