Fourth Test, Antigua, day four: Australia 240 & 417; West Indies 240 & 371-6 (at close)

Lara was bowled by MacGill on 60 Latest photos

West Indies were on course for a dramatic Test win after their batsmen assaulted the Australian bowlers on the fourth day in Antigua.

Led by centurions Ramnaresh Sarwan (105) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (103 not out), the hosts battered the world's best bowling attack to put them within sight of victory.

If the West Indies do achieve their goal of 418 it will be the highest fourth innings total to win a match in Test history.

That possibility seemed a forlorn hope after they had slipped to 108-3 at lunch and even more unlikely when Brian Lara's departure had them 165-4.

But 22-year-old Sarwan and Chanderpaul, batting with a broken finger, launched a stunning attack after the tea interval to give the hosts heart.

Sarwan, who cracked 17 boundaries in his innings, even took time out to dish out some harsh words to Glenn McGrath.

The pair had a mid-pitch confrontation with much finger pointing and gesticulating as the session after tea threatened to explode.

The tension also gripped the crowd and when Sarwan and Ridley Jacobs fell in successive balls, Jacobs to a dubious decision, the fans threw drinks bottles onto the ground delaying play for five minutes.

Chanderpaul made a century with a broken finger

Sarwan reached his second Test century, but was then out caught and bowled after attempting to hook Brett Lee.

The next ball, umpire David Shepherd adjudged Jacobs caught behind when television replays showed the ball made no contact with the bat and hit his elbow instead.

But Chanderpaul found an ally in Omari Banks, dropped by Martin Love on two, and the pair added 83 for the seventh wicket and keep their chances of avoiding a 4-0 whitewash alive.

The hosts lost three wickets in the morning session with Chris Gayle the first to go after a rush of blood in the second over of the day, hooking Brett Lee to a diving Steve Waugh at mid-wicket.

And partner Devon Smith fell three overs later, edging a Jason Gillespie outswinger behind for 23.

Worse was to come as a full length delivery struck Daren Ganga on the boot and he was given out lbw for eight.

Lara started slowly but soon upped the tempo and was particularly severe on the legspinner Stuart MacGill.

Lara hit two huge sixes off MacGill to reach his half-century, fell for 60 after attempting to repeat the dose and was bowled.

But Sarwan and Chanderpaul then combined to add 123 and turn the tide.

West Indies: C H Gayle, D S Smith, D Ganga, R R Sarwan B C Lara (Capt), S Chanderpaul, O A C Banks, R D Jacobs (Wkt) V C Drakes, M Dillon, J J C Lawson.

Australia: J L Langer, M L Hayden, D S Lehmann, S R Waugh (Capt) M L Love, A C Gilchrist (Wkt), A J Bichel, B Lee, J N Gillespie S C G MacGill, G D McGrath.

Umpires: David Shepherd (Eng), Srinivas Venkataraghavan (Ind).