June 08, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

MANCHESTER (England), June 7: Ian Bell closed in on a battling seventh Test hundred as England reached 296 for seven on the first day of the third Test against West Indies at Old Trafford on Thursday.

Both teams enjoyed good periods as England, after winning the toss, reached 112 for one at lunch. West Indies, recovering from their record test defeat at Leeds, hit back with four wickets in the afternoon session when England managed just 55 runs.

Bell's effort of 77 not out from 150 balls ensured England recovered from 166 for five to a relatively competitive total on a pitch that is offering some pace and bounce to the quicker bowlers.

England, 1-0 up in the four-match series after drawing at Lord's and winning at Headingley, are seeking to claim a series-clinching victory before next week's fourth Test in Durham.

Alastair Cook (60) and captain Michael Vaughan (41) appeared to be taking England towards a dominant position after the loss of Andrew Strauss in the third over for six. Strauss is now without a half-century in 14 Test innings.

Vaughan showed no signs of distraction despite being embroiled in controversy over a media interview this week and seemed to relish the adversity.

He received a polite, if not a raucous, reception from the crowd after criticising team-mate and local favourite Andrew Flintoff in The Guardian on Tuesday.

West Indies hit back hard after lunch when Corey Collymore bowled Vaughan to make it 117 for two and that became 132 for four when Kevin Pietersen and Cook fell without a run being added.

Pietersen was caught on the boundary by Dwayne Bravo while hooking Collymore.

Cook then was caught in the gully off debutant seamer Darren Sammy, who claimed the first wicket by a player from St Lucia.

England slumped to 166 for five when Paul Collingwood was lbw to Jerome Taylor.

The wicket of Matt Prior for 40 in the final hour evened the contest. Fast bowler Fidel Edwards went without reward for much of the day but bowled Liam Plunkett with the new ball in his penultimate over for a deserved wicket.

England played the same team that won the second Test while West Indies made three changes. Sammy, Edwards and Shivnarine Chanderpaul replaced Sylvester Joseph, Daren Powell and injured skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A.J. Strauss lbw b Taylor 6

A.N. Cook c Bravo b Sammy 60

M.P. Vaughan b Collymore 41

K.P. Pietersen c Bravo b Collymore 9

P.D. Collingwood lbw b Taylor 10

I.R. Bell not out 77

M.J. Prior c Morton b Bravo 40

L.E. Plunkett b Edwards 13

S.J. Harmison not out 2

EXTRAS (B-10, LB-7, W-5, NB-16) 38

TOTAL (for seven wkts, 86 overs) 296

FALL OF WKTS: 1-13, 2-117, 3-132, 4-132, 5-166, 6-264, 7-285.

TO BAT: R.J. Sidebottom, M.S. Panesar.

BOWLING (to-date): Taylor 15-1-52-2 (3nb, 2w); Edwards 15-2-75-1 (10nb, 1w); Collymore 20-5-44-2 (3nb); Bravo 19-4-76-1 (2w); Sammy 17-7-32-1.

WEST INDIES: C.H. Gayle, D. Ganga, D.S. Smith, R.S. Morton, S. Chanderpaul, D.J. Bravo, D.J.G. Sammy, D. Ramdin, J.E. Taylor, F.H. Edwards, C.D. Collymore.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: P.J. Hartley (England).

MATCH REFEREE: Alan Hurst (Australia).—Agencies