Lara's defiant 120 denies India victory, second Test ends as draw

St Lucia, June 15 (UNI) Courtesy a defiant 120 by skipper Brian Lara, the West Indies salvaged a draw from the jaws of defeat on a gripping fifth and final day of the second Test against India here.

Lara hit his 32nd Test century, his second against India, to hold together the West Indies innings and, although he departed one hour after tea, he had stayed long enough to save the match.

West Indies ended the day on 294 for seven in their second innings after following to India's first innings total of 588 for eight.

For India, it was another so-near-yet-so-far tale after the Antigua Test and the visitors were frustrated not only by Lara but by bad weather as well as whole of the fourth day's play was washed out due to rain.

The Indians had a ray of hope after Lara was undone by man of the match Virender Sehwag, who trapped him plumb in front of the wicket.

However, Dwayne Bravo, who made 47 and Denesh Ramadin (14 not out) ensured that win remained elusive for the Indians.

Earlier, in one of his more patient knocks, Lara played the spinners and seamers with utmost caution.

After the fall of two quick wickets in first session, Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (54) gelled together to steady the ship. The latter departed to a pretty ordinary delivery by Anil Kumble to become the only Indian success in the second session.

The pitch was assisting slow turn but the duo negotiated nicely with the bowlers and completed a 100-run partnership for the fourth wicket. In the process, Chanderpaul also reached his 37th test fifty.

Chanderpaul began to look dangerous as of the 14 hundreds hit by him, five came against India but a slight loss in concentration and in his effort to hit a full toss from Kumble out of the ground holed out to Irfan Pathan at mid-on.

He stayed on the crease for three hours for his 54 and raised a 129-run partnership with Lara.

At the other end, Skipper Lara was undeterred by the fall of Chanderpaul's wicket and teamed up next man in Dwayne Bravo, who stayed almost for an hour with his skipper, to put the team into a comfortable position.

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