Sarwan stands tall amid referral controversies by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	West Indies v England
Player:	RR Sarwan, S Chanderpaul, GP Swann, BP Nash
Event:	England in West Indies 2008/09

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DateLine: 1st March 2009

 

Ramnaresh Sarwan batted all day for a superb 184 not out, his third century of the series, to lead West Indies to 398 for five on the third day of the fourth Test against England on Saturday. Sarwan's chanceless innings carried West Indies to within 202 runs of England's first innings 600 for six declared on a day tinged with controversy over umpire referral decisions. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who made a smooth 70 in a 122-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Sarwan, and Brendan Nash were given out lbw when third umpire Daryl Harper overturned the onfield official's decision following England referrals. In both cases the decisions were highly questionable and left coach John Dyson gesticulating on the pavilion balcony.

 

England's four wickets on Saturday all came from lbw dismissals with Devon Smith (55) and Ryan Hinds (15) trapped by the ever improving spinner Graeme Swann before lunch. Swann also later removed Nash for 33. Harper's decisions, made under a trial system of video referrals that remains a source of much debate, should not take anything away from another outstanding performance by Sarwan. The right-hander, confidently driving and cutting against some largely unthreatening England bowling, made his second highest test score and continued a rich vein of form. In four knocks in this series only once has Sarwan failed to make a century and that was when he struck 94 in the third Test in Antigua.

 

West Indies resumed on 85 for one and made a positive start with Smith and Sarwan reaching their half-centuries before Swann struck. Smith, pushing forward, was ruled leg before after an appeal to the referral system. He and Sarwan had put on 108. Left-hander Hinds, on his home ground, then went in similar fashion just before lunch. Seamer James Anderson's lbw appeal against Chanderpaul looked optimistic, with the ball striking the left-hander high on the pad. Even though the television images seemed to confirm that, he was given out. Nash, whose tenacious batting has added steel to the West Indies middle-order, was livelier than usual as he made his 33 off 43 balls including a six over third man. However he too will consider himself unlucky after the television images of Swann's delivery indicated the ball would have gone over the top of the stumps. Denesh Ramdin joined Sarwan to see things through to the close, the wicketkeeper making 25 not out.