Sport
Cricket: West Indies fight back against England falls short
England’s captain Andrew Strauss (l) and West Indies captain Darren Sammy pose with the Test series trophy. PHOTO/AP
(Reuters) – The West Indies fightback in the first test against England at Lord’s was cut short when they lost three wickets in nine balls to slip to 36 for three at tea on the third day on Saturday.
After bowling England out for 398 in their first innings, West Indies battled through to 36 for no wicket before the dismissal of opener Adrian Barath in Tim Bresnan’s first over prompted a mini-collapse.
Kieran Powell foolishly pulled a short ball from Stuart Broad straight to Ian Bell at deep square leg and Kirk Edwards was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from Jonny Bairstow attempting a non-existent single.
England, who lead by 119 runs, resumed on 259 for three and captain Andrew Strauss added just a single to his overnight 121 before nicking pace bowler Kemar Roach through to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.
Bairstow struck three fluent fours on his test debut but his bright innings ended on 16 when Roach jagged a ball sharply back to trap him lbw.
Matt Prior also looked confident in his knock of 19 but he became Shannon Gabriel’s first test victim, playing an airy shot at the young fast bowler to be bowled through the gate.
Bresnan edged Darren Sammy to Ramdin for a duck and England had collapsed to 323 for seven in overcast conditions at the home of cricket.
Bell batted through the morning to reach lunch on 38 not out and he lost Broad soon after the interval, bowled by a superb delivery from Fidel Edwards that hit the top of his off stump.
Graeme Swann played a forceful innings, striking six clean fours in his 30 from just 25 balls.
Bell reached a patient fifty before Gabriel bowled Swann. Bell was last man out for 61, well caught at deep square leg by the diving Powell off Gabriel who finished with figures of three for 60 on his debut.
Barath and Powell withstood a fierce examination from James Anderson and Broad, surviving 12 overs of high quality fast bowling surrounded by a ring of close fielders.
But with tea looming, Barath edged a catch to Prior off Bresnan, and Powell and Edwards soon joined him back in the pavilion after their double rush of blood.