Hinds: 'This Was My Best Inning'

West Indies opener Wavel Hinds said his hundred at the Eden Gardens in the third Test against India was the best of his three centuries as the team had to salvage some pride after having already lost the series 2-0.

Speaking with reporters after scoring exactly 100 on the second day,, Hinds said, "I got an opportunity to open and hopefully I have grabbed it with both hands. "I am enjoying my stint at the top.

Hinds, who batted in the middle order earlier, scored exactly 100, his first three figure knock on foreign soil, to help West Indies reach a respectable 189 for three at the close of the second day's play of the third and final Test.

"I was a bit more intent and focussed in this inning and was conscious of the necessity to make my contribution," Hinds, whose 100 was studded with 16 fours, said.

"I regard this knock highly as the last two were struck in the Carribean. This one was all the more important as we have to salvage some pride. We are trailing 0-2 in the series." Hinds, whose wicket was claimed by Harbhajan Singh along with the other two wickets to fall during the day, commended the bowling of Ashish Nehra and Javagal Srinath.

The West Indies opener said "it is a good batting track. There isn't much bounce or spin. Though the bowlers dominated the earlier two matches, we have started well here.

"I was patient here and stuck to the team plan to remain cool," said Hinds whose previous two centuries came against Pakistan (165) in 1999-2000 at Bridgetown and India (113) earlier this year at Kingston, said.

Asked whether the team had struck the right balance, he commented "it is not a question of striking the right balance. It is a Test match and you have to prove yourself.

"You have to be prepared to do everything that is required of you to do," he said.

** Culled from newswire sources.