Test cricket the victor as West Indies cling on to take series
After all that so drearily preceded the final day of the series between West Indies and England, we were treated to a gripping finale that reminded us all what test cricket should all be about. At the start of play, an England victory seemed distant, with the third innings not yet completed, and West Indies interested only in protecting what they had held since the 1st test in Jamaica.
By lunchtime, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior had treated us to some attractive batting, raising England’s lead to 239, and bringing the declaration. Pietersen reached his century at a rate of more than a run a ball, yet the West Indies has only to bat two sessions to secure the draw and the series.
Yet, the feeling persisted that the West Indies had adopted a risky approach throughout this match, starting with their conservative selection of just three front-line bowlers and seven batsmen. How often before we have seen teams attempt to play out a draw and end with egg on their faces, yet Chris Gayle, West Indies captain, continued to attempt to slow the game down and play out another high-scoring draw from virtually the first hour of the match.
With less than four sessions of play remaining, England secured a 1st innings lead of just two, rendering the previous 11 sessions essentially meaningless to all except statisticians and players with half and eye on averages and records.
With so little time remaining following their lunchtime declaration, it was imperative that they struck with the new ball, and James Anderson obliged with the wicket of Lendl Simmons who fell to a good catch by Paul Collingwood. The introduction of Graeme Swann brought the wicket of Devon Smith soon after, and the runs dried up as West Indies went into their shell. By tea, they had reached 78-3, but the pressure was on and cracks started to show soon after as Chanderpaul, 1st innings centurion, fell to Swann. England’s off-spinner had earlier picked up Ramnaresh Sarwan and now had figures of 3 for 8 from 13 overs. By now, West Indies had abandoned the idea of run-scoring and sought only to protect their wickets.
However, Nash and Hinds soon fell to leave West Indies 90-6, and brought the injured captain, Chris Gayle, to the wicket. England were by now in a match winning position and had their tails up. England have been on the wrong end of this kind of situation in the past, notably when Pakistan visited Lords in 1996 and caused a collapse after tea on the final day.
For Mushtaq Ahmed, could we read Monty Panesar? A long, dogged partnership between Gayle and Denesh Ramdin swung the pendulum back to West Indies and ground away 13 precious overs, but after a number of delirious, rabid appeals against Gayle, finally the umpire deigned to raise the finger. 107-7, nine overs to go.
Ramdin was playing a rearguard action of great courage, and Daren Powell combined with him to whittle away another six overs. Panesar, Jimmy Anderson and Swann all tried in vain until Anderson returned to breach Powell’s defences and rattle his stumps. 109-8, 3.2 overs remaining. Fidel Edwards came to the wicket as nerves frayed. Anderson’s over was seen out safely. Three to go. Ramdin was comfortable against Panesar and looking for a single to take the strike, but England were able to allow his shot from the final ball to run to the boundary. Two to go.
A single from the first ball of the penultimate over allowed Edwards to escape the strike, and Ramdin played out the final five deliveries but could not steal the strike. One to go, Panesar to bowl to Edwards, two wickets required. The tension unbearable, the first two deliveries were played and missed and the next two defended safely. Panesar now needed two wickets from two balls, but with everyone around the bat Edwards defended and the Wisden Trophy was won.
But how close it was. For the lack of one wicket short in Antigua, and two here in Trinidad England have lost a series they were expected to win. Fingers will point at their 51 all out in Jamaica, but the truth is that on docile wickets they did not possess enough firepower to take 20 wickets in each test, and West Indies put their new found resistance to good effect as they resisted all that was thrown at them through the final three tests.
After a series dogged by controversy (abandoned test at Antigua) and flat pitches with little or no assistance for the bowler, we were owed a day of thrills and spills to reinvigour jaded spectators and supporters. No matter the result, the game of cricket won today.
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