Live Test Match Blogging / Ed Hawkins / 06 February 2009 / 1

West Indies were short odds-on shots to take a first innings lead on day three of the 1st Test and they managed it. Read how they did so with Ed Hawkins and join him on day four for more in-running action

22.30 WI 352-7 CLOSE
We end day three with the draw favourite at [1.65]. But there still two fascinating days to come. As Sir Ian Botham correctly says "a team cannot afford a bad session on this surface". Windies lead by 34. Another 30 and that could be a match-winning one. Thanks for your company today. See you tomorrow.

22.14 WI 341-7
Harmison has a wicket. Awww, well done Steve. Jerome Taylor, the No. 8 who got a ton against the Kiwis, has got hit pretty plumb in front. Came at just the right time for England because they were getting frustrated. Only Benn really stands in the way of them keeping the lead to something manageable because Powell and Edwards are awful batsmen.

21.58 WI 329-6
A desperate Panesar is trying to rewrite the rule book. He has just gone hurtling down the wicket, jumping and holloring because he reckoned he had Nash leg before. The ball probably would have hit the stumps. The flaw in Panesar's plan was that it hit him way outside the line of off and he was offering a shot. Apart from that Monty, he was plum son.

21.41 WI 320-6
A wicket for Panesar. Ramdin the man gone. England really needed that. So did Monty, actually. He looked rather sheepish when he got 'im, knowing that it should not have taken that long. His 39th over to be precise. WI in charge of the game, though. England have to try to keep this lead to 50 or 60. The sausages are burning.

21.25 WI 313-5
Excellent work from this pair as the trend in this Test continues of batsmen looking comfortable towards the end of the day. Understandable that bowlers are finding it tough after a long day in the field. It has been warm in Jamaica today. Warmer than my flat, for example with the thermostat set at 23C. And I wouldn't want to be doing to much running around in here, not least because of my knee and the neighbours would complain about the clunking on the wooden floors. WI trail by just five - they're going to get a very useful lead. There could be another 15 overs tonight.

21.07 WI 308-5
The draw price is as low as [1.70] now. It is as skinny in the main because Ramdin and Nash have put on more than 50. There has to be doubt about the durability of the pitch, however. Runscoring has got harder and harder as the match has gone on. We have already seen uneven bounce - some shooting along the ground and others taking off. I'm going to put the sausages on.

20.42 WI 296-5
England reckon that Brendan Nash is vulnerable against the short ball. They have come to that conclusion because his back foot slightly goes to square leg as a trigger movement and often on the front foot, his weight is back as if he is expecting a short one. However, he has twice fended balls from his neck for four over the slips in a controlled and clever way. Andrew Flintoff may have to abandon this plan of attack. West Indies are only 22 behind now.

20.23 WI 280-5
Top 5 Things for KP and Fred to spend £1m on
No 3: Slightly tenuous and selfless this one but here goes. Give the ECB £2m to play all home Tests next summer at Chester-le-Street so Steve Harmison feels cosseted within the Durham county border, not to mention all warm and fuzzy inside. Then it will increase the chances of him not being the insipid, toothless 'fast' bowler that we see before us. He has been awful with the new ball. His pace is down and he couldn't spell L I N E, let alone bowl it. Speculate to accumulate is the rationale. If England win the Ashes, KP and Fred will be worth even more. Convinced? No, probably not.

20.05 WI 275-5
Back after tea. I nipped down to the shop to by chocolate-coated macaroons. About as solid a confectionary purchase as you can make. Sadly I tweaked my knee as I bounded up the stairs on the way back. Limping heavily. I hope it's not a cruciate. I'm sure it would hurt more if it was. To get a mental picture of my grumpy body language, check out Steve Harmison next time he appears on your screen. That's me that is.

19.42 WI 271-5
England controlled that session up until the last 10 minutes when Denesh Ramdin, batting with fire in his belly, staged a late rally. Something for England to think about. Steve Harison, by the way, was awful with the new ball. Flintoff wil be given it after the break.

19.26 Wi 254-5
Out! Okay, my gut reaction was wrong but before you start the criticism, don't forget that I did suggest we have a little gamble on England picking up a wicket with the new ball. England down to [3.15] and the draw in to [2.30]. See the 19.18 post for the relevance.

