England slow Windies progress

Feb 6 2009

Andrew Flintoff removed centurion Ramnaresh Sarwan as England brought West Indies' innings to a standstill at Sabina Park.

Flintoff claimed his second success of the innings when Sarwan inside-edged into his stumps during a 17-over period after lunch which reaped just 14 runs.

That left West Indies 238 for four midway through the third day of the opening Test.

Sarwan's dismissal for 107 came an over after England had relinquished their second and final umpire referral.

When Shivnarine Chanderpaul offered no shot to left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, England went up in unison for a leg before appeal, subsequently turned down by Rudi Koertzen.

Television umpire Daryl Harper then affirmed that his colleague had, in his opinion, made the right decision and the tourists were left at the sole discretion of the on-field officials from then on.

It was Stuart Broad's double strike before lunch which provided England with hope of clawing their way back into the contest.

Broad accounted for Chris Gayle, the first of the West Indians to reach three figures, and Xavier Marshall in the penultimate over before lunch following a torrid struggle for breakthroughs.

West Indies took lunch moments after Sarwan reacted to his own hundred with an Usain Bolt-style celebration.

West Indies captain Gayle had given a morning of sedate pace some impetus by crashing his way from 86 to a ninth Test hundred in just three balls.