CHELMSFORD, England (CMC) – Fast bowler Kemar Roach erased any doubt about his form and fitness with a brilliant spell which brightened an otherwise dour second day of the West Indies three-day tour game against Essex here yesterday.
Only two hours of play was possible at Essex County ground as heavy rain, which started during the lunch interval and continued into the afternoon, forced officials to abandon play at 15:15hrs.
However, Roach made the most of the time available, putting on an excellent exhibition of swing bowling, to end with three for 17 from six overs as Essex stumbled to the interval on 47 for four.
West Indies had earlier declared their first innings on 338 for eight after resuming the day on 309 for eight. Wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, starting on 28, scored 44 not out from 67 deliveries with seven boundaries.
Roach then increased West Indies’ stranglehold on the contest when he had opener Varun Chopra caught at third slip by a diving Kyle Hope off the third ball of the innings for nought, edging an out-swinger without a run on the board.
He followed up by comprehensively bowling Dan Lawrence for eight in the seventh over with one that nipped back before completing a superb spell by trapping Adam Wheater lbw, also without scoring, with a full-length delivery nine balls later.
Slumping at 19 for three, Essex found themselves in further trouble when pacer Miguel Cummins, who shared the new ball, claimed captain Ryan ten Doeschate lbw for six.
Opener Nick Browne then managed to survive the Windies onslaught, battling 52 balls and 11/4/ hours for his unbeaten 16, to take Essex to lunch without further loss.
Roach is returning to the Windies side for the first time in 19 months after battling injury and loss of form, and his performance will be a huge boost for the Caribbean side ahead of their three-Test tour against England starting in two weeks.

WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/n 309 for eight)
K. Brathwaite b Taylor 61
K. Powell b Cook 15
K. Hope b Walter 22
S. Hope b Walter 22
R. Chase b Taylor 81
J. Blackwood lbw b ten Doeschate 59
S. Dowrich not out 44
J. Holder c Chopra b Dixon 6
D. Bishoo c and b Lawrence 4
K. Roach not out 12
Extras: (b-1, nb-6, lb-5) 12
Total (8 wkts decl., 100 overs) 338
Fall of wickets: 1-19 2-55, 3-106, 4-150, 5-269, 6-275, 7-292, 8-309.
Bowling: Cook 23-6-57-1, Beard 16-0-65-0, Dixon 17-3-56-1, Walter 15-0-54-2, Nijjar 10-2-38-0, Lawrence 4-2-6-1, Taylor 12-2-44-2, ten Doeschate 3-0-12-1.
ESSEX 1st innings
V. Chopra c K, Hope b Roach 0
N. Browne not out 16
D. Lawrence b Roach 8
A. Wheater lbw b Roach 0
R. ten Doeschate lbw b Cummins 6
C Taylor not out 9
Extras: (b-4, nb-4) 8
Total: (4 wkts, 17 overs) 47
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-10, 3-19, 4-33.
Bowling: Roach 6-1-17-3, Cummins 6-2-8-1, Holder 5-1-18-0.
Position: Essex trail by 291 runs with six wickets intact.