Cricket: Indian spinners destroy West Indies on final day

West Indies' cricketer Kraigg Brathwaite bats during the forth day of the third test cricket match against India. Photo / AP

Spinners Pragyan Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin orchestrated a dramatic collapse, bowling out the West Indies for 134 on the final day of the third and final test, leaving India 243 to get for victory and a series sweep.

At lunch, India was 16-0 with Gautam Gambhir on 9 and Virender Sehwag on 6, meaning the hosts needed 227 runs over the final two sessions to complete a 3-0 whitewash.

Left-arm spinner Ojha finished with 6-47 and off-spinner Ashwin bagged 4-34 as the West Indies lost eight wickets for 53 runs in 23.2 overs this morning after resuming at 81-2.

Ojha and Ashwin made the most of some irresponsible batting by West Indies batsmen, who went for their shots on a pitch affording turn.

The spin pair took four wickets each Saturday to revive a game that had seemed to be drifting toward a draw after the West Indies scored 590 in its first innings and India replied with 482.

Ojha got the first breakthrough when he had Kraigg Brathwaite caught at point by Sachin Tendulkar after the batsman had added just one run to his overnight 34.

But it was Ojha's twin-strike a little later that triggered a collapse that finished with West Indies losing its last eight wickets for only 43 runs.

Ojha took a return catch to get rid of other overnight batsman Darren Bravo for 48 as the left-hander went for a drive but failed to keep the ball down. Marlon Samuels was out four deliveries later when he jumped out to the pitch of the ball and was stumped without scoring.

Ashwin joined in the party by trapping left-hander Kieran Powell lbw for 11 and Carlton Baugh gave away his wicket when he went for a big drive against the spin and was bowled for 1.

Ravi Rampaul, having failed to score a run off 13 balls, tried to break the shackles but his big heave ended in a well-judged catch by Sachin Tendulkar at the square-leg fence.

The final two wickets were taken by Ashwin as captain Darren Sammy edged one and was caught behind for 10, while last-man Devendra Bishoo was trapped lbw off the first ball he faced.

- AP