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Lara leads from the front

PORT OF SPAIN APRIL 23. Captain Brian Lara led a bold West Indies bid for victory over Australia on the fifth and final day of their second Test on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old lefthander's first century at the Queen's Park Oval and his unbeaten fourth wicket partnership of 103 with Ramnaresh Sarwan (34 batting) put West Indies in a position of strength at 210 for three. Trinidadan Lara moved from his overnight 52 to 105 with a mixture of caution and aggression as the Caribbeans stayed on course for an improbable 407 for a win. India's 406 for four to beat the West Indies on the same Queen's Park Oval in 1976 remains the highest winning total in Tests.

West Indies had a scare in the morning when Waugh missed a chance to run out Sarwan for two, firing a throw wide off the stumps at the bowler's end. Lara, whose two previous innings in the series produced 110 in the first Test in Georgetown and 91 in the first innings here, batted with the flair and confidence that have made him one of the most devastating batsmen in the game.

He added four fours to his seven on the fourth day and also hoisted left-arm spinner Brad Hogg over long-on for six. The crowd continued to grow during the morning to around 10,000 as prospects of a West Indian win improved.

Lara's form revived memories of his second innings unbeaten 153 that almost single-handedly carried the West Indies to a one-wicket victory over Australia in Bridgetown on the previous tour of the West Indies in 1999.

AP

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