Seam bowlers put skids on West Indies batting

India's seam bowling attack continued to exploit the fragile West Indies batting line-up in the third Test on Thursday, leaving the hosts 128 for five in their first innings at lunch.

Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar shared the two wickets that fell before the interval on the rain-affected second day at Windsor Park, where play resumed 20 minutes later than regularly scheduled, with West Indies on their overnight total of 75 for three.

At the interval, Darren Bravo was not out on 41 and Carlton Baugh Jr was not out on 19.

Patel struck in the first hour when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was slightly squared up by a perfectly pitched delivery moving away, edged, and was caught behind for 23, following a 49-run stand with Bravo.

Kumar tightened India's grip when Marlon Samuels essayed a lazy drive at a delivery outside the off-stump, and was bowled for nine, dragging the ball into the stumps off the inside edge, leaving West Indies 99 for five.

The Indian bowlers came under a little pressure in the final half hour before the interval, when Baugh arrived and inspired some positive play with Bravo.

An imperious drive through extra cover off Ishant Sharma brought Bravo his fifth boundary, and Baugh swung Harbhajan Singh over square leg for six before he cut Suresh Raina through square cover for four.

Kumar was the pick of the Indian bowlers with 2-22 from 16 overs, ably supported by Sharma with 2-40 from 15 overs.

India hold a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, following a 63-run victory inside four days in the first Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica and a draw in the second Test at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

The visitors are looking to wrap up their second straight Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean.

They are also looking to create a piece of history by becoming the first Indian side to win a Test and one-day international series in the Caribbean.