A defiant last wicket stand between rookie tail-enders Kemar Roach and Gavin Tonge frustrated Australia yesterday, giving West Indies the faintest of chances of winning their first Test Down Under in 12 years and levelling the three-match series. With West Indies tottering on the brink of defeat at 279 for nine late in the evening in pursuit of 359 for victory, Roach and Tonge combined in an unbroken, 29-run partnership from just 30 balls to once again revive the Caribbean side's hopes of winning the third and final Test at the WACA. Tonge, playing in his debut Test, was 12 not out off ten balls while Roach, in only his fifth Test, was unbeaten on 13 from 20 balls, and despite their inexperience have now been charged with the responsibility of ekeing out the remaining 51 runs needed for what would be a miraculous Windies victory on the final day today. No such scenario seemed possible after West Indies collapsed in the last session, losing six wickets for 83 runs to slump from 196 for three to 279 for nine in quick time.
LEFT: Brendan Nash plays on the legside during his innings of 66 against Australia yesterday. PHOTO: CRICINFO.
Erratic left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson inflicted most of the damage, snatching three for 67 while medium pacer Shane Watson claimed two for 24 including the key wicket of captain Chris Gayle cheaply. But just when Australia seemed poised to grab victory inside four days, Roach and Tonge came together to see out the last five overs of the day, after umpires had extended play by half hour with West Indies on the ropes. It was the second time in the match West Indies had engineered a fight back after Narsingh Deonarine and Brendan Nash had stroked half-centuries in a 128-run, fourth wicket partnership to turn the game in the tourists' favour. Deonarine carved out a career-best 82 while Nash hit a typically patient 65, as they hauled West Indies around from a dire position of 68 for three at lunch.
The left-handed Deonarine, playing only his fifth Test, hit ten fours and two sixes off 171 balls in 203 minutes at the crease while Nash's innings spanned 259 minutes, required 183 balls and contained seven fours. Gayle, uncharacteristically sedate in getting 21 from 32 balls with just two fours, perished in timid fashion at 52 for two when he inside-edged Watson through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, attempting to play through the on-side. Perhaps West Indies' biggest disappointment came when Ramnaresh Sarwan attempted a needless cut the final ball before lunch off off-spinner Nathan Hauritz and was caught at the wicket for 11, leaving the Windies hopes hanging by a thread. The unflappable Nash, with his usual penchant for square on the off-side, played true to form and was also positive after overcoming a testing period of short-pitched bowling. Together they denied Australia any success in the post-lunch session, taking the West Indies to 174 for three at tea and blowing the match wide open.
Australia's bowlers were more purposeful after the resumption and they finally made the breakthrough when Deonarine was bowled off his pads by Watson, attempting to whip a delivery through the on-side at 196 for four. West Indies lost their second wicket in the space of ten balls next over when Dwayne Bravo (1) recklessly slashed a wide ball from Johnson to gully where Mike Hussey snared a low catch, with just one run added to the total. Denesh Ramdin, who scored 14, joined Nash to post a further 34 for the sixth wicket and halt Australia's victory march. He gained a reprieve on four when the umpire review system overturned umpire Ian Gould's lbw decision against him but failed to make the most of this, bowled by one that cut back from debutante seamer Clint McKay at 231 for six.
Nash, who was stuck on 48 for 37 balls and 73 minutes before reaching his 50 with a steered boundary to third man, finally got his marching orders when he lost his off stump offering no stroke to Bollinger at 245 for seven, in the first over with the second new ball. Sulieman Benn had other ideas, however, and his happy-go-lucky 33 from 28 balls with two fours and sixes, helped add 34 for the eighth wicket with Ravi Rampaul who scored ten. When both perished in the space of three balls to Johnson at 279, Roach and Tonge combined to set up an intriguing last day. Earlier, Bravo (4�42) and left-arm spinner Benn (3�29) claimed a wicket each with McKay going for ten and Hauritz falling without adding to his overnight 11, as West Indies needed just 27 balls to end the Australian second innings.(CMC)
