October 07
Sarwan, Hooper make merry in drawn tour game 

BANGALORE: Ramnaresh Sarwan completed a rare century as the West Indies go into the opening Test against India in a better frame of mind after a solid batting performance in a drawn tour match here on Sunday. The talented 22-year-old batsman, without a hundred after 24 Tests, scored 140 as the tourists reached 606-4 in reply to Indian Board President's 275-8 declared on the last day of a three-day game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

The middle-order Guyanese batsman smashed one six and 18 fours in only his seventh first-class century in 87 matches before retiring in order to give his team-mates a chance to gain batting practice ahead of a three-Test series. Sarwan, 93 overnight, was the second West Indian to hit a hundred after Wavell Hinds's 147 on Saturday. 

Skipper Carl Hooper (67), Ryan Hinds (74) and wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs (50 not out) also made the most of the host's toothless attack in the only practice match before the first Test, starting at Bombay on Wednesday. Hooper smashed three sixes and seven fours in his brisk 73-ball knock, while Ryan Hinds struck one six and nine fours before retiring. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the only specialist batsman to miss out on a big score when he fell in the day's second over after his team had resumed at 341-2. He added just five runs to his overnight score of 20 before edging seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji to wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel. 

Hooper was in aggressive mood and severely punished leg-spinner Amit Mishra, who was Saturday named in India squad for the first two Tests against the tourists. The West Indies captain hit the 19-year-old spinner for two boundaries in an over and then two successive sixes in the next as Mishra conceded 34 in his first three overs. 

Hooper reached his half-century in style, hoisting seamer Sanjay Bangar for a six. Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik ended Hooper's entertaining knock in his first over when he had the batsman caught by the wicket-keeper.