Australia reeling after Chanderpaul hits gutsy century

KINGSTON, May 25: Australia were reeling at 17 for four at the end of the third day of a first Test which was fascinatingly poised after a spell of ferocious opening bowling from West Indies.

Australia lead by 136 runs with six first-innings wickets remaining in what has become an unpredictable and entertaining match at Sabina Park.

A brave century from West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, after he was struck on the head by a Brett Lee bouncer, was the highlight of the hosts’ innings of 312 chasing Australia’s 431.

A middle-order batting collapse – with Lee taking three of four wickets that fell for just eight runs – meant Australia looked in firm control, at least until they returned to the crease for their second innings.

Fidel Edwards, fired up and bowling with great pace, claimed Phil Jaques caught behind before Daren Powell grabbed the vital wicket of Australia captain Ricky Ponting.

Ponting, who made 158 in the first innings, edged to Dwayne Bravo at third slip and suddenly the tourists were wobbling.

The wobble became a tremble when Simon Katich was trapped lbw by an Edwards’ yorker and Powell removed Michael Hussey with a beautiful delivery that moved away and hit the off-stump.

Edwards took five wickets in the first innings and has been the main threat in the absence of the injured Jerome Taylor but Powell’s spell of aggressive and accurate bowling was the best he has produced in a long while.

Earlier, not for the first time in his career, Chanderpaul ran out of partners as he made his 18th Test century. The Guyanese left-hander showed great courage after he was floored by a nasty delivery from Lee.

Chanderpaul tried to duck under the ball but it did not rise as much as anticipated and cracked him on the back of the head. He fell to the ground and lay motionless for several moments before receiving treatment and he decided to continue his innings.He was on 86 when hurt but with tail-ender Edwards alongside him, gritted his teeth and pushed himself over the century mark and West Indies past 300.

It was a disappointing total after a promising start to the day with Runako Morton making a battling 67 in the morning session before getting out five minutes before lunch to leave his side at 197 for four.

Morton and Chanderpaul had added 128 when the former hit across the line to Stuart MacGill’s leg-spin and Stuart Clark at mid-on made a fine diving catch.

Bravo came in and took the attack to Australia after lunch, striking four fours and three sixes in a lively 46 before he was caught by Katich at slip as he attempted to drive Lee.

Lee snapped up Denesh Ramdin (0) when the wicket-keeper attempted an ill-advised drive outside the off-stump which was taken by his counterpart Brad Haddin.

With consolidation clearly the order of the day it was a rash shot from Ramdin and worse was to follow for West Indies when their last recognised batsman Darren Sammy tried to clip Mitchell Johnson over square leg but found the safe hands of Jaques.Powell (3) could do nothing about a superb swinging yorker from Lee that smashed his stumps and left Chanderpaul to farm the strike with Edwards and Amit Jaggernauth.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 431 (R.T. Ponting 158, A. Symonds 70 not out, B.J. Hodge 67, M.E.K. Hussey 56; F.H. Edwards 5-104).

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight

115-3):

D.S. Smith b Clark 32

B.A. Parchment c Haddin b Clark 9

R.R. Sarwan c Haddin b Clark 7

R.S. Morton c Clark b MacGill 67

S. Chanderpaul c Hussey b MacGill 118

D.J. Bravo c Katich b Lee 46

D. Ramdin c Haddin b Lee 0

D.J.G. Sammy c Jaques b Johnson 0