Sport

Lee, Jaques put Windies in trouble

ST. JOHN’S: Fast bowler Brett Lee grabbed five cheap wickets and opener Phil Jaques hit 76 as Australia built a 371-run lead against West Indies on day four Monday of the second cricket Test.

West Indies veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit his 19th Test century but Lee ripped through the home team’s first innings to see it fold for 352 after resuming on 255 for four.

Australia, after sealing a first-innings lead of 127, rode on Jaques’ half century to close on 244 for six, an overall advantage of 371 with one day remaining at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Earlier, Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo defied Australia for the first hour and a half as they stretched their fifth-wicket stand to 132.

But Lee’s belated introduction, and the first of a handful of contentious umpiring decisions, turned the course of the match. Lee destructive spell earning him five wickets for 11 runs in six overs.

The 31-year-old’s second over provided the key breakthrough when Bravo was ruled caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

Bravo hit three sixes and two fours in 45 off 127 balls but was unlucky to be given out off the thigh pad by umpire Russell Tiffin of Zimbabwe.

Tiffin added two more contentious decisions as Australia charged back into a winning position, already 1-0 up in the three-Test series.

Denesh Ramdin fell to a first-ball duck, leg before to a sharp incutter which appeared to strike the batsman outside the line of off stump.

Next over, Darren Sammy was also unlucky to perish in similar fashion for a duck to make it 318 for seven.

In between, Chanderpaul completed his century with a slap over midwicket off Andrew Symonds’ offspin.

Mitchell Johnson wrapped up the innings when Fidel Edwards, yet to score, edged to Haddin just before lunch.

Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 107 at the other end after batting five and a half hours. The 33-year-old faced 236 balls and hit 12 boundaries.

Jaques and Michael Hussey laid a sound platform with an opening stand of 74.

Once Jaques fell after hitting eight fours and a six, West Indies rebounded and emotions threatened to boil over between the teams.

Taylor removed Jaques to a Ramdin catch and, in his next over, he trapped Ponting plumb leg before for 38.

Edwards added more spice to the contest when he cracked Lee on the helmet just before the close. — AP

SCOREBOARD

Australia — 1st innings: 479 for seven declared.

West Indies — 1st innings: D. Smith c Symonds b Johnson 16, X. Marshall lbw b Clarke 53, R. Sarwan c Clarke b MacGill 65, R. Morton c Katich b Clarke 2, S. Chanderpaul (not out) 107, D. Bravo c Haddin b Lee 45, D. Ramdin lbw b Lee 0, D. Sammy lbw b Lee 0, J. Taylor b Lee 20, D. Powell lbw b Lee 0, F. Edwards c Haddin b Johnson 0, Extras (b-17, lb-13, w-2, nb-12): 44; Total: 352.

Fall of wickets: 1-55 2-103 3-105 4-182 5-314 6-314 7-318 8-341 9-341.

Australia bowling: Lee 21-7-59-5, Johnson 24-5-72-2, Clark 14-0-39-0, MacGill 21-1-107-1, Clarke 15-7-20-2, Symonds 12-3-25-0.

Australia — 2nd innings: P. Jaques c Ramdin b Taylor 76, M. Hussey c Ramdin b Bravo 40, R. Ponting lbw b Taylor 38, M. Clarke (run out) 10, A. Symonds (batting) 43, B. Haddin lbw b Edwards 7, B. Lee c Ramdin b Edwards 4, Extras (b-8, lb-6, w-3, nb-9): 26; Total (for six wickets) 244.

Fall of wickets: 1-74 2-163 3-178 4-186 5-222 6-244

West Indies bowling: Powell 13-3-47-0, Edwards 7.5-1-28-2, Taylor 12-0-33-2, Sammy 12-1-45-0, Bravo 14-1-59-1, Sarwan 3-0-18-0.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu