Mumbai, June 5: India A need 164 to win the first Test against West Indies A which is being played at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. After taking a 25-run first innings lead on Day 2, the visitors bowled the hosts out for 210 before sliding to 22 for three at the end of play on Day 3.

The hosts appeared to be in control of proceedings early on. Openers Lendl Simmons (53) and Kraigg Brathwaite (50) struck half-centuries to get West Indies off to a solid start in their second innings. However, with the score at 134 for two, India A medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar trapped Nkrumah Bonner (36) lbw to bring the visitors back into the game. Kumar also sent Jonathan Carter (3) and Brathwaite back to the changing room soon after to reduce the hosts to 151 for five.

Unlike their first innings, where Devon Thomas and Veerasammy Rampaul had stitched together a belligerent 92-run stand for the eighth wicket, there were no lower order heroics from the hosts in their second innings. Part-time offspinner, Rohit Sharma, took four of the last five wickets to wrap up the West Indies innings at 210. Sharma finished with figures of 16.3-3-41-4.

Needing 186 to win in the fourth innings, the visitors had a horrible start. Abhinav Mukund (0) failed to bother the scorers for the second time in the match while Ajinkya Rahane (3) and nightwatchman Rahul Sharma (3) also fell cheaply. India A were 22 for three at stumps with Delorn Johnson (one for nine) and Jason Holder (two for 12) responsible for the visitors’ batting woes.

Brief scores (At end of Day 3):

West Indies A1st innings 252/10 in 87.3 overs (Veerasammy Rampaul 66, Shami Ahmed 3/43) and West Indies A 2nd innings 210/10 in 78.3 overs (Lendl Simmons 53, Rohit Sharma 4/41); India A 1st innings 277/10 in 81.1 overs (Rohit Sharma 94, Jonathan Carter 5/63) and India A 2nd innings 22/3 in 10.0 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 13*, Cheteshwar Pujara 0*)