19.24 WI 254-4
Shiv Chanderpaul is using a referral for a leg before against Broad. Gut reaction? Not
out.

19.18 WI 251-4
England have taken the new ball. It is in the hands of Steve Harmison. Waste not want not, Steve. On this pitch we could see some variable bounce and Harmison needs to be quick and aggressive. Punters should be pleased England have taken it. It might open an opportunity for a lay to back ploy on the draw. Or a back to lay on England for that matter. Those prices are [2.08] and [4.00] respectively. We are hoping for wickets and although runs come at a greater rate with a new ball, don't forget that the increase will rarely have a big enough impact to disrupt the trades mentioned

19.06 WI 245-4
England have still not taken the new ball, which is probably fair enough. Monty Panesar looks like snaring Brendan Nash any ball now while Sidebottom is getting decent shape, too. They may want to delay for another 20 minutes so Flintoff will be rested and able to come back for a burst. Nash looks pretty strokeless, so much so that England have had a big shout turned for a no-shot leg before. He has 2 from 31 balls.

18.50 WI 242-4
Brendan Nash, West Indies' No. 6, has been billed as the first white man to play for the team since Geoff Greendige in 1973. It has caused controversy. Nash was born in Australia but his parents are "mixed race". It seems that he just "lighter' in colur in fact. This artcile explains it quite well https://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wiveng2009/content/story/389064.html

18.31 WI 235-4
There have been two worrying pieces of captaincy by Andrew Strauss in this game. The first came yesterday when he asked to go upstairs to the umpire for a leg before against Sarwan off Flintoff. It was way down the legside and it is a mystery as to how he didn't recognise that. The second happened just before Sarwan's dismissal. Against Panesar Chanderpaul took a big step forward (probably three meters) and got hit high on the pad well outside the line. No shot was offered. Panesar appealed in trademark redundant fashion. Normally the result is for everyone to have a chuckle about Monty's lack of knowledge about the leg before rules. Only Strauss wasn't laughing. He asked for a referral. It was an incredible waste of a valuable resource from someone who should not better. Sure enough, the replays showed the ball was going miles over. England have no referrals left.

18.26 WI 235-4
Ramnaresh Sarwan has been dismissed. Andrew Flintoff is the man to get him and it's with the old ball, which is reverse swinging. He got an inside edge on to the stumps because of that ball angling back in. A deserved wicket for England because they have applied pressure. The run rate in the last 10 overs is just 1.1. Now England have a real opening with the unproven Brendan Nash at the crease.

18.10 WI 231-3
Those of you wondering why, with 88 overs gone, England have not taken the new ball it's because there is reverse swing for the pacemen, Flintoff in particular. Monty Panesar is operating from the other end but still does not look like taking a wicket.

18.00 WI 229-3
Still trying to find a batsman who has made a test debut without a first-class ton. I'm sure there will be quite a few, particularly in the 1800s. In the meantime...
Top 5 Things for KP and Fred to spend £1m on
No 4: Buy a gold and diamond model of their own faces (sic). George Michael, bless him, inspired this one. https://www.digitalspy.co.uk/showbiz/a134546/michael-to-buy-gbp1m-gold-face-model.html
You could argue that it is quite a decadent purchase but both men have form. They like diamond earrings for example. Didn't KP bat in the 2004 Ashes Oval Test wearing something shiny in his ears? During that remarkable innings Richie Benaud asked "what do you do when you've played the greatest knock of your life at 23?" Easy Richie, you go and buy a goal and diamond model of your own face.

17.48 WI 224-3
We were, of course, talking about Xavier Marshall in the previous post.

17.44 WI 224-3
"How on earth is a batsmen batting at No 4 in a Test when he has never scored a ton. Has anyone else made a Test debut without scoring a first class ton?" James Roberts has asked the question on email. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head so I will go away (not literally, I will still be sat in the same seat) and try to find out.

17.40 WI 224-3
Back out after lunch. And Shiv Chanderpaul almost lost his wicket from the very first ball. Chanderpaul got a little inside edge from a Stuart Broad ball and it trickled past the stumps.

