Facing a healthy first innings deficit of 252 after Australia were dismissed for 489 in response to their modest 237, the homesters rebounded with 381 for five in their second innings, built around sparkling centuries from captain Brian Lara and Daren Ganga and a boundary-studded 62 from debutant opener Devon Smith.

West Indies therefore enter today’s penultimate day with an overall lead of 129 with first innings centurion Shivnarine Chanderpaul on 26 not out and Vasbert Drakes unbeaten on 14.

On Thursday, Chanderpaul entertained with a stroke-filled even hundred off 69 balls, the third fastest in Test cricket; on Friday it was the turn of Australian opener Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting who slammed 146 and 117 respectively while Vasbert Drakes starred with the ball, capturing five for 93.

Yesterday was reserved for master batsman Lara, Ganga and to a lesser extent the flamboyant 21-year-old debutant Smith.

It was a day chock-full of electrifying strokes worth travelling miles to see as the West Indies top-order gave their adoring fans plenty to shout about and to savour.

Smith, the victim of a dubious first innings decision, when he was given out caught behind, after he had gotten a thick inside edge, gave an inclination of what was to follow, deciding that attack would be the best form of defence, pouncing on anything loose or pitched up from the Australian pacers while his more experienced counterpart Wavell Hinds was unusually very subdued when they resumed on 16 without loss.

The little left-hander, built along similar lines as the late Guyana and West Indies opener Roy Fredericks, started things rolling by caressing fast bowler Jason Gillespie to the backward point boundary and followed up by punching the tall fast bowler through extra cover.

The fiery Bret Lee also came in for his punishment from Smith who drove him down the ground and pulled the blond quickie through wide mid-on, sending the spectators into frenzy.

There was no stopping Smith as he unleashed two imperious cover drives on Lee while Hinds, who was becalmed at the other end took 34 minutes before he scored his first run.

The opening partnership of 52 ended when Hinds (seven) was adjudged lbw to leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Smith, who was joined by Ganga, continued to flow, greeting fast bowler Andy Bichel with a ferocious straight drive and got to his half-century with an exquisite extra cover drive which damaged the webbing of captain Steve Waugh’s left hand, necessitating six stitches. Waugh, who left the field immediately, returned after lunch.

Ganga, in his first Test in the Caribbean after playing 17 overseas, also joined the fray, pulling Bichel and MacGill through mid-wicket for boundaries.

Smith’s fine knock ended when he pushed forward tentatively to Gillespie and was easily taken by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, his 62 including 13 fours in 135 minutes off 88 balls.

At lunch, Ganga was on 31 and Lara, who replaced Smith, on six.

The Trinidadian pair started cautiously after the interval but after the first hour, the fireworks unfolded.

Lara took successive fours off Lee, the first through covers and the other through backward square while Ganga got into the act by pulling MacGill twice through midwicket.

Ganga reached 50 with a delicate cut for four off Bichel, his tenth and it came in 156 minutes.

The belated introduction of left-arm spinner Brad Hogg failed to stem the flow of runs as Lara took heavy toll on him, paddle-sweeping him at will and finding the mid-wicket boundary with effortless consistency.

The West Indies captain, who was given a mixed reception when he arrived at the crease in both innings, suddenly became the darling of the Guyanese fans and brought up the hundred-partnership by pulling MacGill through wide mid-on.

Lara, who shot past Ganga with a flurry of boundaries, was undefeated on 81 at tea with Ganga 65 not out.

Lara continued the merciless assault after the interval, whipping his opposite number Waugh through midwicket and raced into the nineties with two fours off Gillespie. The left-handed batting maestro achieved three-figure mark with his 18th boundary, a pull shot to the midwicket boundary off Waugh, his seventh against Australia and his 19th overall.

Ganga then upped the tempo by hoisting MacGill over mid-wicket for a flat six and banged the same bowler to the extra cover boundary.

The 24-year-old however lost his captain in peculiar circumstances with the score on 295.

Attempting a sweep off Hogg, the ball struck Lara’s shoulder and went to leg slip where Matthew Hayden ran around from slip to claim a catch. It was then discovered that Lara’s bat had landed on top of the stumps, dislodging the bails.

Lara’s majestic 110 included 20 fours in 182 minutes off 157 balls and his dismissal ended the third-wicket partnership of 185 which was spiced with 28 fours and a six.

Ganga, who was on 84 when Lara departed, also saw Marlon Samuels (seven) go in fashion similar to the first innings.

Driving loosely at MacGill, the 21-year-old was snapped up at second slip by Ricky Ponting as West Indies slipped to 303 for six.

Undeterred, Ganga rushed into the nineties with two boundaries through midwicket off the expensive MacGill but then survived a very confident lbw appeal off Hogg on 96.

Ganga wasted no time in registering his maiden Test ton, the fifth of the match, again favouring the midwicket boundary off MacGill. Ganga was ecstatic, pointing his bat in the direction of the main pavilion as if to indicate that his selection was justified.

Ganga however seemed to have lost control when he got to 113. Moving out of his crease to hit MacGill, he offered Lee an easy catch at short midwicket, his innings containing 19 fours and a six in 209 minutes off 225 balls.

Before that however, confusion reigned when the TV umpire was called upon to decide on whether Samuels, who was running for the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul, had wandered too far out of the extended crease at square leg when Gilchrist had effected a stumping with Chanderpaul grounded in his crease.

The replays were however inconclusive and Chanderpaul was given the benefit of the doubt.

Chanderpaul, although somewhat incapacitated, has so far hit four fours in his unbeaten 26 in 78 minutes while Drakes has three boundaries in his 14.

WEST INDIES first innings 237 (S.Chanderpaul 100, R.Jacobs 54 not out; A.Bichel three for 55, B. Hogg two for 40, S. MacGill two for 49)

Australia first innings 489 (J.Langer 146, R.Ponting 117, A.Gilchrist 77; V.Drakes five for 93, J. Lawson two for 111)

WEST INDIES second innings

W.Hinds lbw MacGill 7

D.Smith c wkpr Gilchrist b Gillespie 62

D.Ganga c Lee b Lehmann 113

B.Lara hit wicket b Hogg 110

M.Samuels c Ponting b MacGill 7

S.Chanderpaul not out 26

V.Drakes not out 14

Extras: (b-6, lb-13, nb-22, w-1) 42

Total: (for five wickets, 97 overs) 381

Fall of wickets: 52, 110, 295, 303, 354.