Captain Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan completed centuries to pilot West Indies to a first-innings lead over England on the third day Friday of the opening cricket Test. Brendan Nash added an unbeaten 47 as the home team, resuming on 160-1, closed on 352-7, an advantage of 34. England was bowled out for 318. Gayle (104) and Sarwan (107) stretched their overnight partnership to 202 before they were separated late in the morning session. Stuart Broad (61-3) and Andrew Flintoff (5-27) led the tourists, whose disciplined bowling limited West Indies to 192 runs in the day. Gayle's ninth Test century was his first in front of his fellow Jamaicans and was spiced with five fours and five sixes. He faced 191 balls and occupied the middle for nearly six hours. He raced to his hundred in fine style on Bob Marley's birthday with successive sixes off Monty Panesar followed by a three. Sarwan, who became the youngest West Indian to pass 5,000 runs, struck 10 fours off 290 deliveries in completing his 12th Test hundred. He celebrated in the archer style of another Jamaican, three-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt. Broad broke their partnership just before lunch and added the wicket of Xavier Marshall in the same over. Sarwan fell midway through a laborious second session, under-edging Flintoff onto his stumps. When Broad accounted for the world's No. 1-ranked batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, for 20 just before tea, England was on even terms with West Indies at 254-5. But Nash and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin dulled England's spirit with an assured sixth-wicket stand of 66. Ramdin (35) provided left-arm spinner Monty Panesar with his only wicket of the innings, edging a drive to slip. Steve Harmison claimed Jerome Taylor (8) just before the close to ensure that England stayed close. Smith cleared to play South Africa captain Graeme Smith will play in the three-Test series against Australia starting this month after missing the two teams' recent one-day series through injury. Smith sustained a fracture to his left hand during the Test series victory in Australia and aggravated a long-standing elbow injury. In a statement released by Cricket South Africa on Friday, Smith said the team's medical team had told him he could resume playing. “They are very happy with my hand injury and they feel they can manage my elbow through the home series against Australia,” he said. The first Test is scheduled to start on Feb. 26 in Johannesburg. The tour includes two Twenty20 internationals and five one
