LONDON, (CMC) - An epic century from Shivnarine Chanderpaul highlighted stout resistance from the West Indies through much of the third day of the opening cricket Test against England at Lord’s yesterday.
Despite the durable left-hander’s unbeaten 128 out of a first innings total of 416, the hosts remain in firm control and reached 71 without loss when stumps were drawn to take 223-run lead to bed.
Having scored just two hundreds in his first eight years at Test level, the 29-year-old left-hander’s ninth century in the past 28 months was arguably the best of his international career, holding the innings together and getting impressive support from two youngsters and a seasoned veteran before most of that good work was squandered by the now routine capitulation of the lower order.
In successive partnerships with Test newcomer Dwayne Bravo, the evergreen Ridley Jacobs and Omari Banks, the doughty Chanderpaul played the role of senior craftsman to near perfection as the visitors rallied from the discomfort of 139 for four when skipper Brian Lara was controversially dismissed late on the second day to 399 for six shortly after tea on day three.
But the belated introduction of Andrew Flintoff triggered the final collapse as the last four wickets tumbled for another 17 runs, the mercurial all-rounder scattering the stumps of Banks, Tino Best (first ball) and Pedro Collins.
Showing little appreciation for the team’s predicament or recognition of Chanderpaul’s valiant effort at the other end, Collins’ demise came when he essayed a big drive that belied his limited technique.
Yet worse was to follow a few minutes later when Edwards lost patience and aimed a cross-batted swipe at Ashley Giles only to have his stumps rattled to give the left-arm spinner the best figures of the innings at four for 129.
Chanderpaul is such a phlegmatic individual that it is often difficult to read his emotions, but he would surely have been fuming inside to see such gross irresponsibility from 22 yards away that left him undefeated after nearly 6-1/2 hours at the crease in which he faced 270 deliveries and embellished an outstanding innings with 15 fours.
Saving the follow-on would have boosted the morale of a team that looked completely out of the reckoning on the opening day. A first innings deficit of 152 runs was still substantial however, and with England openers Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Strauss building on that advantage in the 22 overs to the close, Michael Vaughan holds the whip in hand with two days left in a match of wavering fortunes.
Assuming that the home team’s top order can dominate the West Indies bowling at the start of the fourth day, Vaughan will have to weigh considerations of time needed to claim ten wickets against the proven potential of his mercurial opponents in chasing big targets before he settles on a declaration.
Lara will be hoping to render those calculations irrelevant as once again he seeks to exercise a considerable measure of restraint and damage control with one of the most inexperienced bowling attacks ever fielded by West Indies in Test cricket.
Yet the talent is there, as was revealed by Bravo’s resistance with Chanderpaul in a 125-run fifth-wicket partnership.
Continuing from the bedtime position of 208 for four, the contrasting pair competently defied every challenge presented to them before Bravo was caught behind, edging an expansive drive at a delivery from fast bowler Simon Jones that lifted sharply off a good length.
Jacobs continued the West Indies’ defiance and helped Chanderpaul add another 63, while further frustrating England and most in another capacity crowd on a day or more of relentless sunshine.
The 36-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman eventually perished in the afternoon session however, caught behind driving at Matthew Hoggard.
Banks, who plays positively whatever the circumstances, got his first 20 runs in boundaries and then promptly offered chances off Giles as two more full-blooded drives were missed by Graham Thorpe at mid-on and Steve Harmison at deep mid-off.
It has not been a happy match for Harmison so far. Having taken 44 wickets in his previous seven Tests, the beanpole fast bowler went wicketless in the first innings in another illustration of the levelling power of the five-day game.
Amid Banks’ adventurous strokeplay, Chanderpaul was moving resolutely towards his 11th Test century and achieved it in diving into his crease to complete a second run off Harmison before dusting himself off and accepting the acclaim of the appreciative thousands in the stands.
It would be his second unbeaten hundred in as many Tests, but this innings was far superior to the effort against a modest Bangladesh attack at Sabina Park six weeks ago.
With his frontline bowlers tiring on a hot day and the follow-on avoided, Vaughan turned to Flintoff immediately after tea, and in keeping with his recently acquired reputation as England’s talisman, bowled Banks off his pads to end an innings that included seven fours and a six off Giles over long-on.
He had barely made it along the winding route to the players’ dressing room when the roar of the crowd would have told Banks that Best had only lasted one ball.
Collins avoided the hat-trick, but Chanderpaul could not completely shield him or Edwards and it was only a matter of time before they were knocked over, particularly as they appeared to have no stomach for resistance.
ENGLAND 1st innings 568 (R. Key 221, A. Strauss 137, M. Vaughan 103; P. Collins 4-113)
WEST INDIES 1st innings (o/night 208 for four)
C. Gayle lbw b Giles 66
D. Smith b Giles 45
R. Sarwan lbw b Hoggard 1
B. Lara c wkpr G. Jones b Giles 11
S. Chanderpaul not out 128
D. Bravo c wkpr G. Jones b S. Jones 44
R. Jacobs c wkpr G. Jones b Hoggard 32
O. Banks b Flintoff 45
T. Best b Flintoff 0
P. Collins b Flintoff 0
F. Edwards b Giles 5
Extras: (b-21, lb-10, w-5, nb-3) 39
Total: (all out) 416
Fall of wickets: 1-118, 2-119, 3-127, 4-139, 5-264, 6-327, 7-399, 8-399,9-401.
Bowling: Hoggard 28-7-89-2, Harmison 21-6-72-0, S. Jones 17-3-70-1, Giles 40.4-5-129-4, Flintoff 10-4-25-3.