West Indies captain Brian Lara plays a shot to the boundary during his innings of 209 against Sri Lanka yesterday. - Dellmar CASTRIES, St. Lucia (AP):
WEST INDIES captain Brian Lara lit up Beausejour Stadium with a brilliant 209 against Sri Lanka as the rain-plagued first cricket Test ended in a predictable draw yesterday.
Lara, resuming on 93, stretched his 21st century in 95 tests into his fifth double as the home team gained a first innings lead of 123.
The West Indies, stalled at 272 for four when rain had halted play just after lunch on day three, pushed on to 477 for nine declared.
Omari Banks compiled an even, unbeaten half century to boost the home team. Muttiah Muralitharan claimed five for 138 off 50 overs. It was the ace offspinner's 38th five-wicket haul in 81 Tests.
Sri Lanka openers Sanath Jayasuriya (72) and Marvan Atapattu (50) both struck unbeaten half centuries as Sri Lanka comfortably knocked off the deficit in posting 126 without loss as the match petered to its foregone conclusion.
The 33-year-old Jayasuriya, in his 79th match, became the third Sri Lankan to pass 5,000 Test runs when he reached 62. Fellow former captains Aravinda de Silva (6,361) and Arjuna Ranatunga (5,105) top the list.
But the day belonged to Lara. The champion left-hander, holder of the world record scores in test and first-class cricket, cracked 24 boundaries and one huge six off 360 deliveries in just over seven and a half hours.
Only Don Bradman of Australia (12), Wally Hammond of England (seven), Javed Miandad of Pakistan (six) and Atapattu (five) have made as many scores over 200.
Lara's duel with offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan was the major highlight, and the 31-year-old Sri Lankan had the better of the early exchanges.
Lara was 94 when he was mis-stumped by wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana as he overbalanced trying to on-drive an off-break.
The second and final Test begins in Kingston, Jamaica, on Friday. The West Indies yesterday named their 14-man squad which includes young Barbadian pacer Fidel Edwards.
The WI squad: Brian Lara (c), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vc), Omari Banks, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Fidel Edwards, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.
