Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 16 February 2009 / 2 Comments

Ed Hawkins was stationed in the Recreation Ground stands to keep you updated on the second day of action in Antigua...

21.35 WI 55-1 CLOSE
England well on top here as the players trudge off at the close. Daren Powell is a walking wicket and England could well have their tails up. See you then

21.15 WI 45-1
Gayle has gone. He has slapped a rank long hop from none other than Steve Harmison into the hands of Anderson at cover. I was just writing that while my computer was contracting epilepsy, Gayle was given a fearful working over by Flintoff but he emerged unscathed and had actually found another gear. The previous ball he hit for four and two balls before that he launched Harmy out of the ground for six. Daren Powell is nightwatchman

21.09 WI 40-0
It would appear my computer suffered a similar sort of shock to me consuming ginger when it thought it was chocolate. Actually it was far more serious than that. It opened 58 separate internet explorer windows one after the other. Bang-bang-bang-bang. I was powerless. It was the human equivalent of checking one's email whilst on speed. Not that I would know what it is like to be on speed. Drugs have never been my thing. I just know that if I ever tried something chemical, I would be one of the unlucky ones who ends up in a coma. On that score (that's a gag, there) I see that some professor chap said recently there was more chance of dying falling off a horse than taking ecstasy. Cue uproar. But statistically he is absolutely right. And before you start, it's nothing like that old phrase 'statistics are used like a smack head uses a lamppost, for support rather than illumination'.

20.48 WI 12-0
New boots for Flintoff. It was obviously the fault of his footwear for getting smashed to leg by Devon Smith for four. Chris Gayle has misjudged one off James Anderson, almost squirting a chance to Steve Harmison in the covers. In other news I misjudged a piece of ginger cake for chocolate cake. It was quiet a shock I can tell you.

20.33 WI 3-0
14 overs left tonight after Anderson's opening over of pace and movement. Flintoff takes the new ball now. Interestingly England's revised total is 566, two runs less because Swann's six has been downgraded to a four.

20.26 WI 0-0
Here are the latest prices. West Indies a massive [46.00], England [2.04] and the draw [2.00].The latter is not a surprising market move. It would always drift once the innings was declared, particularly with the frustration of England batting and batting.

20.19 Eng 568-9d
Thank goodness for that. England have declared. My irritation is over. Be really interesting to see how the Windies get on. About 14 overs left tonight I reckon.

20.13 Eng 569-8
I think England must be intent on batting on to give West Indies an uncomfortable 30 minutes to bat tonight. That is the only explanation

20.05 Eng 551-8
I promised myself I wouldn't get irked by England batting on but I can't help it.Why is it that in situations like this teams can't see that they are damaging their chances of winning? It is not runs that England need, it is time. They've just wasted five minutes on a drink's break for goodness sake.

19.45
Paul Collingwood goes to his century. He does a little jump to celebrate. Stuart Broad punches the air, too. I'm going to punch someone if this innings goes on much longer. Broad is out now so will England declare? No, will they heck? I mean it's not as if they're 1-0 down with three to play is it? Negative stuff

19.36 Eng 506-7
ZZZZzzzzzzz. Boredom is setting in. It's almost paralysing. Goodness me I hope England declare when Colly gets his century. They probably won't though. They always bat on longer than you think. The pessimist in me could see England batting out the rest of the day. Their run rate of 3.9 over the last 10 isn't quick enough to suggest the call is imminent.

19.22 Eng 494-7
The Barmy Army in the stand to the left of the pavilion are singing 'my garden shed is bigger than this'. I wouldn't be too keen to bounce around in that rickety old things. Isn'tthat the one which was condemned by Fifa?

19.11 Eng 484-7
Someone from the WICB must be reading this blog because the sweet selkection is one of THE best I have seen. And that is a staement not to be taken lightly. Pastries, cakes,biscuits, donuts. I've got two boxes of them. Result.

