5.6.2008

A superb rearguard century from skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan helped the West Indies to draw the second Test match against Australia in Antigua.

Sarwan, aided by Shivnarine Chanderpaul who made an unbeaten 77, hit 128 to thwart the tourists' hopes of going two up in the three-match series.

Brett Lee removed opener Devon Smith (0) and Runako Morton (14), while Stuart Clark dismissed Xavier Marshall.

But the West Indies dug in to keep the series alive going to Bridgetown.

Declaring on their overnight score of 244-6 and leaving the West indies a nominal target of 372 to win, the Australians wrested the early initiative at lunch.

Lee, who took five wickets in the first innings, continued to bowl with pace and aggression, taking two wickets to leave the home side struggling at 95-3.

He gave opener Devon Smith a thorough working over with a string of sharp, short-pitched deliveries, before the batsman meekly fended a rising ball to Mike Hussey at gully for a duck.

Smith's dismissal brought Sarwan to the crease, and the West Indian captain soon lost his partner when Xavier Marshall - who had earlier survived a caught behind appeal - edged Stuart Clark to Brad Haddin for five.

Sarwan, ably assisted by Runako Morton, launched into rearguard action as Australia's fast bowlers searched for their third breakthrough.

Lee - the West Indies' first innings tormentor - eventually found his way through Morton's defences with the score on 84, trapping the hard-hitting 29-year-old leg before for 14.

However, with new batsman and first innings centurion Chanderpaul at the crease with Sarwan, the two Guyanans thwarted all Australia threw at them - but not without the odd stroke of luck on the way.

Leg-spinner Stuart McGill, playing his final Test, looked certain to have Sarwan stumped with the last ball of the 51st over, but third umpire Norman Marshall gave the 27-year-old the benefit of the doubt, even though replays suggested the batsman's foot was on the line, rather than behind.

And Sarwan compounded Australia's frustrations when he swept a full toss off McGill for four to bring up his 11th Test hundred two balls before tea.

Australia eventually broke the 143-run partnership with the first ball bowled with the new ball, Mitchell Johnson achieving extra bounce and forcing Sarwan into a defensive prod that looped to Mike Hussey in the gully.

Dwayne Bravo came and then went in quick succession, fending a leading edge from a short-pitched Lee delivery to Brad Hodge to give Australia renewed hope of forcing victory.

But with Danesh Ramdin providing able support to reach 21 not out, Chanderpaul was able to see out the remaining overs and take his match tally to 184 runs without dismissal.

The series now moves to Bridgetown, with the final Test starting on 12 June.

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st Innings

479 for 7 (136.0 overs) Australia 2nd Innings

244 for 6 (61.5 overs)

West Indies 1st Innings

352 all out (107.0 overs) West Indies 2nd Innings

266 for 5 (93.0 overs)

West Indies 2nd Innings

DS Smith c M Hussey b Lee 0

Marshall c Haddin b Clark 5

Sarwan c M Hussey b Johnson 128

Morton lbw b Lee 14

Chanderpaul not out 77

Bravo c sub b Lee 1

Ramdin not out 21

Extras 12nb 8lb 20

Total for 5 (93.0 ovs) 266

Fall of wicketS: 4 19 84 227 236

Bowling: Lee 21.0 5 51 3, Clark 18.0 8 22 1, Clarke 6.0 3 16 0, Johnson 20.0 3 70 1, MacGill 19.0 2 75 0 M Hussey 6.0 2 14 0, Symonds 3.0 0 10 0

Courtesy - The Island