ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Marlon Samuels’ seventh Test hundred was overshadowed by an enterprising last wicket stand between Devendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel which propelled West Indies, but England still held the advantage after a rain-hit second day of the second Test here yesterday.
West Indies were bowled out for a respectable 299 in their first innings after resuming the day on 188 for five, with the right-handed Samuels hitting 103.
Captain Denesh Ramdin chipped in with 31, Bishoo got a career-best 30 and Jason Holder, a cameo 22, as West Indies battled three rain interruptions to add 111 for the loss of their last five wickets at the Grenada National Stadium.
Photo by WICB Media/Randy Brooks of Brooks Latouche Photography
Samuels and Ramdin put on 94 for the sixth wicket and when four wickets tumbled for 24 runs in the post-lunch session to leave the hosts on 247 for nine, Bishoo and Gabriel added an entertaining 52 to put the Windies on the brink of the 300-run mark.
At the close, however, England were making a strong reply at 74 without loss, with captain Alistair Cook unbeaten on 37 partnered by Jonathan Trott on 32.
On a day when only 60.4 overs were possible because of rain, West Indies rallied under murky skies, defying an England seam attack inspired by familiar conditions.
Rain delayed the start until 10:45 am and even then, allowed only 8.5 overs before returning again at 11:23 am to force an early lunch, with West Indies having reached 201 without further loss.
Only 13 deliveries were possible after the break before heavy rain sent players and officials from the field at 12:48 pm.
West Indies were 214 for five with Samuels having added one to his lunch time score of 97 and Ramdin unbeaten on 26.
When play resumed at 2 pm, Samuels wasted little time in bringing up his hundred when he steered seamer Jimmy Anderson to third man for four, in the second over after the resumption.
He required 40 balls to get the remaining six runs needed to reach the landmark.
Two balls later in the same over, Samuels lost the discipline that had characterised his innings, wafting injudiciously at a back-of-a-length delivery and edging a sharp catch to Ian Bell at second slip.
All told, he faced 228 deliveries in just under five hours at the crease and struck 14 fours.
Ramdin, who started the day on six, played freely in the time available, unfurling a couple of exquisite drives including a lovley punch through mid-on off seamer Benn Stokes.
However, he followed Samuels with ten runs added at 233 for seven, edging seamer Stuart Broad behind, after facing 80 balls and counting five fours in 142 minutes.
Holder then took centre stage with a fluent innings, facing a mere 28 balls and striking a four and two sixes.
The tall right-hander stroked Anderson down the ground for four and then pulled him over square leg for six when the bowler dropped short in his next over.
He smacked Broad over the ropes at wide long on but then flirted with the very next delivery and nicked behind to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.
Kemar Roach perished for just one to leave West Indies floundering but Bishoo and Gabriel, who finished on 20 not out – his highest Test score – ensured the tail wagged.
The left-handed Bishoo carved out four fours in a knock lasting 48 balls while Gabriel faced 30 deliveries and lashed a four and a six – a thunderous blow over long off Broad.
Bishoo showed more finesse, getting off the mark with a lovely square drive for four off Anderson and then cover-driving seamer Ben Stokes for another boundary.
He again punched Stokes delightfully to the mid-on boundary a few overs later before carting Barbados-born pacer Chris Jordan over the in-field for yet another four.
The innings ended when Bishoo finally fell, missing a sweep at off-spinner Moeen Ali and being adjudged lbw.
Broad finished with four for 61 while Anderson (2-47) and Jordan (2-65) claimed two wickets apiece.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES 1st Innings
(overnight 188 for five)
K Brathwaite b Anderson 1
D Smith c wkp Buttler b Jordan 15
D Bravo c Cook b Broad 35
M Samuels c Bell b Anderson 103
S Chanderpaul c Ali b Stokes 1
J Blackwood lbw b Jordan 26
*+D Ramdin c wkp Buttler b Broad 31
J Holder c wkp Buttler b Broad 22
K Roach c Root b Broad 1
D Bishoo lbw b Ali 30
S Gabriel not out 20
Extras: (b5, lb6, w1, nb2) 14
TOTAL: (all out; 104.4 overs) 299
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Brathwaite), 2-28 (Smith), 3-65 (Bravo), 4-74 (Chanderpaul), 5-129 (Blackwood), 6-223 (Samuels), 7-233 (Ramdin), 8-246 (Holder), 9-247 (Roach), 10-299 (Bishoo)
Bowling: Anderson 24-10-47-2, Broad 24-9-61-4, Jordan 25-4-65-2 (w1, nb2), Moeen Ali 13.4-1-47-1, Stokes 17-7-66-1, Trott 1-0-2-0.
ENGLAND 1st Innings
*A Cook not out 37
I Trott not out 32
Extras: (nb5) 5
TOTAL: (without loss, 26 overs) 74
To bat: G Ballance, I Bell, J Root, B Stokes, +J Buttler, C Jordan, S Broad, M Ali, J Anderson.
Bowling: Roach 6-1-21-0 (nb2), Gabriel 4-1-16-0 (nb3), Holder 6-2-20-0, Bishoo 7-2-16-0, Samuels 3-2-1-0.
Position: England trail by 225 runs with all 10 wickets intact.
Toss: England.
Umpires: S Davis, B Oxenford; TV – B Bowden.
