Lara looked deadly dangerous in the session after lunch. The risk taking was minimal and the flow was coming back slowly but steadily. One over in particular stood out where Srinath was hit for boundaries at long on and long off. Both shots came with that characteristic flow of the blade, the full face of the bat and impeccable timing. And then against the grain of play an innocuous looking delivery from Nehra trapped the master. Full and hinting to swing the ball forced Lara (55, 123 balls, 5 fours) to dab forward, presenting Nehra with a simple return catch.

Sarwan did not last too long after Lara left. When at the crease the lad looks steady, confident and composed. However, he seems just a tad too content on reaching his half-century. Rarely going on to make big scores, Sarwan’s loose swat at 60 (147 balls, 10 fours) went straight to the hands of Wasim Jaffer at gully.

Chanderpaul, coming to the wicket in the middle of a good spell from Nehra played carefully. Picking his areas well, Chanderpaul went after the loose deliveries – especially anything full and on the stumps. Chipping away with good timing, Chanderpaul was on 27 when tea was taken. Hooper, relaxed as ever, kept Chanderpaul good company with 11.

For India there was not much to smile about really, apart from the dismissal of Chris Gayle. With 35 on the board, Gayle was rapped on the pads without really moving his feet by a well pitched up Zaheer Khan delivery. Asoka de Sliva made the easy decision and Gayle (14) was on his way.

Lara started off rather tentatively, looking to play himself in rather than blaze a trail. Although never in serious trouble, the left-hander was found lacking once or twice when the ball beat the outside edge or thudded into the pads. Nevertheless, the important thing for the hosts is that Lara remains at the wicket with 32 and is beginning to show signs of good form.

At the opposite end to Lara, Sarwan gave good account of why people rate this 21-year old as a future mainstay of West Indian batting. Playing some exquisite strokes off the back foot that raced away to the fence, Sarwan blunted the Indian bowling. Comfortable against the quick men and adequate against Harbhajan Singh, Sarwan (47) is close to a half-century at lunch.