Australia on course for victory

Cricket365
April 27, 2012

Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued to be the thorn in Australia's side, but the tourists remained on track for victory over the West Indies after day four of the third Test.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued to be the thorn in Australia's side, but the tourists remained on track for victory over the West Indies after day four of the third Test in Dominica.

Chanderpaul became the tenth batsman to pass 10,000 Test runs during the course of his 69 on Thursday, but despite his stubborn resistance Australia will go into the final day of the series needing just five wickets to secure a 2-0 series victory.

Set an unlikely 370 to win, West Indies went to stumps on day four on 173 for five – 197 short of their target – with Chanderpaul out lbw on the stroke of stumps.

A 110-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo had given the West Indies a chance to push for what would be a series-levelling win on the last day.

However Bravo (45) was out caught behind off the bowling of Shane Watson in the final half-hour of Thursday to silence the home crowd and leave the West Indies' prospects rather bleaker.

When Michael Clarke then used the Decision Review System to overturn a not-out decision against Chanderpaul and dismiss him lbw off what proved to be the last ball of the day, only one team looked likely to win come Friday.

The West Indies made a poor start to their final innings, slumping to 45 for three as Clarke chipped in with a couple of wickets.

Adrian Barath started the slide before lunch when he flicked a straight Ben Hilfenhaus delivery to square leg, where Ed Cowan took a superb, one-handed catch to his right.

Kraigg Brathwaite's terrible run of form continued after the break as he was trapped lbw by Clarke for 14, and when Kieran Powell was bowled through the gate by the Australian skipper it appeared as if a swift conclusion in the match could be forthcoming.

Chanderpaul and Bravo dug in for more than two and a half hours to ensure that would not be the case, but their dismissals in the final overs of the day made Australia strong favourites.

The home side had struck early in the morning to remove Michael Hussey for 32, but Australia's tail wagged once again to advance their score from 200 for six at the start of the day to 259 all out.

A couple of scalps saw Shane Shillingford make history in front of his home supporters, as he became the first West Indies spinner to pick up 10 wickets in a Test match since Lance Gibbs achieved the feat at Old Trafford in 1966.