Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

WITH TWO days to go, the first Test between the West Indies and Australia at Sabina Park is heading for a close and probably exciting finish.

At stumps on yesterday's third day's play, the scoreboard read: Australia 431 and 17 for four, the West Indies 312.

With the Aussies leading by 136 with only six wickets in hand, with captain Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey numbered among the departed, the odds appear to be in the West Indies' favour.

Apart from the fact that Andrew Symonds, plus Brad Hodge and Brad Haddin are still around, however, the pitch is already showing signs of deteriorating, the West Indies will be batting last on it, and Australia, the world champions with an attack led by fast bowler Brett Lee and by legspinner Stuart MacGill, cannot be counted out.

crunching blows

With the West Indies batting well and then falling away, with Australia enjoying a first innings lead of 119, the match appeared well in Australia's favour before Fidel Edwards, with two wickets for 12 runs in five overs, and Daren Powell, two for four in five, rocked them with four crunching blows.

At 2:00 p.m., the West Indies were going great guns on 260 for four, thanks to Shivnarine Chanderpaul who stroked a solid and invaluable 118 before he was last man out; to Runako Morton who blasted 67 while sharing a fourth-wicket partnership of 128 with Chanderpaul; and to Dwayne Bravo who hit a quick-fire 46 during a fifth-wicket stand of 64 with his former captain, .

With Chanderpaul stroking the ball confidently and easily, with Bravo on the go, they appeared set to challenge Australia's formidable first innings score.

Out of the blue, however, the West Indies came tumbling down and only Chanderpaul, in the hunt for his 18th Test century, his third against Australia, and all in the West Indies, with a little help from Edwards prevented a total eclipse.

In 35 minutes, the West Indies lost four wickets for eight runs in seven overs as Bravo, immediately after a lovely hook for four, drove at fast bowler Brett Lee and edged a catch to Simon Katich at second slip at 260 for five.

Denesh Ramdin, on zero, drove at Lee, edged a catch to wicketkeeper Haddin and departed the scene at 262 for six, Daren Sammy, on zero, drove left-handed pacer Mitchell Johnson to Phil Jaques at mid-wicket and walked away at 263 for seven. Then Powell, after scratching around for three, was bowled leg stump by a vicious yorker from Lee at 268 for eight.

shiv hit on the head

At that stage, the left-handed Chanderpaul was on 80, and before and after he was hit on the head ducking into a short, kicking delivery from Lee bowling around the wicket, with Edwards stubbornly defending his wicket at the other end, he played some glorious strokes.

Resuming on 25 after joining the action with the West Indies in trouble at 68 for three in the 21st over, Chanderpaul batted for 391 minutes, faced 276 deliveries, stroked 14 fours and hit one six before, with last man Amit Jaggernauth as his partner, he went at MacGill and was caught by Hussey at mid on.

In a lovely mixture of attack and defence, 'Tiger' reeled off some attractive and elegant strokes. It was a day which, win, lose or draw, the West Indians present may never forget.