The Hindu : Sport : Panesar fashions England's series win

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Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007
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Panesar fashions England's series win

Ted Corbett

Vaughan becomes the leading England captain of all time after his 21st victory

— Photo: AFP

SO NEAR YET SO FAR: Shivnarine Chanderpaul played one of the memorable innings in his career, but failed to take his team to victory.

MANCHESTER: England beat West Indies by 60 runs in the third Test at Old Trafford and secured the four-Test series, which means it has gone 11 series in this country without being defeated. But that is only half the story of repeated appeals, of tension and of a great fight by West Indies, led by its own Tiger, Shivnarine Chanderpaul. You have to conclude that it has turned the corner even if there are a great many narrow streets and alleyways to traverse before it turns into a side, which will make us forget the giants of 1976-96.

Magnificent

Chanderpaul was magnificent. His 15th Test century needed 368 minutes and 223 balls and the locals, remembering that Geoff Boycott must have played on this ground more than 20 times, claimed it was the slowest in the ground's 150 year history. But scoring speed had nothing to do with it. The Tiger survived at least two dropped catches, he must have been deafened by the repeated, screamed appeals and the muttering of those England fielders who thought the umpires had not given the right decisions.

Even his opponents admired Chanderpaul's third hundred against England. "One of the best I have seen," said Michael Vaughan, as he reflected on his own glory as the leading England captain of all time after his 21st success. Daren Ganga, the stand-in West Indies skipper, called it: "An outstanding innings which leaves us looking forward to the final Test on Friday."

Of course, England was pleased with its effort when the last three wickets fell in the first half hour after lunch but just when Steve Harmison, who took two of the last three, four in the innings and six in the match, showed that he has not lost everything as we feared there was another burst of bad news for Vaughan's victors. Allan Donald, their bowling coach who, if he can claim nothing else, produced the aggression that enabled the bowlers to wrap up the first innings, heard this morning that his father had died and immediately flew home.

What effect that will have on the attack remains to be seen but in this fifth day there were plenty of signs that Donald is having an effect. The obvious case is Harmison who looks a more confident cricketer but Panesar, man of the match with his first ten wicket haul and six in this innings where there was turn and lift for him at the Stretford End is improving with every Test. It looks as if Donald has suggested more variations and at 25 Panesar has lots of time.

England's 300th win

This was England's 300th Test win but for a long time it seemed that West Indies might go close. Chanderpaul, who batted for so long in the shadow of Brian Lara, has emerged, aged 32, as a dominant figure, for all his awkward stance and his crablike strokes. If Windies is to revive it will be around this ornery Tiger.

West Indies needed 154 when the day began. Denesh Ramdin was caught by Paul Collingwood off Panesar from the 15th ball of the day but Panesar had to make what seemed to be a blind grab at the ball to catch Darren Sammy off his own bowling after an hour's batting. After lunch Harmison simply bowled straight which was too much for both Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards before Ian Bell snatched a sharp catch at short leg to complete the victory.

That led to an outbreak of England celebrations that suggested it had all been to the Monty Panesar School of Dancing. West Indies had put up a good fight but England fought harder and although it obviously felt it could not rely on the wayward Liam Plunkett it had enough extra to suggest that its revival is gaining a full head of steam.

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