Sri Lankan batsman Hashan Tillakaratne acknowledges the crowd as he completes his 200 runs during the fourth day of the third Test against West Indies yesterday. - Reuters
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC:
STAR PLAYER Brian Lara and emerging middle order batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan fashioned unbeaten half-centuries in leading a West Indies' fightback against Sri Lanka in the final session on the fourth day of the third cricket Test yesterday.
At the close, the Windies, in arrears by 237 runs and desperately trying to avoid a 3-0 series whitewash, were 145 for two in their second innings - requiring 92 more runs to wipe off the deficit - with Lara not out 76 and Sarwan on 57.
Lara, who made 221 in the West Indies' first innings total of 390 has so far featured in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 125 with Sarwan after they joined forces at 20 for two following the cheap dismissals of opener Chris Gayle (0) and Daren Ganga (10) to left-arm pacer Chiminda Vaas.
Earlier, experienced left-handed middle order batsman Hashan Tillakaratne, who resumed from 143 overnight, completed his maiden Test double century as Sri Lanka, who lead the series 2-0, amassed 627 for nine declared.
The 34-year-old Tillakaratne was again in dominant form, finishing on 204 not out as he carried his aggregate to 403 runs in four innings. His superlative knock was decorated with 23 boundaries.
Tillakaratne and his overnight partner Thilan Samaraweera, who was unfortunately run out for 87, posted a record sixth-wicket stand of 165, bettering their previous best effort of 154 in the first Test at Galle.
Tillakaratne reached his first double century in 63 Tests with two fours to the long off boundary in one over off fast bowler Marlon Black.
The West Indies' four main bowlers - pacers Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins and Black - and off-spinner Carl Hooper - were all flayed for over 100 runs. Injured leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine escaped punishment as he was confined to the pavilion, nursing a strained hip muscle.
The Windies' first wicket of the day after the third new ball was taken came when Samarweera, who had executed some enterprising shots, twice on-driving and also pulling Black for boundaries, was run out, 13 short of a second Test century.
Vaas then made a quick-fire 23 off 31 balls before he hit Collins straight to Marlon Samuels at mid-on.
However, Tillakaratne got essential support from tailenders Numan Zoysa (10), Niroshan Bandaratilleke (25) and Muttiah Muralitharan as another 77 runs were added by the last three wickets.
Collins finished with three for 156 off 47 overs while Hooper took two for 112 off 43 overs and Dillon, two for 131 off 46 overs. Black's lone success cost him 123 runs in 32 overs.
Batting a second time, the West Indies again ran into early trouble when left-arm pacer Vaas dispatched Gayle and Ganga in the space of three overs.
Gayle's run of low scores continued when he fell for a first-ball "duck", courtesy a third slip catch by Mahela Jayawardene while Ganga was trapped leg before wicket in Vaas' third over.
This brought Lara and Sarwan together and they took the attack to the Sri Lanka bowlers.
Sarwan motored to a boundary-studded half-century off only 60 balls as he stroked 11 fours, while Lara was just as fluent in his stroke-play, striking eight fours and a six off the 136 balls he faced.
