A budding star fought with a reggae superstar for centre stage at Sabina Park yesterday and won.
`Terrible' Tino Best, the irrepressible Barbadian tornado fast bowler took his first Test wicket yesterday and ran all around the ground before throwing himself flat on his back as the weight of expectation finally evaporated with his dismissal of Graham Thorpe.
It was an unforgettable moment in the life of the young fast bowler who had given his all in his first and now second Test match but, until that moment, had gone unrewarded.
But for a while, cricket seemed likely to take a back seat with the rain, an unwelcome guest, threatening to make the match a no contest. It started shortly after the players trooped off the field for lunch.
Most of the entertainment during that period was provided by reggae superstar Barrington Levy who belted out many of his crowd-pleasing hits including "Broader than Broadway" and "Too Experienced." It did not appear that Levy's singing or the chanting of the 'Barmy Army' who took over when he left was responsible for the rain.
Actually, rain was present even before the start of play which was put back by five minutes as a light drizzle enveloped the ground.
When the players finally took to the field, it was the Guyanese Ramnaresh Sarwan, the vice captain, who led them out in the absence of the injured Brian Lara.
Fidel Edwards, who had taken all three of the wickets to fall, soon joined Lara in the pavilion pulling up with the fourth delivery of his 20th over which was completed by Ryan Hinds.
In Edwards' absence Hussain and Thorpe, the overnight batsmen, thrived against Corey Collymore, Adam Sanford and Best until Best got his first Test wicket.
But this was not until rain again sent the players off the field with Hussain on 48, Thorpe on 19 and England 187 for three.
Best and Thorpe had exchanged strong eye contact and then, words.
Finally, Thorpe, opting to take on the brash Barbadian could not resist another short-pitched delivery.
But his hook shot lobbed to fine leg where Sanford running around held the offer easily to spark the most exuberant celebration by a bowler at Sabina Park. Best, in full cry, then got rid of Hussain. A short ball, banged into the pitch, saw Hussain attempting to turn the delivery to leg. However, he got a leading edge and the ball ballooned up in the air for substitute David Bernard Jnr, to take at short-cover.
England went to lunch on 238 for five and it was to be another hour or so before the players returned.
When they did Andrew Flintoff took over, playing a succession of weighty strokes against Sanford and Best. He brought England's 250 up by driving Sanford for a couple, the landmark coming from 435 balls in 250 minutes and with wicket-keeper Chris Read, Flintoff brought up the halfcentury partnership in 38 minutes off 48 balls with five fours.
With the new ball approaching and the pair looking threatening, Lara returned to the field.
He immediately pulled Best out of the attack in preparation for the new ball and replaced Sanford with Sarwan.
The move immediately paid dividends as Sarwan got rid of the dangerous Flintoff caught by Hinds at wide-ish mid-on as the batsman attempted to give him the charge after adding 59 for the sixth wicket. Flintoff's 46 came from 50 balls in 69 minutes and he struck five fours. But Read and Giles inched the score along with both batsmen proving difficult to dislodge.
However, Lara took the new ball at 278 for seven and Best, charging in, forced Read into an injudicious hook which took the edge and spiralled high for Hinds to run from behind square to take the easy catch at mid-wicket.
There was one final interruption for rain before the West Indies wrapped up the England innings.
Giles and Hoggard then added a valuable 35 for the eighth wicket. Jones and Hoggard took England past the West Indies score before Jones held out to Sanford at cover off. Hinds who ran out last man Steve Harmison for 13, as the batsman was sent back by Hoggard off an attempted single.
Hoggard was left not-out on nine.
The West Indies helped England's cause by contributing a whopping 60 extras, 28 leg byes and 18 no balls, the main contributors to the surplus. Best three for 57 was the pick of the bowlers, while Edwards picked up three for 72. There was a wicket each for Sarwan, one for six; Hinds, one for 18 and Sanford one for 90.