18.45 Eng 482-7 TEA
That's tea. Don't know when the declaration will come but you can bet it will not be until after Collingwood has scored his century. He has 87. With a large slice of luck, Strauss will call them in when he has it. But I doubt it. Cricket captains don't think like gamblers. It's safety first for them and although you and I would recognize that England have enough runs now, to suggest we're on the same wavelength as cricketers would be stretching it.

18.40 Eng 479-7
Stuart Broad is not messing around. He's hit 10 off four balls. Slightly puzzled as to why Gayle hasn't brought back one of the three fast men to try to finish this off.

18.34 Eng 467-7
Prior has chanced his arm and hit one straight down the throat of Shiv Chanderpaul. Did you see me? I was right behind him for that one. Stuart Broad lollops to the crease. Good word lollops. Need to use it more. That was Brendan Nash's first Test wicket. He is rather a lolloper, too in term of bowling speed. Come on Windies, finish this off.

18.25 462-6
Matt Prior is beginning to cut loose as West Indies tire. Brendan Nash is bowling now. That is the sorry state they find themselves in. The game will not really move on until England declare. That could be 100 or 150 runs from now.

18.06 Eng 435-6
We've slipped into another dull period, rather. Taylor is off to be replaced by Edwards and from the other end we have had Benn wheeling away, until Chris Gayle has decided to replace him. There continues to be internet connection problems, which has caused the temperature in the press box to soar. The newspaper photographers are approaching deadline and they can't get their snaps over.

17.51 Eng 426-6
There is an English woman in a white bikini dancing to some of these 70 tracks. She should have stopped dancing to them in the 70s because, quite frankly, you are now past it, love. Give it up, your youth is over.

17.48 Eng 420-6
There is definitely a more 80s feel to the disco today. Yesterday it was R&B. We've got Abba playing now. I think they were more 70s, actually. Dancing Queen. I'm sorry but that is just not appropriate for cricket in the Caribbean. It's changed again ... something by the BeeGees - I don't think I've spelt that right but I don't care. If you want a blog with musical knowledge go elsewhere.

17.36 Eng 416-6
This is the fourth over of Taylor's spell. He may only have a couple more, in which case England would have ridden out the storm. Only two runs have come off his bowling. He is by far and away the best WI bowler and it seems odd to think that he and Fidel Edwards were so close in the betting for top bowler.

17.26 Eng 410-6
Nasser Hussain has just said that there is something in this pitch "if you work hard". That rules out Steve Harmison then. Having a few internet problems, which is nothing new. They've charged 150 bucks for a connection which falls of the face of a cliff every half hour. Disgrace.

17.13 Eng 406-6
We needed that exciting burst from Taylor. The English in the ground were getting far too cosy - slurping, swaying and sweating in the sun. It's woken a few of them from their slumber. And we're just waiting to see Taylor again. Cor, I hope he gets another one. Matt Prior is the new batsman. He looks a classy operator at the moment, which makes a change. Previously he has looked all at sea in the international arena but it wouldappear he is improving. Here comes Taylor.

17.05 Eng 405-6The West Indians at the AGR have come alive. Jerome Taylor has bowled Flintoff now, neck and crop, two stumps out of the ground. Two wickets in three balls. Tremendous stuff.

17.01 Eng 405-5
Ryan Hinds has been brought onto bowl. His introduction was met with YMCA blaring out of the disco. He can;'t be happy with that. Anyway he's off now and Jerome Taylor is back on...and he's just cleaned up KP first ball. That kept loooooooooow folks. Gosh, how exciting

16.53 Eng 403-4
Fish was not a good choice. Dry, flakey and boney. During the break Andy Roberts, Sir Viv Richards and Michael Holding were inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.They were given rather snazzy blue caps with gold piping on them. Fetching. Sir Viv ate his fish in front of me and promptly spilt a bit of sauce on his.

