Sarwan, Bravo keep WI hopes alive

A DETERMINED unbeaten 93 by Ramnaresh Sarwan and a defiant  Dwayne Bravo 30 not out provided West Indies with a lifeline against rampant South Africa in the second Digicel Test which concludes today at the Queen’s Park Oval. At the close of yesterday’s fourth day, West Indies, facing a first innings deficit of 51 runs,  reached 170 for five wickets in their second innings, and hold an overall lead of 119 runs. It was a case of indisciplined batting coupled with two questionable LBW decisions against first Test double century makers Wavell Hinds and skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul which turned the game in favour of South Africa which had established a lead of 51 runs when they amassed 398 in their first innings.

Hinds was second man out, adjudged leg before by umpire Aleem Dar to left-arm spinner Nicky Boje after sharing a 65-run partnership with Sarwan. Sarwan on five, survived a chance to Jacques Rudolph, but West Indies went into a tailspin when Brian Lara, the Prince of Port-of-Spain, became a pawn yesterday, injudiciously giving himself room in an attempt to cut and being bowled. It was an ill-advised stroke from Lara, the West Indies first innings hero, who seemed to be reacting following a verbal joust with pacer Andre Nel.

Soon it became West Indies 86 for four when Chanderpaul was given out LBW for one run, and with the addition of six more runs, 23-year-old Donovan Pagan (2) followed his skipper back into the pavilion. But Sarwan and Bravo dug in for their rescue act with the  help of a dropped catch offered by the latter with the total on 118.

Sarwan has so far batted for 298 minutes and struck nine fours off 190 balls while 21-year-old Bravo has three fours off 108 balls during his 117-minute stay. Earlier Chris Gayle gifted his wicket away by steering a Makhaya Ntini delivery straight to Abrahan deVilliers. South Africa resumed yesterday morning on 370 for six wickets, and Chris Gayle with his off spinners sent West Indies hopes soaring when he snapped up four wickets for nine runs in  4.5 overs to quickly sweep away South Africa’s lower order for the  addition of only  28 runs.  He finished with figures of for for 50.