Windies fightback after Ojha strikes

West Indies Kraigg Brathwaite plays a shot as VVS Laxman dives to stop the ball during the first day of their first test cricket match in New Delhi November 6, 2011.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit unbeaten half-centuries to guide West Indies to 159 for three wickets at tea on the opening day of the first test against India on Sunday.

The 87-run unbeaten stand between the pair revived the tourists after the Indian spinners had reduced them to 72-3 soon after lunch.

Brathwaite was batting on 61, his second test half-century, with Chanderpaul (55) at the interval.

West Indies got off to a poor start after skipper Darren Sammy had won the toss and decided to bat at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

Aware of their spin frailty, Indian captain Dhoni brought Pragyan Ojha into the attack in the 10th over and was soon rewarded.

Ojha dropped Kieran Powell (14) off his sixth delivery but made amends when he returned to trap the batsman leg before in his next over.

The turn Ojha generated prompted Dhoni to press Ravichandran Ashwin, who made his test debut alongside paceman Umesh Yadav, into service from the other end and the pressure paid off.

Ojha struck again in the 24th over when the in-form Kirk Edwards (15) drove forwards to give the spinner a return catch.

Ashwin would not be denied his maiden test wicket as he forced a delivery through Darren Bravo's (12) porous defence in the first over after lunch.

However, Brathwaite dug in at the other end and Chanderpaul looked more at ease against the spinners, even hitting Ashwin for a six midway through his innings.

(Editing by John O'Brien; To comment on this story, email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)