17.00 WI 224-3
A century for Sarwan. It's all happening. Shiv Chanderpaul is the new man at the crease. Not a bad bloke to have coming in at No 5 eh? He averages 50.2 in Tests, 89,5 in the last year, 46.1 at home and 42 against England. Lunch.

16.55 WI 220-3
England have that quick wicket. Perhaps I shouldn't have called Marshall solid. Out for a duck, plumb leg before to Broad with no referral. WI [2.64], England [5.00] from [11.00] just a few minutes ago. The draw is [2.24].

16.50 WI 220-2
Gayle is out for 104. Stuart Broad has managed to get one to nip back, actually I think it kept a bit low, and the left-hander has been bowled off an inside edge. England needed that wicket. But they need another one very quickly if they are to get back into this game. Xavier Marshall will be the new man. Quite a solid little player this chap. He averages only in the 20s but in the last 12 months, his mark is in the 40s.

16.42 WI 216-1
Century for Gayle. He showed his great friend KP how you go from the late 90s to a ton when the adrenaline was pumping. I think we may be witnessing a humiliation for Panesar, too. He just has no answer. That over went for 15.

16.38 213-1
Monty Panesar isn't looking particularly effective at the mo. As I type Gayle has hit him for six. As I type he has repeated the shot. Both Gayle and Sarwan are on 98.

16.21 WI 194-1
Top 5 Things for KP and Fred to spend £1m on
No 5: Lay the draw. Okay, it may be wholly illegal but no-one suggested this little feature should be free of controversy. You can lay at [1.90], chaps and the best thing is that you will probably be able to avoid be accused of fixing because given the state of the pitch it would take a player worth at least £3m to survive on a Sabina Park track on days four or five.

16.07 WI 192-3
Gayle is not out. England appealed for a caught behind down the leg side against him off Flintoff and won. But Gayle challenged. Replays were not exactly conclusive but again, there was a doubt there. I'm beginning to feel sorry for umpire Tony Hill, however. He has now been proved wrong on three occasions. England have lost 'two' wickets to the referral system and gained one.

16.02
Just before I start with today's Top 5 - I think this should become a regular feature - I thought I better let you know that England firsto..oh hang on, Gayle has been given out caught behind but he has referred it.

15.52 WI 190-1
Monty Panesar is going to come in a sec. Gosh, he really needs a wicket. West Indies will try to hit him out of the attack because they know that England will be, ahem, screwed if they do. Really I should have come up with a nicer phrase there but I think that best covers it. Later on I might try to compile a Top 5 list of things Flintoff or Pietersen could spend their $1.5m on.

15.34 WI 188-1
Bit of reverse swing for England as the draw goes below even money. The current price is [1.94]. There has been lots happening in the world of cricket since we were last blogging. Poor old Australia lost their fifth straight game at home, Michael Clarke and Simon Katich have been exposed as karaoke brawlers while Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff have been sold to IPL franchises for a cool $1.5m each. Let me know your thoughts on these topics, and any others, at hawkeyeview@hotmail.co.uk.

15.22 WI 178-1
Our discussions yesterday about why Roger Federer should make history by playing with a cat strapped to his back have grabbed the attention. Portuguese Pirate has emailed to ask whether Jamie Murray's mixed doubles win at Wimbledon last year counts as a sportsman achieving something whilst wearing an animal. "He wasn't wearing her as such but I reckon that Jankovic is a bit of a moose," he says. "And let me remind you that Cristiano Ronaldo was wearing a penguin on his head when he first arrived in the Premier League."

15.12 WI 171-1
As I mentioned in the first post, this is an important session for England. They are as big as [7.20] now and if they fail to claim a wicket before lunch when they can kiss goodbye to a victory chance. The draw is approaching [2.00]. When it gets there I think we should lay it because WI are increasingly shifting towards a winning position. The pitch could well get trickier, too and that will help a result no end. Sarwan and Gayle have now put on 150 for the second wicket.

15.09 WI 165-1
Afternoon. We're underway for day three in Sabina Park in Jamaica (no, she went of her own accord). A big as session for England as yesterday's first was for West Indies. Can England make a breakthrough?

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1. jak | 06 February 2009

   Ed,
   How come your not writing in the RP anymore?
   Enjoyed your bits in `the sportsman` when it was alive.
   Anyhow stop scoffing all the sausages and start eating a more balanced diet!

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