Australia   44-0, trail West Indies 449-9 declared (Shivnarine Chanderpaul 103*, Kirk Edwards 61, Kraigg Brathwaite 57, Darren Bravo 51, David Warner 2-45, Ryan Harris 2-83) by 405 runs.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul put West Indies in command after thrashing a magnificent ton versus Australia in the first innings of the Barbados Test.

West Indies captain Darren Sammy, declared the first innings at 449 runs scored at a run rate of 2.93 per over with one wicket still in hand after 153 overs’ play and Australia scored 44 runs at stumps on day two.

The first Test of the series is being played at Kensington Oval. Bridgetown, Barbados and the second day’s play came to an end on April 8, 2012.

Earlier, the Caribbeans started their innings at their overnight score of 179 for the loss of three wickets in 73 overs, Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul were unbeaten with 20 and 8 runs respectively. The Kangaroos initiated their attack with a couple of maiden overs and conceded six runs in the third over of the day which included a boundary from Chanderpaul. Bravo geared up in the 79^th over and sent the ball out of the ropes twice and 200 runs of the innings were completed in the next over.

The duo kept on cruising while the boundaries were flowing from the bat of Bravo and occasionally Chanderpaul was following him. The first achieved his fifty on the fourth ball of the 92^nd over but was caught by Michael Hussey off Shane Watson for 51 runs. The fourth wicket fell at 240 runs when Narsingh Deonarine came in the centre,  joined with Chanderpaul and both started playing positive cricket while keeping the score board moving. Chanderpaul completed his fifty on the second ball of the 103^rd over as the duo gathered 12 runs from that over off Nathan Lyon with a massive six from the most experienced batsman.

They added 45 runs for the fifth wicket when Deonarine was gone for 21 as Carlton Baugh walked in the centre and opened his account with a four. Early lunch was taken because of rain interruption as the score was enhanced to 295 for the loss of five wickets. The next seven overs after lunch interval produced just eight runs and a boundary was scored in the 114^th over by Baugh who was unluckily run out for 22 runs.

Darren Sammy came in the park next, started the batting in his typical attacking style and sent the ball rolling out of the boundary thrice in the 118^th over off Lyon. He dispatched a six in the 121^st over off Shane Watson and gave him the worst treatment in his next over by hitting one six and a four. He added 53 quick fired  runs for the seventh wicket and was finally caught by Ed Cowan at deepish midwicket off Ben Hilfenhaus for 41 off 36 balls with 3 towering sixes and 4 fours.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul kept on creeping with a little assistance from the incoming batsmen and smashed his 25^th Test ton on the third ball of the 147^th over by stealing a couple. Sammy declared the innings at 449 after losing 9 wickets, when Chanderpaul and Devendra Bishoo were at the crease with 103 and 18 runs.

Ryan Harris and David Warner were the most successful bowlers with two wickets each whereas Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Lyon and Watson claimed one wicket each.

Australia opened their innings with Ed Cowans and David Warner and they responded well by scoring boundaries almost in every over. The light was offered to the batsmen after 9.5 overs were bowled and they preferred to walk back to the pavilion. The visitors scored 44 runs without any loss whereas Cowan and Warner were playing at 13 and 27 runs respectively.

The match is in favour of the home side at the moment but the third day’s play will decide the fate of the encounter.