Chanderpaul leads West Indian fightback

PORT OF SPAIN,  (Reuters) – Shivnarine Chanderpaul survived a dropped catch to lead a West Indian fightback on the third day of the second test against Australia today.

Chanderpaul was dropped by Australia captain Michael Clarke at first slip off spinner Nathan Lyon when he was on eight and went to make an unbeaten on 45 at Queen’s Park Oval.

His stubborn innings helped West Indies reach lunch on 132 for four in their first innings, still 179 runs behind the Australians, who won last week’s first test in Barbados.

West Indies resumed on 49-3 and made a bright start on a difficult batting pitch that was offering plenty of assistance for the bowlers, taking the total to triple figures before losing Darren Bravo for 38.

He fell to part-time bowler Mike Hussey, who trapped him leg before wicket with a ball that moved just enough to beat the bat and strike Bravo on the back pad plumb in front.

Australia nearly got another wicket on the last ball before lunch when Narsingh Deonarine was almost run out scrambling through for a quick single.

Deonarine only made it in by a whisker to go to lunch on 12 after sharing an unbroken stand of 32 with Chanderpaul, whose let-off could prove costly to the Australians.

Chanderpaul scored a century in the first test and was again proving difficult to remove, hitting five boundaries in his 137-ball knock.

The day began in bizarre circumstances when play was delayed for 20 minutes because of a power outage.

The two teams walked on to the field ready to play as scheduled but were told by the match referee Jeff Crowe to retreat back to the dressing room before a ball was bowled because there was no live television footage.