April 12, 2002	Friday	Muharram 28, 1423

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GEORGETOWN (Guyana), April 11: Brian Lara was out for duck as Indian paceman Javagal Srinath struck early blows to leave West Indies to struggle to 86 for three at lunch on the first day of the first Test Thursday.

Srinath, hammered for two fours by opener Chris Gayle in his first over, hit back to give India the upper hand.

The 32-year-old struck when left-hander Gayle could not remove his bat from the path of a ball outside off-stump and edged straight to wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta for 12.

Fellow-opener Stuart Williams slashed left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan through gully for four and drove Srinath to the long-off fence but was out next ball, lbw for 13, to a delivery that pitched on off-stump.

Lara, playing his first serious match in over three months due to an elbow injury, arrived to a huge roar from the crowd but was soon on his way back, judged caught behind by umpire Daryl Harper to a rising Srinath delivery.

Lara, looking unhappy with the decision, lingered at the crease for a few seconds before making his way back. Television replays suggested he may have been unlucky.

Srinath could also have sent back captain Carl Hooper for a first-ball duck but Dasgupta could not hold on to an inside edge diving to his left.

The lanky paceman from Bangalore gave away 31 runs in seven overs for his three scalps.

Hooper, batting on 21, was involved in a patient 42-run stand for the fourth wicket with fellow-Guyanan Ramnaresh Sarwan as they looked to rebuild the innings.

Sarwan drove Zaheer straight down the ground for four and flicked him to square leg for another of his four boundaries in his 69-ball unbeaten 27.

India are without off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was ruled out due to a shoulder injury. He has been replaced by off-break bowler Sharandeep Singh, who was flown in as a back-up.

The visitors have also left out pacemen Tinu Yohannan and Ashish Nehra, left-handed batsman Dinesh Mongia and wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra from their starting 11.

The West Indies, playing three seamers and leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, gave a debut to fast bowler Adam Sanford but left out paceman Marlon Black and all-rounder Ryan Hinds.