Bowlers strike after Laxman misses ton

India's bowlers took cue from the top order batsmen, striking telling blows to reduce English County Champions Sussex to 146 for 5 in their first innings on the second day of the warm-up match in Hove on Sunday.

After V V S Laxman top-scored with a sparkling innings of 95 to give the Indians an impressive total of 388 for 7 declared, the bowlers produced a clinical display to drive a wedge through the Sussex top order.

At close, wicketkeeper-batsman Andy Hodd was batting on 21 with Robert Martin-Jenkins yet to open his account at the crease and Sussex still needing 93 more to avoid the follow-on.

Sreesanth drew first blood when he had Richard Montgomerie (18) caught at second slip by Dinesh Karthik before Ranadeb Bose joined the act, sending back Chris Nash in a similar dismissal.

Rudra Pratap Singh then fired in a yorker to trap Hopkinson in front of the wicket.

Sussex skipper Michael Yardy battled in adversity to score a compact half-century before Anil Kumble marked his bowling run-up.

Once he did that, the leg spinner duly accounted for Yardy as well as Michael Thornley.

Earlier, VVS Laxman fell five short of his century. On probably his last tour of Old Blighty, Laxman seemed set for a classy hundred until he was deceived by wily former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and was dismissed for 95.

Saqlain foxed the stylish Hyderabadi bastman with a 'doosra' that took the shoulder of the latter's bat to first slip, ending an entertaining 178-ball knock that contained 12 hits to the fence.

India declared their innings an hour after lunch after losing Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni, Anil Kumble and Laxman in quick succession, four wickets falling for 31 runs in 11.5 overs.

Saqlain ended up with 3-71 in 29.5 overs while Ollie Rayner claimed 2-34.

Indian skipper Rahul Dravid, who was 57 not out overnight, did not come out to bat this morning.

Resuming at 281 for 3, the Indians continued to feast on Sussex bowling on a wicket that had nothing much to offer.

With Yuvraj Singh too looking determined to make the most of another bright, sunny day, batting rather cautiously, India continued to add useful runs to their kitty.

Laxman, who started the day on 37 not out, duly reached his half-century and shared another fruitful stand with Yuvraj, who was given a testing time by off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq.

However, Yuvraj was rewarded for all his pluck as he soon opened up to steer Robert Martin-Jenkins to the fence and follow it up with another glorious off-drive off Saqlain.

Laxman kept the few hundred Indians fans entertained with playing some magnificent shots on either sides of the wicket.

Yuvraj finally lost his battle with the Sussex spinners when he fell to off spinner Ollie Rayner in the first over after lunch as he jumped out to drive, missed, and was easily stumped.

Two overs later, Rayner claimed his second victim when Mahendra Singh Dhoni was beaten by the turn and trapped in front of the wicket for five.

With Laxman moving into the 90's with a delightful pull off Rayner, India lost Anil Kumble to Saqlain Mushtaq, who also added the Hyderabad batsman to his list of victims.

Needing just five runs for his hundred, Laxman was done in by a 'doosra' from Saqlain that took the shoulder of his bat and travelled to slip.

Scorecard

Indians (1st innings):
D Karthik b Saqlain Mushtaq 76
W Jaffer c Hodd b Martin-Jenkins 12
G Gambhir c and b Yardy 81
R Dravid retired hurt 57
V V S Laxman c Montgomerie b Saqlain 95
Yuvraj Singh st Hodd b Rayner 31
M S Dhoni lbw Rayner 5
A Kumble c Montgomerie b Saqlain 2
S Sreesanth not out 7
Extras: (b-12, lb-6, w-3, nb-1) 22
Total: (for 7 wkts, 130.5 overs) 388

Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-166, 3-206, 4-357, 5-367, 6-375, 7-388.

Bowling: James Lewry 21-6-53-0, Richards Kirtley 24-7-69-0, Robert Martin-Jenkins 21-5-48-1, Chris Liddle 15-1-48-0, Saqlain Mushtaq 29.5-4-71-3, Michael Yardy 9-1-33-1, Ollie Rayner 8-0-34-2, C Hopkinson 3-0-14-0.

Sussex (1st innings):
C Nash c Kaarthick b Bose 26
R Montgomerie c Kaarthick b Sreesanth 18
M Yardy c Laxman b Kumble 53
C Hopkinson LBW b RP Singh 5
M Thornley b Kumble 2
A Hodd batting 21
R Martin-Jenkins batting 0
Extras: (b-4, lb-5, w-9, nb-1) 19
Total: (for 5 wicket, 47 overs) 146