West Indies, already widely dismissed as no-hopers after the first two days of a three-match series, lost three top-order wickets for no runs in nine balls on the verge of tea to contemplate the possibility of defeat inside three days as England's first-innings lead of 155 looked more impregnable by the minute.
England's pace attack fired in more short balls than has become their habit and it paid dividends. Adrian Barath fell to some disciplined top-of-off bowling from Tim Bresnan, who found slight movement to have him caught at the wicket, Kieron Powell fell to a sucker punch as skipper Andrew Strauss pushed Ian Bell back to deep square and Powell obligingly hooked Stuart Broad into his hands.
Then Darren Bravo was involved in his second run-out incident of the match, only this time unlike the first innings when Shivnarine Chanderpaul pulled rank, Bravo pulled rank on Kirk Edwards. Bravo squirted Bresnan in front of square on the offside then belatedly turned down the run with Edwards halfway down the pitch, whereupon Jonny Bairstow ran him out with a direct hit.
Earlier, it was a new day, a new ball and a new feel to the first Test. A West Indies bowling attack that had failed to swing or seam the ball the previous day suddenly proved itself a different proposition. England, after sedately building a position of strength on the second day, had to work much harder to extend their advantage as they were dismissed 45 minutes into the afternoon session, losing their last seven wickets while adding another 139 runs.
Bell, another England batsman seeking to recover from a tormented winter, played resourcefully in more demanding circumstances before he was last out for 61, hooking Shannon Gabriel to deep square. His ninth-wicket stand of 55 in seven overs with the ebullient Graeme Swann was a useful bonus for England after a period where West Indies could claim to have dominated.
Fidel Edwards swung it most noticeably and there was a bit off seam about too, with Gabriel picking up his first three Test wickets. The cloud cover was the same and so, as near as made no difference, were the lengths West Indies bowled, the technique they displayed the purpose of their approach. It could only be the ball.
Such are the glorious random aspects of cricket. Weather, pitches and even cricket balls can change from day to day. In some sports, and some parts of the world, the lack of uniformity would be viewed as a weakness; in Test cricket it is rightly seen as a strength. But it must have been galling for West Indies.
On the second day, West Indies laboured, England reached 259 for 3, a lead of 16, and Strauss accepted a wonderful opportunity to restate that his place as England captain was impregnable, and did so too at the ground he loves so much. Presented with more responsive conditions, West Indies' pace attack was more of a challenge, not that it perked up their over rate which was less than 12 an hour.
Strauss himself added only a single to his overnight 121 before West Indies successfully turned to DRS to win a wicket for Kemar Roach. It was a successful choice by the captain, Darren Sammy, who received lukewarm support at best from his bowler and wicketkeeper after umpire Marais Erasmus had turned down the appeal. Hot Spot showed a light inside edge as well as contact with his trousers after the ball had nipped back. Strauss must have been grateful that he had played the bulk of his innings the previous day.
Hot Spot is of higher quality this year, according to the host broadcaster, and now able to pick up the light edges that too often have failed to show up. It was another reminder that the best equipment is essential worldwide if DRS is ever to achieve uniformity. That is one aspect of cricket at least where uniformity might be deemed to be a good thing.
Bairstow, seen yawning on the balcony occasionally the previous day as he watched England make guarded progress, suddenly found himself with a more onerous batting debut than he might have expected. He looked settled for a debutant, made his first Test run with a push to cover and produced three fine boundaries - two leg-side clips and a cover drive - before Roach brought one back to have him lbw. Bell's advice not to review was sound.
England were anxious to push on positively with rain forecast later in the game and Matt Prior took nine runs off Sammy in his first over at the crease. But among recognised batsmen his stumps are hit more than most and, as he imagined he might whip a straight one through the leg side, they were hit once more to bring Gabriel his first Test wicket. The following over, Bresnan, fell for nought, dangling his bat at a delivery from Sammy that seamed away a tad to be caught at the wicket.
England reached lunch at 341 for 7 and Broad faced only one delivery afterwards as he was late on a delivery from Edwards that skimmed his off bail. Swann fell in similar fashion to Prior, bowled by Gabriel as he aimed through midwicket, but not before he had exacted some damage, making 30 from 25 balls as he feasted on several wide, fullish deliveries. He had been welcomed with a stomach-high beamer from Edwards, accidental, but worthy nevertheless of a formal first warning by the umpires for intimidatory bowling.
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