The West Indies are facing an uphill task to stave off defeat when the third day of the first Digicel Home Series test concluded at the picturesque National Stadium ground, Providence, yesterday.
When stumps were drawn, the Caribbean side were 269-9, needing just eight runs to avert the indignity of following on, but still 207 runs in arrears.
On another excellent day for cricket, the West Indies resumed at their overnight score of 29-1, with Sarwan (21) and Devon Smith,(8).
Smith was the first to go in the third over of the day, falling to a spectacular, one-handed catch by wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene , as the little left-hander attempted a forcing shot to a Thilan Thushara delivery that was fairly wide of off stump.
The enigmatic Marlon Samuels joined Sarwan, who continued from where he left off the previous afternoon, looking very composed and driving and cutting authoritatively, as the 50 was posted in 79 minutes off 116 deliveries.
Eight runs later, however, Samuels, who never really looked settled, fell in similar fashion to Smith, caught behind, going after a wide delivery, again off the bowling of left-arm seamer, Thushara.
Sarwan was joined by the ever-reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and together the sons of the soil set about repairing the early damage as the first hour’s play produced 67 runs.
Sarwan in particular, was equally comfortable to both seam and spin, looking very much the accomplished player he is reputed to be.
The immediate past Windies captain eventually reached a well-deserved fifty by turning Muttiah Muralitharan to leg for a couple.
His innings was punctuated by five fours, came off 99 deliveries and took131 minutes.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka skipper, Mahela Jayawardene had employed an all-spin attack, with left-arm spinner Rangana Herath operating from the pavilion end and Muralitharan from the south or media centre end.
Sarwan and Chanderpaul remained unruffled in the face of the spin twin threats however with the `Tiger’ (Chanderpaul) looking as if he was digging in for another of those long, gritty innings for which he is internationally renowned and which his side so badly needed.
But even grittier and more determined batsmen have stumbled, as did the `Tiger’ this time around.
With the total at 99, and his personal score at 23, Chanderpaul beaten through the air by Muralitharan, drove uppishly to short extra cover, where first-day hero Warnapura took a good catch.
With just about 10 minutes to lunch, Bravo joined Sarwan, but the young all-rounder never looked comfortable. When on one, he was dropped by Jayawardene at first slip off Muralitharan just before lunch.
At lunch, the score was 107-4, with Sarwan on 57 and Bravo on 1.
Shortly after the resumption, Bravo fell leg before to `Murali’ for eight.
Ryan Hinds was next in and with Sarwan, helped to steady the ship. Batting with a hamstring injury and a runner throughout his innings, Hinds showed good temperament as the partnership realized 50 valuable runs off 111 balls in 70 minutes.
Three runs later, Sarwan, who was by then in sight of what would have been his first test hundred on home soil, drove expansively at an outswinger from Vaas and wicket-keeper Jayawardene held another fine one-handed catch.
Sarwan had gone for a well-played 80; the score, 162-6.
Hinds was joined by Ramdin and they went to tea with the score at 186-6; Hinds unbeaten on 32 and Ramdin 17.
The resumption saw Hinds add only five to his pre-interval score, going caught at the wicket off `Murali’ for a responsible 37.
Ramdin found a useful partner in Sulieman Benn as they waged a rearguard battle to add respectability to the score in an effort to avoid the follow-on.
The pair saw the 200 up off 504 balls and in 329 minutes. Together, the pair showed the frontline batsmen what was possible on the still benign track, with Benn almost as enterprising as his senior partner.
But Jayawardene took the second new ball with just under an hour’s play left and reaped immediate success, with Vaas having Ramdin caught by Kumar Sangakkara at first slip for an attractive 38.
Jerome Taylor formed the next alliance with Benn as the young Jamaican quickie showing his potential with the bat – potential recognized by new team coach, John Dyson.
Two of his strokes were worthy of note: first, a glorious cover drive off Vaas and then a lofted drive for six over long-off, off Muralitharan.
But with the score on 252, Benn was needlessly run out for a fighting 28, leaving Taylor and Daren Powell to take their team safely to the close.
