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LONDON, Aug 19: Ian Bell notched a debut half century and Andrew Flintoff hit his eighth in eight Tests to help England to 313 for five at stumps on day one of the fourth Test against West Indies at The Oval on Thursday.
Flintoff also brought up 2,000 runs in Test cricket with an attacking 72 not out. Geraint Jones was with him on 22 at the close. Bell (70) earlier shared a 146-run stand with captain Michael Vaughan (66) as England set about chasing a record-equalling seventh successive Test win, having already wrapped up the four-match series 3-0.
However, West Indies hit back by removing both batsman in the final session and will be looking to restrict the hosts to under 400 on Friday. Bell, with an average of more than 80 for Warwickshire in county cricket this season, replaced the injured Graham Thorpe and played some streaky defensive shots early on, as well as being hit on the shoulder by a feisty Fidel Edwards ball.
The 22-year-old went on to stroke 10 elegant fours before he nicked a sharp Jermaine Lawson ball behind, giving the recalled paceman his second wicket after he dismissed Andrew Strauss before lunch.
Vaughan, making his 50th Test appearance, edged Dwayne Bravo to Brian Lara at slip in practically his only loose shot of the innings. England had been in trouble on 64 for three after lunch when Marcus Trescothick (30) and Robert Key fell within four balls of each other.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND (1st Innings):
M.E. Trescothick c Sarwan b Edwards 30
A.J. Strauss c Edwards b Lawson 14
R.W.T. Key c Baugh b Bravo 10
M.P. Vaughan c Lara b Bravo 66
I.R. Bell c Baugh b Lawson 70
A. Flintoff not out 72
G.O. Jones not out 22
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-10, W-3, NB-15) 29
TOTAL (for five wkts, 90 overs) 313
FALL OF WKTS: 1-51, 2-64, 3-64, 4-210, 5-236.
TO BAT: A.F. Giles, M.J. Hoggard, S.J. Harmison, J.M. Anderson.
BOWLING (to-date): Edwards 15-3-50-1 (5nb, 1w); Collymore 18-7-36-0 (4nb); Lawson 16-2-84-2 (4nb, 1w); Bravo 17-4-48-2 (2nb); Smith 12-3-44-0 (1w); Gayle 5-0-18-0; Sarwan 7-0-22-0.
WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, S.C. Joseph, R.R. Sarwan, B.C. Lara, S. Chanderpaul, D.R. Smith, D.J.J. Bravo, C.S. Baugh, C.D. Collymore, J.J.C. Lawson, F.H. Edwards. -Reuters
