WI inch to historic victory

ST JOHN’S: Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit key centuries yesterday igniting a West Indies charge toward an unlikely and historic victory over Australia in the fourth and final cricket Test.

Vice-captain Sarwan hit a superb 105 and Chanderpaul, a crucial, unbeaten 103 to lead the home team to close at 371 for six, just 47 runs away from their mammoth target of 418 with one day remaining. No team has ever scored as much to win in the final innings in 125 years of Test cricket. Captain Brian Lara chipped in with 60 but when he was fourth out at 165, an Australian triumph and a 4-0 series sweep seemed a foregone conclusion. If Australia wins, it would be the first ever whitewashing of the West Indies in the Caribbean. Sarwan, Chanderpaul and levelheaded rookie Omari Banks (28 not out) powered the spirited effort with excellent partnerships.

The latter part of the day was also punctuated by a number of nerve-racking moments. There was a furious confrontation between Sarwan, then 75, and Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath which had to be cooled by umpires David Shepherd and Srinivas Venkataraghavan. Once Sarwan fell, the dubious dismissal of Ridley Jacobs next ball prompted a 10-minute delay as bottles and plastic containers were thrown onto the field. There was also a crucial dropped catch by Martin Love off Banks early on at 290 for six. There was even a short break for rain to stall the tension. But it was not enough to cool Sarwan and Chanderpaul, who brought the crowd to life with their blazing fifth wicket stand of 123 in just under two hours. Sarwan brought up his second Test century as he and Chanderpaul, both from Guyana, rattled the Australians. But the right-hander, reeling off a volley of fluent strokes, fell to the second new ball and Brett Lee.

The 22-year-old once again fell to a miscued pull, lobbing a catch back to the bowler. Sarwan lashed 17 boundaries off 139 deliveries in three and a half  hours. Next ball, the thousands of Australians in the crowd were jumping for joy leaving the West Indians incensed as Lee benefited from what appeared to be a poor decision from Shepherd. Jacobs, an Antiguan, was caught behind but television replays shown around the ground, clearly showed that Lee’s bouncer had deflected off the arm and not bat. Many sections of the crowd vented their anger by throwing bottles and other debris onto the field. The disruption managed to be contained and the home crowd began cheering again as Banks’ edge off the fiery Lee was floored by Love at first slip. The cheers grew louder in the last one and a half  hours as Banks blossomed to lend the now rampant Chanderpaul excellent support.

Chanderpaul brought up his eighth Test century just before the end off 140 balls in 202 minutes. The 28-year-old, watched by his wife in the stands, stroked 17 fours and one six. He added 83 unbroken with an unfazed Banks, the 20-year-old from Anguilla in only his second Test. Banks, tall and upright, hit three fours off 76 balls in 102 minutes. The opening session of the day was all Australia’s as Lee, Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath reduced the West Indies to 74 for three. Chris Gayle (19) mis-hit a pull off Lee to mid-on, while fellow opener Devon Smith (23) edged Gillespie to the wicket-keeper. Daren Ganga (8) fell to McGrath’s inswinging yorker, plumb leg before wicket. Lara and Sarwan added 91 in a determined fourth- wicket partnership either side of lunch. The 34-year-old Lara lashed three sixes off Stuart MacGill and five fours before the leg-spinner got his revenge. Lara, aiming for a fourth six, was bowled by a big leg break after facing 119 balls in 149 minutes. Chanderpaul endured a few anxious moments early, an edge off McGrath when 10 flying at catchable height just out of Love’s grasp at first slip. But he and Sarwan gave the West Indies new life and set up an enthralling final day of the series today.