The Hindu : Sport : England batsmen pile it on

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England batsmen pile it on

Ted Corbett

EXHILIRATING START: Young Matt Prior justified his coach's trust in him, scoring his century at almost a run-a-ball on debut. — PHOTO: AP

LONDON: Matt Prior, an unknown cricketer, became an instant hero to the British sporting public on Friday night when he hit the first hundred by an England Test wicketkeeper on debut, on the second day of the first Test against West Indies. What is more, he needed just two hours to make his runs off 105 balls with 16 fours.

Earlier this week, the new England coach Peter Moores had to defend his decision to insist the selectors name Prior for this Test despite the claims of Chris Read, Geraint Jones and Paul Nixon all of who played for England in the winter.

When Prior arrived at the crease, England was already 363 for five and the West Indies attack was demoralised. But he took charge, first hitting three fours in an over from Jerome Taylor and then beating his sixth wicket partner Ian Bell to his hundred.

Paul Collingwood and Alastair Cook also hit tons, which means the innings was only the second in England's 130-year history to contain four centuries.

Potential for disaster

There was a potential for disaster when Collingwood and Alastair Cook restarted the innings on 200 for three and for the first hour they made hard work of this unhappy West Indies attack. Ramnaresh Sarwan delayed the new ball for six overs — heaven alone knows why — but by that time Taylor had had Cook caught in the gully with just three runs added to his overnight century.

Cook is the England future and, at 22, it is easy to forgive the loose shot which brought about his downfall. Besides it was better that Bell, who still has a career to confirm, had time at the crease against such net standard bowling.

Oddly, it was at this point that West Indies might have changed the course of the game. First, Daren Ganga dropped a simple catch in front of his face off Collingwood which caused Dwayne Bravo to fall down in shock. Then, a steepling hook by Collingwood was totally misjudged by Jerome Taylor at deep backward square leg; and umpire Asad Rauf gave Collingwood not out when it was clear he was plumb lbw.

Making it count

Thus Collingwood was let off three times in the first hour but, determined cuss that he is, he made sure West Indies paid for its errors. Remember, it kept dropping Mohammad Yousuf in Pakistan; a self-destruct gesture if ever there was one. Less than an hour after lunch he had his fourth Test century and put together a fifth wicket stand of 150 with Bell who needed 17 balls to get off the mark but just 82 to reach fifty.

It was a wearying day as the West Indies struggled to turn the early sessions from net practice to Test match. Out of form and out of practice its bowlers — apart from a fine spell by Taylor — pitched too many balls wide of the stumps. Sarwan showed his lack of leadership experience by taking away a slip for Corey Collymore as soon as he had the new ball in his hand and 20 minutes before tea there was the unmistakable sight of Chris Gayle sauntering to the wicket to bowl those flimsy off breaks of his.

Just before tea, with England 363 for four, Collingwood lost concentration. He aimed a woolly hook at a Bravo bouncer and then played on to a quicker ball in the same over. It is no fun score at three and a half an over — especially when a 7-2 field inspires a leg side half volley — against such a placid attack and he looked glad to return to the dressing room.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st Innings: A. Strauss c Smith b Powell 33, A. Cook c Bravo b Taylor 105, O. Shah c Smith b Powell 6, K. Pietersen c Smith b Collymore 26, P. Collingwood b Bravo 111, I. Bell not out 109, M. Prior not out 126; Extras: (b-8, lb-17, w-10, nb-2) 37. Total (for five in 142 overs) 553.

Fall of Wickets: 1-88, 2-103, 3-162, 4-219, 5-363.

West Indies bowling: Powell 37-9-113-2, Taylor 24-4-114-1, Collymore 32-5-110-1, Bravo 32-8-106-1, Gayle 10-0-48-0, Morton 1-0-4-0, Sarwan 6-0-33-0.

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