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| November 20, 2005 | Sunday | Shawwal 17, 1426 |
Lara stands between another big defeat for West Indies
HOBART (Australia), Nov 19: The West Indies were looking to their champion batsman Brian Lara to save them from another crushing loss to Australia in the second cricket Test at Bellerive Oval on Saturday.
Lara, who has struggled for form in the lopsided series, was unbeaten on 18 — seven runs from overtaking Australian Steve Waugh as the second all-time Test runs-getter — when rain forced an end to the third day.
The West Indies at 82 for four were still 175 runs from making Australia bat a second time coming after their 379-run pummelling in the first Test at Brisbane.
Lara has now scored 10,921 Test runs but he carries a significant burden on Sunday’s fourth day to prevent another substantial defeat for the once-great Caribbean team.
Yet again the Windies’ top-six batsmen failed to provide the platform for their team.
Vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan played a rash shot at Brett Lee well outside off-stump in the first over after a rain-break and was pouched by Adam Gilchrist for 32.
Skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul followed in a similar mode of dismissal for 10, leaving his side in trouble at 76 for four just before rain hit the ground.
The West Indies lost both opening batsmen to Glenn McGrath in the eight overs to tea.
McGrath bowled Chris Gayle with a yorker with the fourth ball of his opening over and then removed Devon Smith three balls before tea, caught at second slip for eight.
Brad Hodge scored an assured 60 in his debut Test innings as Australia were dismissed for 406 off 109.4 overs.
Hodge looked in sweet touch as he raised his maiden Test half-century with wickets clattering around him as the West Indian bowlers enjoyed one of their best sessions in the series.
The Australians, looking impregnable at the start of the third day on 256 for one, crumbled losing nine wickets for 150.
While Hodge displayed poise and technique, Michael Clarke’s shaky hold on the number four batting slot was looking even more insecure after another failure.
Hodge was the second-last batsman out when he fell leg before wicket to Corey Collymore in an innings that occupied 152 minutes and contained nine boundaries.
Quicksilver super sub Dwayne Smith, deputising for injured Marlon Samuels, was involved in three of the dismissals.
Clarke’s wretched run of scores continued when he was superbly caught by Smith in the covers for five off 23 balls. In this series he has scored 5, 14 not out and 5.
Michael Hussey’s maiden Test century was extended to 137 before he was caught by Sarwan, diving forward at short extra cover off Dwayne Bravo.
Hussey batted for 388 minutes, faced 236 balls and hit 19 fours in his chanceless innings.
Andrew Symonds, in for injured all-rounder Shane Watson, was run out in a mix-up with Hodge for one.
Television replays showed him well out of his ground when Smith’s throw from backward square leg directly hit the stumps at the bowler’s end, but it was given not out by the video umpire.
Symonds was three-quarters of the way to the pavilion when the ‘not out’ decision was flashed on to the large replay screen.
The West Indian players protested to the umpires and after further consultation Symonds was given out.
An Australian team spokesperson said a glitch with new software operated by the video umpire had caused the confusion.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES (1st Innings) 149 (C.H. Gayle 56; G.D. McGrath 4-31).
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 256-1):
M.L. Hayden c Bravo b Collymore 110
M.E.K. Hussey c Sarwan b Bravo 137
R.T. Ponting b Edwards 17
M.J. Clarke c sub (D.R. Smith) b Edwards 5
B.J. Hodge lbw b Collymore 60
A. Symonds run out 1
A.C. Gilchrist c sub (D.R. Smith) b Bravo 2
S.K. Warne c Sarwan b Powell 1
B. Lee c Ramdin b Edwards 18
S.C.G. MacGill not out 20
G.D. McGrath run out 14
EXTRAS (LB-6, W-3, NB-12) 21
TOTAL (all out, 109.4 overs) 406
FALL OF WKTS: 1-231, 2-257, 3-271, 4-306, 5-315, 6-317, 7-324, 8-362, 9-377.
BOWLING: Edwards 27.4-2-116-3 (6nb); Powell 24-2-117-1 (3nb); Collymore 28-11-54-2 (2nb); Bravo 23-2-96-2 (1nb, 3w); Gayle 7-0-17-0.
WEST INDIES (2nd Innings):
C.H. Gayle b McGrath 4
D.S. Smith c Ponting b McGrath 8
R.R. Sarwan c Gilchrist b Lee 32
B.C. Lara not out 18
S. Chanderpaul c Gilchrist b Lee 10
M.N. Samuels not out 2
EXTRAS (LB-6, NB-2) 8
TOTAL (for four wkts, 24 overs) 82
FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-27, 3-62, 4-76.
BOWLING (to-date): McGrath 7-3-14-2; Lee 11-1-49-2 (2nb); Symonds 1-0-2-0; Warne 5-0-11-0.—AFP
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