Sarwan leads the runfest

Ramnaresh Sarwan completed a rare century as West Indies' tour match against an Indian Board President's XI at Bangalore petered out in a draw.

Sarwan, who has yet to score a hundred in his 24 Tests, scored 140 as the West Indies opted for batting practice rather than trying to force a win. At the close they had reached 606 for 4. Sarwan smashed one six and 18 fours in reaching his seventh first-class century, before retiring in order to give his team-mates a chance to gain batting practice.

Carl Hooper (67), Ryan Hinds (74) and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs (50*) also made the most of the Board XI's lacklustre attack in the only practice match before the first Test. 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 West Indies had resumed at 341 for 2. He added just five runs to his overnight 20 before edging seamer Lakshmipathy Balaji to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.

Hooper was in aggressive mood and set about legspinner Amit Mishra. It was a calculated assault on Mishra who on Saturday was named in the Indian squad for the first two Tests. Hooper hit him 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. Murali Kartik ended Hooper's entertaining knock in his first over when he had him caught by Patel.

Mishra ended the match wicketless, his 26 overs costing 114 runs.