Lara stands in way of Lankan clean sweep

West Indies are fighting to save the third and final Test against Sri Lanka after ending the fourth day still needing 92 runs to make the hosts bat again.

Trailing by 237 runs in the first innings, West Indies recovered from losing two early wickets to reach 145 for two at the close with Brian Lara unbeaten on 76 and Ramnaresh Sarwan on 57.

The pair have so far added 125 for the third wicket.

Sri Lanka, who lead 2-0 in the series, earlier declared on 627 for nine, their second highest total in Test cricket, with Hashan Tillakaratne cracking an unbeaten 204.

Lara, the leading run-maker in the series with over 600 runs, survived a confident caught behind appeal at 42 off Muttiah Muralitharan to hit eight fours and a six in his innings which has so far lasted 153 minutes.

West Indies made a bad start to their second innings with Chaminda Vaas following up his seven wickets in the first innings by removing Chris Gayle for nought and Darren Ganga for 10 to reduce the tourists to 20 for two in the fifth over.

Tillakaratne completed his first Test double century shortly before the declaration and batted for 538 minutes and faced 343 balls.

It was also his highest first-class score beating the 203 not out he scored in the domestic competition in 1999.

Tillakaratne lost his overnight partner Tilan Samaraweera for 87 when he called him for a single and changed his mind leaving Samaraweera short of his crease as Gayle hit the stumps with a direct throw from mid-off.

Samaraweera helped Tillakaratne add 165 for the sixth wicket which is a record for Sri Lanka against West Indies.

Pedro Collins finished with three for 156 and Merv Dillon took two for 131.

Mail Cricket Editor