Chanderpaul keeps West Indies on course for win

MANCHESTER, England, June 11 (Reuters) Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his first test century for two years before lunch on the final day of the third test against England as his team eyed a world record run chase at Old Trafford today.

West Indies, requiring 455 to win and level the four-match series, reached 379 for seven at the interval. Chanderpaul is unbeaten on 104 and Jerome Taylor has 10.

Chanderpaul, who has batted for more than six hours, was also involved in the current world record when his team scored 418 against world champions Australia in 2003. His century here was West Indies' first of the series. England have eight.

England left-arm spinner Monty Panesar settled England's nerves early by having Denesh Ramdin caught by Paul Collingwood at slip for 34 to the 15th delivery of the morning.

Ramdin added 62 with Chanderpaul to build West Indies' hopes of the record chase. The new batsman Darren Sammy gloved Panesar to gully when on 13 but Andrew Strauss could just get his fingertips to the ball.

In the same over Chanderpaul received a delivery out of the footmarks that spun and bounced towards his head to illustrate the difficulty of their task on a wearing pitch. West Indies wicketkeeper Ramdin was struck in the face by a similar ball on Saturday.

Sammy's stand of 37 with Chanderpaul that spanned 14 overs was halted when Panesar took a sharp return catch. Panesar, often ridiculed for his clumsy fielding, seemed stunned that he taken the chance.

Jerome Taylor, dropped on one by Collingwood at slip off Panesar, grew in confidence as shown with his sweep for four to the spinner and has now batted for 51 minutes. The remaining batsmen are Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards.

Panesar so far has figures of five for 126 from 49 overs.

The first test at Lord's was drawn and West Indies suffered their heaviest test defeat ever in the second test at Headingley. The fourth and final match is at Durham starting on Friday.

REUTERS AKD KN1809