Sunday, March 1, 2009

ENGLAND VS WESTINDIES 4th TEST:Sarwan steers Windies closer to safety


England's bid for a series-levelling victory over West Indies ran into Ramnaresh Sarwan who fashioned his third hundred of the series in the fourth Test on Saturday.Sarwan defied the tourists for the entire day to hit an undefeated 184 - his 14th Test hundred - that carried West Indies to 398 for five, replying to the visitors' first innings total of 600 for six declared, when stumps were drawn on the third day at Kensington Oval.West Indies, 1-0 ahead in the series, need just three more runs to save the follow on.England snared four wickets on the day - all lbw verdicts - and all but one steeped in controversy over the use of the experimental umpire decision review system.On the referrals, England successfully collected the scalps of Devon Smith for 55, Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 70, and Brendan Nash for 33, after they had all shared significant partnerships with Sarwan.England may have delighted in their removal of the three left-handers, but West Indies coach John Dyson and manager Omar Khan were so upset that they left the dressing room to discuss their concerns with ICC Match Referee Allan Hurst."I think we're still getting to grips with the whole concept (of the referral system)," said Dyson."The players are finding it challenging to get used to the system. I think the jury is still out."England failed to remove Sarwan and he reached his hundred from 160 balls, when he drove off-spinner Graeme Swann to mid-on and scurried a single to a cacophony of noise from the near capacity crowd.He shared four stands of 50 or more with Smith, Chanderpaul, Nash, and Denesh Ramdin with whom he'll resume on the penultimate day in an unbroken stand of 64 for the sixth wicket.Swann has been England most successful bowler with three wickets for 92 runs from 34 overs, and James Anderson has supported with two for 79 from 20 overs.

Before lunch, Swann removed Smith and Hinds to leave West Indies 163 for three at the interval, after they had continued from their overnight total of 85 for one.The spinner struck with his third ball of the day, after Sarwan and Smith batted through the first hour to add 108 for the second wicket.Swann had Smith adjudged lbw playing defensively forward - a decision which the batsman challenged and TV replays seemed to suggest the ball would beat off-stump.Swann again provided England with the breakthrough about five minute before the interval, when Hinds was also adjudged lbw playing defensively forward, but this decision was not referred although it too, looked questionable.After lunch, England endured a wicket-less toil, as Sarwan reached his milestone and found Shivnarine Chanderpaul an unflappable partner to take West Indies 265 for three at tea.Sarwan's hundred followed scores of 107, 94, and 106 in his previous three innings in the series before Chanderpaul then cut Ravi Bopara through backward point for a single to reach his 50 from 80 balls.After tea, Sarwan and Chanderpaul continued merrily and were just getting into the swing of things when Anderson struck with the second new ball.He got Chanderpaul to offer no stroke to a delivery that straightened and umpire Russell Tiffin adjudged him lbw - which the batsman appealed and lost - although TV evidence suggested the ball may have travelled over the top of the stumps.England were again put on the back-foot when Nash came to the crease and played a brief, but feisty knock before Swann twice appealed for lbw verdicts.Twice Aleem Dar turned them down only for England to challenge and the Pakistani umpire to change his mind about the second decision.Ramdin joined Sarwan whose 150 came when he drove Swann through mid-off for his 15th four.

England trail in the five-Test series following an innings and 23-run defeat in the opening Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica.The second Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua was abandoned while the third Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground was drawn.The final Test starts next Friday in Trinidad.

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