KINGSTOWN, June 23: Gifted West Indies left-handed batsman Brian Lara was seeking to complete his 10th Test century when lunch was taken on the fourth day of the second and final Test against Sri Lanka here today.

Unbeaten on 30 overnight, 28-year-old Lara was on 88 alongside Carl Hooper on 26 not out as West Indies reached 226 for three at the interval. The home side led by 151.

Lara has been involved in successive half century stands and accelerated the scoring rate once he passed 50.

First he shared 51 for the third wicket with left-hander Floyd Riefer whose innings of 18 ended when he chased a wide ball from fast bowler Ravindra Pushpakumara and edged to wicketkeeper Romesh Kaluwitharana.

Once Hooper arrived, the runs flowed and the Lara show commenced. It reached its pinnacle in the final over before lunch when he smashed three of his 10 fours and one six in the space of four balls off-spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan.

Lara and Hooper shared an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 83, scored in a little over a run a minute.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (1st innings): 147

Sri Lanka (1st innings): 222

West Indies (2nd innings): S Campbell b Pushpakumara 33, S Williams c Jayasuriya b Muralitharan 46, B Lara not out 30, F Reifer not out 15. Extras (lb 2, nb 2): 4. Total (for two wickets): 128

Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-92.

Bowling: Sajeewa de Silva 7-0-34-0, Pushpakumara 9-2-42-1, Muralitharan 12.3-3-35-1 (nb 1), Dharmasena 5-1-15-0 (nb 1)

Lunch Board not recieved

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.