ST JOHN'S, April 13: West Indies tightened their grip on the fourth and final Test as they reduced England to 231 for eight at lunch on day four, still 321 short of avoiding the follow-on.
The touring side resumed Tuesday on 171 for five and all rounder Andrew Flintoff rode his luck to be unbeaten on 68 but Pedro Collins took two wickets and Fidel Edwards one to give Brian Lara's team hope of a morale-boosting victory.
After the excitement of Lara's record-breaking 400 not out in the West Indies' innings of 751 for five, the two sides emerged to a much more subdued atmosphere in the ground. The home side struck early as wicket-keeper Geraint Jones was bowled through the gate by Edwards for 38.
Gareth Batty hit two fours in his eight but then fell to a superb ball from Collins which swung and left him off the pitch, Chris Gayle taking a sharp catch at first slip. That left England in trouble on 205 for seven and things almost got worse for the tourists when Flintoff, on 56, edged Collins to gully but Ricardo Powell spilled a difficult chance to his left.
Flintoff, also dropped by Lara at first slip late on day three, then received another reprieve when Collins spilled a routine caught-and-bowled with the England all-rounder on 67.
Collins took his second wicket of the day and his fourth of the innings when Matthew Hoggard, after scoring one run in 51 minutes, edged him to Ridley Jacobs. Simon Jones was unbeaten on one at lunch.
On Monday, the day dominated by Lara's world record innings of 400 not out, a tired looking England side stumbled to 171 for five at the close of play. England lost skipper Michael Vaughan, caught by Ridley Jacobs for seven off Pedro Collins, though replays suggested the ball had not touched anything on its way through to the wicket-keeper.
Marcus Trescothick fell for 16, caught by Jacobs off Tino Best and when Nasser Hussain was yorked by Best for three as England slipped to 54 for three. Mark Butcher and Graham Thorpe put on 44 for the fourth wicket but both men fell on 98. Butcher was bowled by Collins for 52 and Thorpe top-edged to Collins off Edwards for 10.
Lara spoilt his copybook just a little late on when he dropped Flintoff on 27, trying to throw the ball up in celebration and dropping it behind him. England have already clinched the series by winning the first three Tests.
Scoreboard
WEST INDIES (1st Innings) 751-5 declared (B.C. Lara 400 not out, R.D. Jacobs 107 not out, R.R. Sarwan 90, C.H. Gayle 69).
ENGLAND (1st Innings, overnight 171-5):
M.E. Trescothick c Jacobs b Best 16
M.P. Vaughan c Jacobs b Collins 7
M.A. Butcher b Collins 52
N. Hussain b Best 3
G.P. Thorpe c Collins b Edwards 10
A. Flintoff not out 68
G.O. Jones b Edwards 38
G.J. Batty c Gayle b Collins 8
M.J. Hoggard c Jacobs b Collins 1
S.P. Jones not out 1
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-3, NB-21) 27
TOTAL (for eight wkts, 82 overs) 231
FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-45, 3-54, 4-98, 5-98, 6-182, 7-205, 8-229.
