Lara helps West Indies to solid position in third test

WELLINGTON, Mar 26 (Reuters) West Indies were 224 for four at lunch on the second day of the third test against New Zealand after Brian Lara unleashed a flurry of boundaries to race through to 83 before he chopped on a delivery from Nathan Astle.

Lara, who had scored just seven runs in the series prior to the match in Napier, resumed today on 28 and immediately attacked, particularly against Shane Bond with several boundaries carved out through aerial shots behind square on the off side.

The world record holder was just beginning to look dangerous and set for another of his trademark big scores when he bottom edged a pull shot on to his front leg with the ball ricocheting back on to the stumps.

Runako Morton was 49 not out at lunch with Dwyane Bravo on 12 after their side had resumed the day on 95 for one.

Morton was fortunate to be there after a comical situation in which he was initially adjudicated run out when captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul failed to respond to a quick single, though television replays showed Morton had beaten Chanderpaul to grounding his bat with both players at the same end.

While Chanderpaul had not attempted a run, he had gone down far enough for the umpires to decide the pair had crossed, and with Morton making his ground at the non-strikers end, was given out for two.

Daren Ganga, who had resumed on 31 with Lara, made just seven further runs before he was bowled by Bond for 38 to leave West Indies at 111 for two after combining with Lara in a 74-run partnership.

New Zealand have already sealed the series after winning the first test in Auckland by 27 runs and the second in Wellington by 10 wickets.

Reuters PDS VP0625