KINGSTON, June 6: Bangladesh had little success and West Indies continued to plunder the runs on the third morning of their second and final Test on Sunday. At the lunch interval, West Indies, replying to Bangladesh's first innings total of 284, were 389 for four with Ramnaresh Sarwan undefeated on 157, his highest Test score, and left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul not out on 40.
Bangladesh, looking to stem the flow of runs, were stonewalled when Sarwan, the West Indies vice-captain, and Chanderpaul came together, after Tapash Baisya made the breakthrough in the third over of the day.
Sarwan and Chanderpaul have so far added 92, unbroken, for the fifth wicket, but Bangladesh claimed the wicket of nightwatchman Tino Best when he was caught behind for four touching a short, rising ball to give Khaled Mashud his third catch in the West Indies' innings.
Sarwan, in the middle of his fifth Test hundred, reached the 150-run mark when he turned Mushfiqur Rahman through mid-wicket for a single. The West Indies vice-captain has smote 18 boundaries from 268 balls in just under seven hours.
On Saturday, West Indies captain Brian Lara also hit a century. Lara, who has staked his captaincy on his team winning this match, blasted 12 fours and three sixes in a magnificent 120, his 26th century in 108 Tests.
Sarwan, who ended the day on 106 not out, benefited from one of three catches floored by the tourists. Sarwan was 21 when he benefited from a Hannan Sarkar miss at second slip as he drove loosely at Baisya.
Opener Devon Smith chipped in with 44 before he ran himself out at 109 for two. But Lara joined Sarwan midway through the day and the pair entertained a crowd of about 5,000. The pair produced some magical stroke-play in a run-a-minute third wicket stand of 179.
The mood was set by Lara when they resumed after tea at 154 for two. The 35-year-old left-hander quickly hit three successive fours off fast bowler Baisya's opening over that cost 15 runs.
Lara raced to 50, with two sixes and his sixth four off 54 balls in just over an hour. With blazing Lara strokes continuing to flow, Sarwan was content to play the silent partner, although he, too, produced some delightful shots all around the outfield.
Sarwan was 46 when Lara joined him and the experienced skipper soon overtook his understudy in the 80s with his third six. It was not long before the Jamaican crowd was saluting another Lara milestone.
He nudged his 121st ball to mid-on to reach three figures. Lara is now level with fellow left-hander, former great Sir Garry Sobers, on 26 centuries as the most prolific West Indian century-maker in the game.
Lara guided Sarwan to his landmark half hour later, the Guyanese glancing Manjural Islam Rana for a single from his 174th delivery. But five overs from the end, Bangladesh finally ended Lara's gem as Mohammad Rafique induced an edge to the wicket-keeper.
Bangladesh got an early breakthrough when Chris Gayle failed to take advantage of a floored chance when he was six. The powerful left-hander added just eight before edging Tareq Aziz to the wicket-keeper at 26 for one.
Scoreboard
BANGLADESH (1st Innings) 284 (O.A.C. Banks 4-87).
WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 294-3):
C.H. Gayle c Mashud b Tareq 14
D.S. Smith run out 44
R.R. Sarwan not out 157
B.C. Lara c Mashud b Rafique 120
T.L. Best c Mashud b Baisya 4
S. Chanderpaul not out 40
EXTRAS (LB-5, W-1, NB-4) 10
TOTAL (for four wkts, 107 overs) 389
FALL OF WKTS: 1-26, 2-109, 3-288, 4-297.
TO BAT: D.R. Smith, R.D. Jacobs, O.A.C. Banks, P.T. Collins, F.H. Edwards.
BOWLING (to-date): Tapash Baisya 22-5-82-1 (1w); Tareq Aziz 19-2-76-1 (4nb); Mushfiqur Rahman 24-3-92-0; Mohammad Rafique 23-1-71-1; Manjural Islam Rana 18-2-63-0; Mohammad Ashraful 1-1-0-0. -Agencies