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Brilliant Sarwan leads Windies to series draw
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Apr 6, 2008, 23:49

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul combined to lead West Indies to a series-equalling six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, tying the two-match series 1-1 in Trinidad.

Sarwan stroked a masterful 102 for his tenth Test hundred, while his Guyanese countryman Chanderpaul was there at the end on 86 not out. They put on 157 for the fourth wicket after West Indies, set 253 for victory, were rocking on 73-3. Devon Smith hit a four to register only West Indies third Test win in almost four years.   

Sarwan, who faced 172 deliveries and plundered 15 boundaries, collected the man of the match and man of the series awards.

It was a sweet result for Sarwan, after his ten months out with a series of injuries since injuring his shoulder at Headingley in May. The time out of the game meant he lost the West Indies captaincy to his successful understudy Chris Gayle.

“It was an important innings,” Sarwan said afterwards. “It was important to get the partnership with Shiv.

Of the series in which he scored 311 runs at an average of 77, he added: “I have been positive, picking the right balls to hit. It has been hard work back, it has taken ten months to come back.”

West Indies owed equal praise to their seamers, especially Jerome Taylor (six wickets in the match) and Fidel Edwards (five wickets), who helped reduce Sri Lanka to 73-5 in their second innings before Thilan Samaraweera played one of the best innings of his career, making 125.

The win will give West Indies vital self-belief prior to their home series with world champions Australia from next month.  

Sri Lanka won the first Test in Guyana. The two sides begin a three-match one-day series in Trinidad on Thursday.