England in sight of series levelling victory :

Alastair Cook spoils Windies soup

Jonathan GASKIN

England were eyeing a series-levelling victory, after setting West Indies 503 to win the third Test on Wednesday and at stumps on the fourth day needed seven wickets on the final day to secure the win.

England declared their second innings on 221 for eight about an hour after the scheduled tea break, and then restricted West Indies to 143 for three in their second innings when stumps were drawn.

Alastair Cook hit the top score of 51 in the England second innings, Paul Collingwood made 34, Kevin Pietersen got 33 as England batted themselves into an impregnable position.

For West Indies, Daren Powell collected two wickets for 33 runs from seven overs, Ryan Hinds took two for 45 from 11 overs, and Sulieman Benn two for 58 from 13 overs.

England then had to wait an hour and 15 minutes either side of tea before they claimed their first wicket, and then took two more to leave West Indies wobbly on 96 for three.

But the visitors then met stern resistance from Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, two of the West Indies’ most recognised batsmen, in the final hour.

Fourth wicket

Sarwan, not out on 47, and Chanderpaul, not out on 19, added 47 - unbroken - for the fourth wicket and will carry the burden of responsibility of saving the test.

England’s progress was slowed, when West Indies captain Chris Gayle and Devon Smith had carried their side to tea on 32 without loss and then proceeded to take their opening stand over the 50 mark before the visitors broke it.

Steve Harmison had Smith adjudged lbw for 21, and this started the shaky period for West Indies.

Graeme Swann had Gayle also lbw for 46 sweeping across the line of a well-pitched delivery, and Stuart Broad deceived Ryan Hinds with a slower delivery and had him caught at mid-on for six essaying a firm drive.

But he was England’s final success for the day, as Chanderpaul joined Sarwan and batted through until the close with little or no alarms. Earlier, Cook had hit his second half-century of the match to help England beef-up their lead, as they reached 135 for three at the interval.

Behind square

Cook turned his 92nd ball from Benn behind square for a single to reach the landmark, as England made steady, if not rapid progress before lunch, after they continued from their overnight total of 31 for one.

England 1st Innings 566 for nine declared (A. Strauss 169, P. Collingwood 113).

West Indies 1st Innings 285 (R. Sarwan 94; G. Swann 5-57)

ST JOHN’S, Antigua,

Thursday, AFP

England 2nd Innings (overnight 31 for one) 

A. Strauss c D.S. Smith b Edwards 	14 
A. Cook c D.S. Smith b Hinds		58 
J. Anderson c wkpr Ramdin b Powell 	20 
O. Shah b Powell			14 
K. Pietersen c wkpr Ramdin b Benn 	32 
P. Collingwood b Hinds			34 
M. Prior not out			15 	
S. Broad run out (Ramdin)		 1 
A. Flintoff c Hinds b Benn		 0 
S. Harmison not out			 7 
Extras (b12, lb3, w5, nb6)		26 
Total (8 wkts dec)	221 	 
Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Strauss), 2-69 (Anderson), 3-97 (Shah), 4-145 (Cook), 
5-189 (Pietersen), 6-195 (Collingwood), 7-201 (Broad), 8-206 (Flintoff).
Bowling: Edwards 9-1-36-1 (nb5, w5); Taylor 9-2-34-0; Powell 7-0-33-2; 
Benn 13-0-58-2 (nb1); Hinds 11-0-45-2.

West Indies 2nd Innings                      (target: 503 runs) 
C. Gayle lbw b Swann		46 
D.S. Smith lbw b Harmison 	21 	
R. Sarwan not out		47 
R. Hinds c Shah b Broad		 6 
S. Chanderpaul not out		18 
Extras (lb4, nb1)		 5 
Total (3 wkts)			143 
Fall of wickets: 1-59 (Smith), 2-81 (Gayle), 3-96 (Hinds).
Bowling: Anderson 9-2-24-0; Broad 9-2-22-1; Swann 16-4-50-1; Harmison 6-0-17-1; 
Flintoff 3-1-12-0; Pietersen 2-0-14-0.