It's a Close One!

The First Test is on a knife-edge after the 3rd day's play at Sabina Park, as England gained a small 1st innings lead before a short spell at the West Indian batting saw them end the day on 8-0.

Gritty batting rescued England after stupidity put them on the back foot on the 3rd Day of the First Test between the West Indies and England.

Resuming on 154-3, Nasser Hussain and Graeme Thorpe started positively against a side without the injured Brian Lara and steered by Ramnaresh Sarwan, adding runs almost at will, but, as last night, rain became a wonderful extra man for the Windies, halting proceedings after 9 overs which garnered 33 runs. Right at the end of that mini-session, the injury problems for the bowling side were doubled as Fidel Edwards, undoubtedly the star bowler of the second evening, pulled up injured and left the field immediately.

After the rain last night, Mark Butcher was dismissed within a few minutes of the restart. This time it was Thorpe who perished, in a stupid manner, top-edging a hook off Tino Best straight down the throat of Adam Sanford - it was Best's first wicket in Test Cricket, and the score was 194-4.

It didn't take Best long to get his second wicket, as Hussain, having just reached a typical half century, got a leading edge to an attempted leg-side steer and substitute Dave Bernard ran in to take the catch.

With Andrew Flintoff and Chris Read at the crease, and only Giles and the 3 quicks to come, 209-5 did not look comfortable, but they batted positively up to lunch, taking 13 off the last over bowled by Best.

The positive batting continued after the lunch break, Flintoff in his typical aggressive mood, and Read playing a fine second fiddle. The pair reached their 50 stand in just 8 overs, and Brian Lara was clearly worried.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man as Lara decided to return to the helm, and immediately sprang a surprise by changing Sarwan from stand-in captain to stand-in leg-spinner.

The 4th ball of Sarwan's first over did the trick, as a typical Flintoff innings ended in typical Flintoff fashion, an extremely illjudged swing gave Ryan Hinds a simple catch. 46 from 50 balls was the big Lancastrian's contribution, but one can't help feeling that yet again, he'd let the side down in his demise.

Ashley Giles has experienced a great last 12 months in Test Cricket, with the bat, and he straight away came in and played with grit against the spinners, so after 81 overs Lara called for the New Ball.

The return of Best and the taking of the New Ball combined to remove Chris Read. Or rather an extremely stupid rush of blood to the head removed Chris Read, as the wicketkeeper hooked the first ball straight to Ryan Hinds, and at 278-7, England were still 33 behind.

Matthew Hoggard was a surprise promotion to number 9 ahead of Simon Jones (who entered the game with a Test batting average of 44) - but the promotion proved a masterstroke from the English management, as he displayed more of his defensive technique in keeping out the quicks, and gradually, the runs were added until Hoggard drove Sanford for 3 through the covers, and England had what looked at one point to be a very unlikely lead.

Next ball though Giles innings ended - bowled off his pads by Sanford. A vital innings of 27 from the number 8 had seen his team to a good position after some silly shots had given the West Indies the initiaitive.

Simon Jones came in at 10 and upped the tempo slightly with a swashbuckling style knock before yet another pause for rain sent the sides off at 323-8.

Yet again the rain struck for the West Indies as the 2nd ball after the resumption as Simon Jones holed out to gift Ryan Hinds a first Test Wicket. The ball before will have made Ashley Giles smile though, as it turned a very long way - could the spinner be the key in the second innings?

With little time left, a quick burst of runs with the chance to bowl a few overs at the West Indian openers was the order of the day, and Steve Harmison batted in aggressive fashion until a stupid run out led to England's dismissal for 339, Hoggard batting for more than an hour and a half to anchor the team to a 28 run lead.

That was reduced by 8 runs before the end, all of them to Chris Gayle, before bad light ended the day.

West Indies 311 (Smith 108, Hinds 84, Hoggard 3-68)
England 339 (Extras 60, Butcher 58, Hussai 58, Flintoff 46, Best 3-57, Edwards 3-72)
West Indies 8-0

Posted by Marc