CAPE TOWN, SA (Reuters) - A crisp unbeaten century from Shivnarine Chanderpaul was the centrepiece of a powerful West Indies batting display on day one of their four-day tour match against Free State yesterday.
Chanderpaul was 111 not out as West Indies closed on 342 for four wickets after winning the toss and batting first at Goodyear Park in Bloemfontein.
The Guyanese shared an unbroken partnership of 145 with wicketkeeper batsman Ridley Jacobs, who made 66, while there were healthy contributions from Brian Lara (72) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (51).
Chanderpaul has faced 160 balls and struck 16 boundaries, looking strong both square of the wicket and driving straight as the Free State bowlers struggled to contain the left-hander.
Jacobs was his customary pugnacious self, driving lustily and using his wrists to great effect to work the ball into the gaps.
Earlier West Indies made an uncertain start on a superb batting track, a perfect surface for their batsmen's preparations for the first Test against South Africa, which begins in Johannesburg next Friday.
Chris Gayle played two superb cover drives in one over off Cliffie Deacon before falling leg-before for nine. His opening partner Daren Ganga made his way painstakingly to 19 before he played loosely at Ryan McLaren and was caught behind.
Sarwan battled past fifty before he too played a poor shot at Deacon outside the off stump and offered a catch behind.
Lara cantered to 50, scoring freely through the offside with some sublime square cuts and cover drives. It took a good catch to get rid of him, Rayno Arendse diving low at point to hold on to a stinging chance and give McLaren a second wicket.