Giles and Trescothick star

A collapse of West Indian proportions saw the West Indies slip from a promising position of 297/3 just after lunch to 33_ all out. The tumble of wickets was inspired once more by Ashley Giles (4/65) and saw 6 wickets fall for just 12 runs (7 for 39 in total).

Sarwan and Lara resumed on 86 and 74 respectively and added a further 37 runs until a contest between Flintoff and Lara was won by the bowler. Flintoff fired in a yorker at Lara which he barely kept out. The very next ball was outside offstump and Lara played an indecisive drive at it and was caught by Thorpe, whoi had dropped Sarwan earlier.

Chanderpaul joined Sarwan, who got to his 6th Test century (and first against England) from 164 balls. He got to 139 and then that man, Andrew Flintoff fired through again, Sarwan dragging on to his stumps. His innings was laced with an impressive 25 fours and lasted 226 balls.

The next men in didn't do much to enhance their reputations and once more the pressure fell upon Chanderpaul. Bravo knocked about for 13 runs and then played across the line to Giles, missed and was bowled. Jacobs (0) copied his first Test second innings dismissal and drove loosely outside the offstump, caught by Thorpe at fourth slip.

Then, for the first time in the series, Chanderpaul was dismissed, caught by Key off Giles for 45. Earlier he had been dropped by Vaughan at short midwicket off the same bowler. With the last specialist batsman back, Banks was under enormous pressure batting with the tail. Things got worse as Collins didn't last long and was Giles' third wicket.

Banks (4) faced up to Harmison and looked to farm the strike but he proved the next man out, rather than the man he looked to protect, caught behind flashing at the Durham pacer. Fittingly Giles ended it all with Collymore (2) trapped in front - 336 all out.

Giles finished with 4/65 and Flintoff with 2/52. The other wicket-takers were Hoggard (3/89), Harmison (1/64). In a ruthless and positive move of captaincy, Michael Vaughan elected not to enforce the follow-on.

The English openers walked out to the middle and began the second innings with a cushion of 230 runs. The West Indian bowlers were disciplined initially and Trescothick and Strauss didn't find runs easy in the flow and ultimately Strauss was out to a loose shot of frustration. An identical dismissal to that of the first innings, the left-hander flashed at a wide full ball from Lawson and was caught behind for 5.

Robert Key (4) made little impact until he spooned a simple catch to Gayle at midon - 37/2. A sniff of hope for the tourists was even more so as Michael Vaughan was well-caught by a tumbling Gayle off Lawson for just 3 - 52/3. Lawson's third wicket would be the last of his team's for the day though as the West Indies missed a couple of chances and Trescothick (88 not out) and Thorpe (28 not out) saw England to the close at 148/3 - a lead of 378.

Trescothick's half-century took 89 balls and contained some 6 boundaries. Jermaine Lawson was the statistical pick of the West Indian bowlers with 7-1-20-3.

Match Summary:

England 1st innings 566/9 dec. (134 overs)
A Flintoff 167, ME Trescothick 105, GO Jones 74, GP Thorpe 61
DJJ Bravo 4/76, CD Collymore 2/126

West Indies 1st innings 336 ao ( overs)
RR Sarwan 139, BC Lara 95, S Chanderpaul 45
A Giles 4/65, MJ Hoggard 3/89, A Flintoff 2/52

England 2nd innings 148/3 (38 overs)
ME Trescothick 88 not out, GP Thorpe 28 not out
JJC Lawson 3/20

Posted by Liam