Port of Spain (Trinidad), Apr 23: Champion batsman Brian Lara led a desperate West Indian struggle against the odds to avoid defeat to Australia in the second cricket Test on a treacherous Queen's Park Oval pitch here. The West Indian captain remained unconquered on 52, at the close of the fourth day. Yesterday having been given a life by a dropped caught and bowled chance by speedster Brett Lee when he was on six thriving the Windies to reasonable score. Australian captain Steve Waugh declared his team's second innings at 238 for three, leaving the home side to defy cricket history and score 407 runs to win off a minimum 127 overs over four sessions of play. Lara, batting with technique, was battling for survival after Australia’s three spinners, Macgill, Hogg and Darren Lehmann were aiming for the rough outside his offstump. At stumps after a gripping final couple of hours, the West Indies were 107 for three, with opener Wavell Hinds cruelly out seven balls before the end of play.
Hinds, who batted courageously with Lara after the loss of two early wickets to put on 95 runs for the third wicket, tried to kick the ball away from his stumps but was crestfallen when a bail was dislodged signaling the end of his fighting innings for 35 off 115 balls. Bureau Report