(Updates at tea)
By Simon Evans
ROSEAU, Dominica, April 26 (Reuters) – Shivnarine
Chanderpaul became the 10th batsman to reach 10,000 test runs as
he headed West Indies’ attempt to avoid defeat in the final test
against Australia on Thursday.
Set a daunting target of 370 to win on a track offering
plenty for spin, as West Indian Shane Shillingford proved with
his 10-wicket haul, the home side reached 97 for three by tea on
the fourth day.
Needing another 273, West Indies have four sessions
remaining to bat but it will take a remarkable effort if they
are to get close to the target.
The West Indies’ bowlers had done a good job of picking up
the last four Australian wickets for 59 runs in the pre-lunch
session on the fourth day as the tourists were bowled out for
259.
But, as has happened throughout the series, any benefits
gained by the West Indies bowling attack were quickly undermined
by the batting at the top of the order.
Opener Adrian Barath failed to make it through the 25-minute
spell before lunch, brilliantly caught for a duck by a flying Ed
Cowan at mid-wicket off Ben Hilfenhaus.
After the break, Australia skipper Michael Clarke opted to
make us of his own slow left-arm spin and it paid off instantly
as he struck with his sixth delivery, trapping Kraigg Brathwaite
(14) leg before.
Kieran Powell progressed to 24 and was looking relatively
comfortably until Clarke bowled him to bring Chanderpaul to the
crease.
The Guyanese left-hander is well used to the role that was
cast for him, shouldering the responsibility for trying to save
a match, and on his way to 29 by tea, he passed the 10,000 run
mark, an achievement that was recognised by warm applause from
the crowd and the Australian team.
The nudge to mid-wicket that took Chanderpaul into five
figures also took his career average to exactly 50, outstanding
record for someone who has spent so much time in a losing team.
Typically Chanderpaul’s response was a minimal
acknowledgement as he returned to the task of building a
parternship with Darren Bravo (23 not out).
An Australian victory and 2-0 series victory is clearly the
most likely outcome but the home crowd had another West Indies’
achievement to applaud on Thursday with Shane Shillingford
becoming only the third West Indian spinner to take 10 wickets
in a match in a home test.
The first Dominican to play a test on home soil,
Shillingford removed Mike Hussey for 32 and Hilfenhaus for six
in the morning session to follow up his excellent first-innings
figures of six for 119.
The tall off-spinner’s second-innings haul of four for 100
meant he became the first West Indian spinner to collect 10
wickets in a home test since Lance Gibbs in 1966.
(Editing by John Mehaffey)
