St John’s, June 3 :

West Indies took control on the opening day of the first Test against India here on Friday after a fine bowling display from Dwayne Bravo and Corey Collymore kept the tourists batsman on the back foot.

Bravo was the pick of the West Indies’ bowlers with 4-37, and Collymore gave support with 3-27, as India reached 235-9 at stumps.

Several of India’s batsmen got starts, but failed to carry on, and only captain Rahul Dravid showed prolonged resistance to top score with 49.

Dravid added 54 for the fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh (23) in the most significant partnership of the innings, but there was no substance and no stability from the rest of the batting. It took a 47-run stand between Shantha Sreesanth and Anil Kumble to

help India reach a respectable total, after they slumped to 180-7.

Earlier, West Indies claimed the wicket of Venkatsai Laxman (29) in the last 10 minutes before lunch to set back India on 74-3. Openers Wasim Jaffer (1) and Virender Sehwag (36) were dismissed in the first hour. India reached 144-4 benefiting from the partnership between Dravid and Yuvraj Singh.

India, who have not won a series in the Caribbean since Ajit Wadekar’s side achieved victory 35 years ago, surprisingly excluded left-arm fast-medium bowler Irfan Pathan and off-spin bowler Harbhajan Singh.