ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, 12 April 2004 — Brian Lara hit a fine double hundred to consolidate West Indies’ comfortable position in the fourth and final Test against England yesterday.
The West Indies captain was undefeated on 224 and fellow left-hander Ryan Hinds was not out on 28, as West Indies reached 449 for four in their first innings at the tea break on the second day.
Lara, a struggler in the previous three Tests of the series, continued to take advantage of the easy nature of the Antigua Recreation Ground pitch to fashion another innings of sheer mastery.
Lara smashed 22 fours and two sixes from 293 balls from almost five and a half hours to underline West Indies’ best batting performance in the series that England lead 3-0.
Simon Jones captured the only wicket of the afternoon session when he had Ricardo Powell, playing his first Test for West Indies in four years, caught at third man for 23.
Powell added 50 with Lara for the fourth wicket as the long, hard toil continued for the English before hooking at a short, rising ball from Jones he top-edged to Nasser Hussain just inside the boundary about 40 minutes after lunch.
For the remainder of the period, Lara and Hinds diligently compiled built upon the foundation given earlier in the day. They have so far shared 69, unbroken, for the fifth wicket.
Earlier, West Indies went to lunch on 342 for three, after Steve Harmison claimed West Indies vice captain Ramnaresh Sarwan about 15 minutes before the interval.
Sarwan, eyeing his fifth Test hundred, was caught at first slip for 90. He hit eight fours and one six from 166 balls in just over four hours of batting before falling in the first over with the second new ball.