16.00 Eng 391-4 LUNCH
Chicken or fish?Porbably fish because I had the chicken yesterday. I must also try to get my hands on an ice cream at some stage because, as you know, the cakes do not turn up until actual tea time. But I'm not going to start on that ... I got hot under the collar over that issue yesterday. England cruising. Batting getting easier now the new ball is old, if you see what I mean. They may well look to declare at 550 and give WI an hour tonight

15.43 Eng 383-4
The pitch has quietened down again now, I guess because the ball has got older and softer. Meanwhile I have been counting the number of flags of St George in the ground. I make it 83, although part of the Richie Richardson stand is obscured so there would be more. That's a lot isn't it? Someone is making some money out of that.

15.40 Eng 373-4
Inevitably England have slowed up. It would have been hard for them to keep that rate of 5 runs an over. The interesting thing for me about this innings is that Chris Gayle has had two slips consistently when the pacemen have been on. He might have been better served plugging a gap in the field to try to contain England more.

15.22 Eng 367-4
I have just returned from my walk around the ground. For the third time in this Test it has failed to bring a wicket. I'm beginning to think that is an old wives' tale, you know. I told a West Indies fan of my pland and he said: "Strap on those walking boots, man...and walk all day."

15.07 Eng 359-4
Mmmm. Another false shot.And again it has come from the Pavilion End. Thjis time it was Kp who misjudged a pull. He couldhave been out three times this morning from that end.Collingwood could have gone twice. Encouraging more for England than WI, though because they've got the runs on the board. Don't forget WI willhave to bat last on this. The draw price is coming out.[1.8] to lay at the mo

14.58 Eng 357-4
We are seeing uneven bounce, which is just great because I was expecting it yesterday. Typical. Collingwood has flashed through the slips, there. If England has started on this pitch then they would not have scored as well as they did yesterday and may well have been all out for the sort of score they have now. We've got balls keeping low, some taking off. It is living up to the 'spicy' billing.

14.50 Eng 351-4
50 runs have come off the last 10 overs as England motor along. They are looking for quick runs because they may want to get WI in tonight. The declaration total would probably be around the 550 mark. There is a little bit of rain forecast for days three and five but I don't think that comes into the equation because they are only brief showers out here.

14.40 Eng 338-4
Pietersen has just been missed by Fidel Edwards. It was a difficult caught and bowled chance. But WI have to take those. They are buoyed, however because already in 40 minutes this morning we have seen more chances offered than yesterday.

14.37 Eng 332-4
Yep,we're definitely in for an afternoon of Collingwood. Mind you, if he continues to play like this (17 from 20 balls) it might not be too bad. At the moment he is outshining KP.

14.28 Eng 323-4
A couple of injudicious shots from Pietersen against Edwards.Maybe there is a little bit of an awkward bounce from the pavilion end. It was off Edwards that Collingwood made his mistake. And as I type he has just been hit by the same bowler.

14.17 England 312-4
Collingwood got a snorter first ball but, alas, the catch which was offered off the shoulder of the bat fell out of the grasp of gully. I say alas because most people here are dreading an afternoon of Collingwood. He is so boring. I think I may have told you this before but instead of reading his kids - if he has any - a bedtime story to send them to sleep, he gets the bat out and shadows a few forward defensives.

14.04 England 308-3
Morning all. I've arrived here in one piece. The taxi driver narrowly avoided a goat on the way over. They are like pheasants with regard to just not noticing that a vehicle is hurtling towards them. This is a car crash for West Indies. Even James Anderson is making batting look easy at the moment. If he doesn't last much longer, they will have KP and Collingwood to contend with. The pair put on a mammoth total in Adelaide on a very similar surface. Oh, Anderson is out. Caught behind.

Comments (2)

1. jak | 16 February 2009

   Ed,
   96 seems to be collys unlucky number in tests...he`s been out twice on that before...will it be a hatrick? or will colly flower?

2. Cricket Rules | 18 February 2009

   your blog is very informative. i am highly impressed with it and enjoy reading it.

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