Australian pacer, Jason Gillespie (right), appeals for an LBW decision against West Indies' batsman, Daren Ganga, on the fourth day of the second Test at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad yesterday. Ganga was given not out, but was later caught behind for 2. At the close, the West Indies were 107-3, needing another 300 for victory on today's last day. (Photo: AFP)

PORT OF SPAIN -- Battling for survival. That's how it was for Brian Lara and his crew at the close of the fourth and penultimate day of the second Test against Steve Waugh's Australians at the Queen's Park Oval here yesterday.

Whether the West Indies can change the vibe on today's last day could depend entirely on Lara as it did four years ago at the Kensington Oval, in Barbados. Then, they pulled off one of the more remarkable victories in the history of Test cricket, also against Waugh's men.

Last night West Indian optimists were pointing to the similarities. Then as now West Indies were up against it on the penultimate evening, having lost three wickets cheaply, but with Lara still batting. The records show that Lara made 153 not out, one of the great innings of all time, as West Indies reached 311-9 to win by one wicket.

Matthew Hayden of Australia attempts the pull shot against the West Indies on the fourth day of the second Test match at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad yesterday. Hayden was 100 not out when Australia declared their second innings at 238 for 3. (Photo: AP)

West Indians last night were also heartened by the memory of 1976 when India got to a second innings 406-4 to beat West Indies at Queen's Park Oval -- the world record -- albeit against a West Indies attack far inferior to this of the Australians.

But that's all history. Now West Indies batting a second time are 107-3 with their captain and champion, Lara, not out, 52 and Ramnaresh Sarwan, on one, in pursuit of 407 to win. That's more runs than any side has ever gotten to win a Test match. Today the West Indies against all odds, will need another 300 to win in 90 overs.

And while victory would be nothing short of history making, to bat through to a draw on today's last day would be a huge achievement against the strongest attack in world cricket and on a dry, dusty pitch that by the close yesterday was treacherous in bounce.

Scores in a game totally dominated by the Australians so far, but with wonderful episodes of West Indian fight: Australia 576-4 declared and 238-3 declared; West Indies 408 and 107-3.

Yesterday, West Indies coach, Gus Logie described Waugh's second innings declaration as "generous". Generous or not, the declaration at 2:20 pm after yet another Australian century -- 100 not out by Matthew Hayden -- leaving the West Indies with 37 overs yesterday plus today's 90, has certainly set up the game.

Australia looked well on the road when Jason Gillespie removed young opener, Devon Smith (0) and first innings centurion Daren Ganga (2) to leave West Indies reeling at 12-2.

But Lara, who has so far hit seven fours in 88 balls and a focused Wavell Hinds, 35 with seven fours in 115 balls, fought tooth and nail in a partnership of 95. Their stand may well have had Waugh worried until with eight balls remaining in the day, Stuart MacGill's big spinning leg break bounced on to the stumps from Hinds' defensive prod.

Before that the big, tall 31 year-old Hayden, carried on from his overnight 15 not out to his 13th century, as Australia went for quick runs against containing strategies by Lara. Hayden's effort, decorated by 10 fours in 277 minutes and 180 balls, was aided by Ricky Ponting's 45 (104 balls, four fours) and a bludgeoning 66 by Darren Lehman, with two sixes and eight fours off 96 balls.

Australia added 99 runs in the morning session for the loss of Ponting. The latter, never looking as good as he did in first innings double century, was caught behind low down and to his right by wicketkeeper, Carlton Baugh, as he pushed out at Dillon at 118-2 close to lunch.

A slight collision between a celebrating Dillon, running through down the pitch, and Ponting led to an unpleasant scene, with the Australian pointing his bat at Dillon and apparently voicing harsh words. Logie, at day's end, suggested nothing had come of the incident.

Hayden, intent on a century, moved from 85 to 100 with 15 singles, but Lehman, after a careful start, launched a vicious assault on the bowlers towards the end of his innings, including two huge sixes off Samuels over the mid-wicket fence. His dismissal, bowled by a Dillon yorker as he swung across the line at 2:20 pm triggered Waugh's declaration.

Smith lasted just three balls and two leg before appeals being adjudged leg before wicket by Ashoka de Silva to Gillespie's full length delivery as the lefthander unwisely played across the line.

Then, Ganga, driving at Gillespie's leg cutter, edged for Hayden to take a good low catch at first slip at 12-2.

Lara roused the crowd by pulling Lee to the square leg boundary, but in trying to repeat the shot, the West Indies captain found himself beaten by pace and lobbed a return catch which the bowler just failed to hold. Lara was then on seven and West Indies 23-2.

With Lara and Hinds battling, Waugh resorted to the leftarm finger spin of Lehman from the south, finding turn and uneven bounce from the rough outside the lefthander's offstump with three and four men around the bat. Pacer Andy Bichel worried Hinds, in particular, getting edges through and over the slips.

Lara eased the pressure by smashing Lehman to the cover boundary. Then the Australians held their heads and West Indian spectators cried out in apprehension as a Lehman delivery crept under Lara's bat and went for two byes. The true treachery of the pitch was revealed two balls later as Hinds stretching forward was hit a painful blow on the hand as the ball bounced alarmingly.

MacGill, back for a new spell after just one over earlier, saw his first ball turn big and scuttle through at ankle height out of the rough past the keeper down the legside for four byes. His fifth delivery, low and turning, just missed Hinds' offstump. But then the lefthander thumped the sixth to the cover boundary.

Lara swept Hogg and cover drove MacGill out of the rough for boundaries. Lara's deft dab to third man for two off Hogg took West Indies past 100 with just under five overs remaining.

As the tension mounted in fading light, Lara gained the benefit of the doubt from Rudi Koertzen stretching well forward to leftarm back-of-the-hand spinner, Brad Hogg, with three overs remaining. A sweep and an overthrow carried Lara past his second 50 of the match.

Then Hinds, stretching tentatively forward saw the ball bounce backwards off his bat and towards his stumps. His left boot couldn't help and the bails fell to great Australian jubilation and West Indian agony.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st Innings 576 for 4 declared (R Ponting 206, D Lehmann 160, A Gilchrist 101 not out; M Dillon 2-124)

West Indies 1st innings 408 (D Ganga 117, B Lara 91, M Samuels 68; B Lee 4-69, J Gillespie 3-50)

Australia 2nd innings (31 for 1 overnight)

J Langer lbw b Drakes 3
M Hayden not out 100
R Ponting c Baugh b Dillon 45
D Lehmann b Dillon 66

Extras (b12, lb6, w1, nb5) 24

Total (3 wkts declared) 238

Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-118, 3-238

Bowling: Dillon 18.2-0-64-2 (2nb, 1w), Drakes 20-4-61-1, Samuels 21-1-65-0, Collins 7-1-30-0 (3nb)

Overs: 66.2

West Indies 2nd innings

W Hinds b MacGill 35
D Smith lbw b Gillespie 0
D Ganga c Hayden b Gillespie 2
B Lara not out 52
R Sarwan not out 0

Extras (b14, lb2, w1, nb1) 18

Total (3 wkts) 107

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-12, 3-107

Bowling: Lee 8-3-28-0 (1w), Gillespie 7-2-10-2, Bichel 7-3-11-0, Lehmann 7-0-20-0, MacGill 4-0-11-1, Hogg 4-1-11-0

Overs: 37

Toss: Australia

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA), Asoka de Silva (SRI)

Executive Class

Gardens with Gravel

Death to the Mullet!