… Anderson claims five-wicket haul
CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (Reuters) – England scented victory in the second Test after reducing West Indies to 115 for three in their second innings at the close of the fourth day yesterday.
West Indies, who were asked to follow on, trailed by 144 runs with seven wickets remaining and England should wrap up a 2-0 series victory today.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (18) and Lendl Simmons (3) were the not-out batsmen, with the obdurate Chanderpaul offering West Indies a glimmer of hope.
The gritty left-hander became his country’s second highest Test run-scorer, passing Viv Richards on 8 540. Only Brian Lara stands above him on the list.
Earlier, England pace bowler James Anderson took five wickets and Ramnaresh Sarwan struck a defiant century as West Indies were bowled out for 310 in their first innings.
“We’re delighted to have picked up 10 wickets today on what is still a pretty decent batting track,” England fast bowler Stuart Broad told reporters. “Seven wickets tomorrow is certainly in our sights.
“There’s no rush to get them all before lunch. It’s still a wicket you need to be pretty patient on but if the weather stays right for us, we have to be ruthless enough to take our chance.”
Sarwan was still optimistic about his side’s chances of forcing a draw.
“We just need to concentrate,” he said. “If we can apply ourselves on a good batting wicket I think we should draw the match.”
England, 259 runs ahead, enforced the follow-on and captain Chris Gayle smashed 54 off 43 balls, including two huge sixes, before he and Sarwan fell to Graham Onions in the space of three balls.
West Indies resumed in the morning on 94 for three and Sarwan added 99 for the fourth wicket with Chanderpaul who was out for 23 when he nibbled at a ball from Broad and edged it to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.
SIMPLE CATCH
Sarwan reached three figures for the 15th time in Tests with a fierce pull off Broad for his 14th boundary but he fell in the seamer’s next over for 100, lobbing a simple catch to Tim Bresnan at gully.
Brendan Nash was bowled by Anderson for 10 and Jerome Taylor trapped lbw by Onions for 10 before West Indies were lifted by a lively eighth-wicket partnership of 70 between Denesh Ramdin and Sulieman Benn.
Ramdin heaved Graeme Swann over mid-wicket for six and Benn lifted Bresnan over the backward square leg boundary but the tall spinner was run-out for 35, his highest Test score, by a direct hit from Kevin Pietersen at deep mid-on.
Ramdin was the last man out for 55, edging Anderson to Swann at second slip to give the seamer his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests.
James Anderson leads the team off the field after taking five wickets against West Indies. (Yahoo Sport)
ENGLAND 1st innings 569 for 6 decl. (A. Cook 160; S. Benn 2-146)
WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/n 94 for 3)
D. Smith b Anderson 7
C. Gayle lbw Anderson 19
R. Sarwan c Bresnan b Broad 100
L. Simmons c Strauss b Anderson 8
S. Chanderpaul c wkp. Prior b Broad 23
B. Nash b Anderson 10
D. Ramdin c Swann b Anderson 55
J. Taylor lbw Onions 10
S. Benn run-out (Pietersen) 35
F. Edwards c Strauss b Broad 11
L. Baker not out 0
Extras: (b-2, lb-21, w-2, nb-7) 32
Total: (all out, 84.3 overs) 310
Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-38, 3-68, 4-167, 5-188, 6-205, 7-216, 8-286, 9-310.
Bowling: Anderson 26.3-5-87-5 (w-1), Broad 16-2-62-3 (nb-3), Onions 18-6-52-1 (w-1), Bresnan 10-2-35-0, Swann 14-4-51-0.
WEST INDIES 2nd innings (following on)
D. Smith lbw Swann 11
C. Gayle c Strauss b Onions 54
R. Sarwan lbw Onions 22
L. Simmons not out 3
S. Chanderpaul not out 18
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, w-2) 7
Total: (three wickets, 22 overs) 115
Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-88, 3-89.
Bowling: Anderson 5-2-20-0, Broad 5-1-21-0, Swann 3-0-13-1, Onions 6-0-46-2 (w-1), Bresnan 3-0-10-0 (w-1).
Position: West Indies 144 runs behind with seven wickets standing.