Lara, Ganga treat Oval fans

With David Rudder’s hit calypso “Trini to de Bone” blaring out of the Trini Posse Stand, fellow Trinidadians Brian Lara and Daren Ganga had cricket fans at the the Oval jumping yesterday with a batting exhibition that matched the mighty Australians of the previous day and a half.

After Australia declared their first innings at a mammoth 576 for four wickets, much to the delight of the West Indian bowlers, the homesters replied strongly with 186 for three at the close of the second day’s play in the Second Cable and Wireless Test match. For most of the afternoon the Queen’s Park Oval was transformed to a party venue as “Trinis” were revelling in the exquisite strokeplay of their “home boys”.  The maestro of the regional cricket band, skipper Brian Lara, was strumming together a beautiful melody to the accompaniment of his trusted aide Daren Ganga, colleagues and close friends.

With the hosts losing openers Wavell Hinds (20) and Devon Smith (0) in quick succession with only 25 runs on the board, the “Trini” batsmen entered the fray. Both were centurions in the First Test in Guyana last weekend and took off where they left. Lara raced to join Ganga then on 44,  with two sixes and a four of three deliveries from leg-spinner Stuart MacGill. He then went on to record his half-century before Ganga with a boundary that also brought up the 100 partnership. Lara’s 50 came in 83 minutes off 64 balls and contained five fours and two sixes. His protege followed suit taking 65 balls and hitting eight delightful fours.

The pair took the highly touted Australian bowling apart with Lara leading the way and Ganga, a devoted follower. But at 183, Lara who has never scored a Test century at the Queen’s Park Oval fell for 91 —- bowled behind his back by Brad Hogg. The  left-hander had a pained expression on his face in the walk back to the pavilion knowing he had given up a golden opportunity to achieve an elusive milestone in his glittering career. His partnership with Ganga realised 158 runs for the third wicket, following  a 185-run stand in the opening Test at Bourda in Guyana. Vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan then joined Ganga at the crease and they took the home team to 186 without further loss at the close. Sarwan was unbeaten on one and Ganga not out 69 —- with the West Indies needing another 191 runs to avoid the ignomy of following on.

Earlier, Australian vice-captain Ricky Ponting, resuming on 146, scored his first Test double century as he and Adam Gilchrist continued to dominate the WI bowling attack. Ponting passed his previous best of 197 against Pakistan. His double century came in 476 minutes off 344 balls with 23 fours and one six. He became the fifth Australian to score a Test double in the Caribbean and his marathon innings was the sixth at the Queen’s Park Oval. He finally fell stumped by debutant Carlton Baugh for 206 —- just short of the highest score of  220 made by India’s Sunil Gavaskar on the ground. Gilchrist gave admirable support and took the bowling by the scruff of the neck hitting two huge sixes and 11 fours in recording his eighth Test century. His runs came off only 104 balls in 210 minutes. Australian skipper Steve Waugh declared immediately after Gilchrist reached his hundred. Play on the third day today begins at 10.05 am.