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Cook helps England consolidate

Graeme Swann’s five-wicket haul restricts West Indies

— Photo: AFP

ON THE BALL: Alastair Cook came up with his second half century of the match as England took a stranglehold on the third Test against the West Indies.

ST. JOHN’S (Antigua): Alastair Cook compiled an unbeaten 51 on Wednesday as England slowly stretched its lead to 416 on the fourth day of the third cricket Test against the West Indies at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Cook’s second half century of the match led the visitor’s second innings from an overnight 31 for one to 135 for three at lunch. The left-handed opener struck six fours off 98 balls.

Daren Powell (two for 33) claimed the two wickets to fall in a morning session that produced 104 runs off 29 overs.

Cook and nightwatchman James Anderson stretched their second-wicket partnership to 46 in a slow first hour. Anderson, dropped last night when on 4, survived another chance on 11 when Chris Gayle floored a catch at first slip. Again, the unlucky bowler was Fidel Edwards.

Anderson eventually fell for 20 when he drove at Powell and deflected a thin edge to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

Owais Shah plundered Powell for a six over midwicket as he scored 14 off 23 balls. But the fast bowler struck back, knocking over Shah’s middle stump as he attempted another pull shot.

Cook and Kevin Pietersen shared an unbroken stand of 38 off 62 balls before the break. Pietersen was caught and bowled off a Sulieman Benn no-ball and survived to hit 17 not out off 27 balls with one four.

On Tuesday, off-spinner Graeme Swann grabbed five for 57, as England claimed a big first innings lead.

Swann’s spell helped England dismiss the host for 285 in reply to its 566 for nine declared at the Antigua Recreation Ground. Andrew Flintoff had figures of three for 47.

Delighted

“I’m so happy with the five-for,” Swann said. “I came off after I got four and I said to (captain) Andrew (Strauss) it didn’t bother me. But, I was just lying to myself because it felt unbelievable when I took five.

“The seamers did such a good job with the reverse swing I thought I might not get back on. So I was delighted to get the chance in the end,” he said.

Swann was only the second spinner to claim a five-wicket haul in 22 Tests at the ARG, following Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who took five for 34 in 1997.

One of Swann’s wickets was Ramnaresh Sarwan, who holed out to midwicket while trying to bring up his hundred with a six.

After West Indies slipped to 130 for three, Sarwan and Ryan Hinds, on his 28th birthday, rebuilt the innings with a stand of 70.

Hinds struck three fours and a six in his 27 before he edged to wicketkeeper Matt Prior.

A run later, Stuart Broad landed the killer blow when he claimed Shivnarine Chanderpaul for one.

Sarwan closed in on a 13th Test century after tea but Swann returned to cut short his stay.

The former tugged a catch to Flintoff at midwicket after striking 14 fours and a six off 133 deliveries in 200 minutes. Swann removed Denesh Ramdin off the next ball, the West Indies wicketkeeper driving a full toss straight back to the bowler.

Swann picked up his fifth wicket when Sulieman Benn was leg-before for a duck, and Flintoff wrapped up the innings when Taylor top-edged a pull after making 19.England, however, decided not to enforce the follow-on. — Agencies

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