Lara's words a big help: Dillon

West Indies pace spearhead Mervyn Dillon said that a few words from team mate Brian Lara helped him to pick up his first five-wicket haul in a Test match for more than four years.

The Trinidadian finished with career-best figures of five for 71 as India were bowled out for 212 in their first innings on the third day of the deciding fifth Test on Monday. West Indies reached the close on 165 for seven, a lead of 375 runs.

"Brian Lara had a chat with the guys yesterday and he said a few things that really helped me take a step in the right direction," Dillon said.

"It will help all of the guys over the next two days of this crucial Test."

The series is tied 1-1 after India won the second Test in Trinidad by 37 runs and West Indies hit back with a 10-wicket win in Barbados in the third. The fourth Test was drawn.

Monday's effort was Dillon's second five-wicket haul in a Test, his previous best was a burst of five for 111 against Pakistan in Karachi in December 1997.

"Thankfully this one is out of the way," he said. "I've got quite a few four-wicket hauls, I was looking to get five here and things worked out for me."

The 27-year-old has picked up a personal best 22 wickets in the series, and said he was responding to the pressure of being West Indies's main strike bowler after the retirements of Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose last year.

WORKING HARD

"I've been working very hard," said Dillon. "There is a lot of pressure on me being the senior fast bowler in the team. I have been bowling a lot more consistently."

Dillon, playing in his 26th Test, took his wicket tally to 98 and is now getting close to his three-figure target.

"The 100-mark is in the pipeline. That's going to happen, I just hope it's sooner rather than later. But my concern right now is to try to get India out again."

Shivnarine Chanderpaul rescued the West Indies in their second innings with an unbeaten 55 after the home team had slumped to 81 for five.

"I don't think we batted pretty well in the second innings, anyone could see that," Dillon said. "But we are still very positive. We were looking to get anything above 400 and we've got very close to that now. So nothing much lost in the end."

Dillon said he felt his team would clinch the series.

"I'm quite happy with the position on the board right now," he said. "We've got the runs and they've got to go out and get them. I think if we bowl well we will go out there and win the series."

Mail Cricket Editor