West Indies' captain Brian Lara (centre) is bowled by Brad Hogg during yesterday's second day play in the Cable & Wireless Test series in Trinidad. - Dellmar PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD, CMC:
BRIAN LARA fell nine runs short of a first Test century on his home ground to leave the West Indies facing a huge task going into the third day of the second Cable and Wireless Test against Australia in Port of Spain.
After Ricky Ponting's first Test double-century and Adam Gilchrist's unbeaten 101 extended the visitors' first innings total to 576 for four declared, the hosts were fighting back yesterday with Lara and fellow Trinidadian Daren Ganga featuring in a second consecutive century partnership for the third wicket.
However, with anticipation and anxiety growing at the Queen's Park Oval as he neared the landmark, the West Indies captain was bowled around his legs by Brad Hogg attempting to execute another of the sweep shots that proved so effective to the wrist-spinners.
His demise for 91 left the West Indies at 186 for three with Ganga on 69 and vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, in his first innings of the series, on one.
Their immediate target will be to get another 190 runs to make Australia bat again.
STOOD GROUND
Clearly preoccupied with the significance of approaching a long-awaited hundred before his adoring compatriots, Lara stood his ground in apparent disbelief before the television umpire confirmed his dismissal with just two overs left in the day's play. His 120-ball knock spanned 147 minutes and was highlighted by three towering sixes off the spinners and 10 well-timed boundaries.
As in the second innings of the First Test when he started slowly in partnership with Ganga, the left-hander stepped up a gear after 40 cautious minutes, racing past his partner in getting to fifty and belting Stuart MacGill out of the attack.
The leg-spinner conceded 50 runs off just seven overs and was taunted with chants of "Warney, Warney" by Aussies in the stands, a reminder that his presence in the team was probably only due to the absence of the suspended Shane Warne.
At the other end, Ganga exuded confidence after a maiden Test hundred in Georgetown, racing to a second consecutive score over fifty off 65 balls with eight boundaries. Their partnership of 158 was again vital after both openers were dispatched before tea with just 25 runs on the board.
Devon Smith failed to score, edging the impressive Jason Gillespie to the wicketkeeper while Brett Lee removed Wavell Hinds for 20, well taken by Matthew Hayden low at first slip.
The Lara-Ganga effort lifted the gloom for West Indian fans after watching the Australian top order continue to pulverise an inept and inexperienced bowling attack for another three-and-a-half hours. Resuming at 391 for three, the tourists were further boosted by a 171-run fourth-wicket partnership between Ponting and Gilchrist.
With Lara opting not to take the second new ball immediately, the pair settled in against the ordinary part-time spin of Marlon Samuels and it was only a matter of time before the vice-captain reached the double-hundred off 344 deliveries with 23 fours and one six just after lunch. He seemed set for more but a loss of concentration led to him being stumped down the leg-side by an alert Carlton Baugh off Samuels for 206 as he wandered out of his crease.
