LEEDS (England), May 27: The third day of the second Test between England and West Indies was abandoned without a single delivery bowled at Headingley on Sunday.

England had been in control of the match after two days, scoring 570 for seven before bowling West Indies out for 146 and then reducing them to 22 for two when following on.

West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan is almost certainly not going to bat because of a shoulder injury.

The washout means that the England and Wales Cricket Board will have to refund 450,000 pounds ($893,400) to the spectators who were due to attend the sold-out match.

On Saturday, Ryan Sidebottom marked his return to Test cricket by taking six wickets in a day to leave England on the brink of an innings victory.

Sidebottom took four wickets for 42 runs – his first at this level – as West Indies were bowled out for 146.

And he then struck twice, in his second Test, before the close to leave West Indies, following on, 22 for two and needing 402 more to make England bat again with night-watchman Daren Powell lbw for nought off the day's last ball.

That left Sidebottom with a second innings return of two for 12 in five overs and a match haul so far of six for 54.

Before the close, Sidebottom had Daren Ganga lbw for nine. Chris Gayle was nine not out.

West Indies first innings lasted just 37 overs with Sarwan unable to bat following the shoulder injury sustained while fielding on Friday. Only Devon Smith (26), Jerome Taylor (23 not out) and Dwayne Bravo (23) got past 20.

Left-arm quick Sidebottom, six years after a wicketless Test debut, and in only his second match at this level, gave England's pace attack some much needed control after their wayward display in the drawn opener at Lord's.

Durham and England quicks Liam Plunkett (three for 35) and Stephen Harmison (two for 55) backed up Sidebottom in overcast, pace friendly, conditions.

Sidebottom had replaced the injured Matthew Hoggard for only his second Test since appearing against Pakistan at Lord's in 2001.

But the 29-year-old, the son of Arnie Sidebottom who played one Test for England in 1985, struck twice before tea on his former home ground to have openers Gayle (11) and Ganga (five) both lbw.

Afterwards, West Indies lost three wickets for 14 runs in three overs, Harmison having Sylvester Joseph and Runako Morton nicking behind either side of Plunkett's dismissal of Smith.

Sidebottom bowled all-rounder Bravo around his legs before ending the innings when he had Corey Collymore caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss.

Gayle was then dropped on four by diving keeper Matt Prior off Sidebottom.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 570-7 declared (K.P. Pietersen 226, M.P. Vaughan 103, M.J. Prior 75, L.E. Plunkett 44 not out).

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

C.H. Gayle lbw b Sidebottom 11

D. Ganga lbw b Sidebottom 5

D.S. Smith c Cook b Plunkett 26

S.C. Joseph c Strauss b Harmison 13

R.S. Morton c Prior b Harmison 5

D.J. Bravo b Sidebottom 23

D. Ramdin c Prior b Plunkett 6

D.B.L. Powell c Collingwood b Plunkett 8

J.E. Taylor not out 23

C.D. Collymore c Strauss b Sidebottom 3

R.R. Sarwan absent hurt -

EXTRAS (LB-13, W-4, NB-6) 23

TOTAL (all out, 37 overs) 146

FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-23, 3-68, 4-74, 5-82, 6-94, 7-114, 8-124, 9-146.

BOWLING: Sidebottom 12-2-42-4; Harmison 12-0-55-2 (3nb, 1w); Plunkett 12-1-35-3 (3nb, 3w); Panesar 1-0-1-0.

WEST INDIES (2nd Innings, following on):

C.H. Gayle not out 9

D. Ganga lbw b Sidebottom 11

D.B.L. Powell lbw b Sidebottom 0

EXTRAS (B-1, NB-1) 2

TOTAL (for two wkts, 9 overs) 22

FALL OF WKTS: 1-20, 2-22.

BOWLING (to-date): Sidebottom 5-2-12-2; Plunkett 2-0-6-0 (1nb); Harmison 2-0-3-0.—Agencies