BRIDGETOWN: Seamer James Anderson continued his wicket-taking form with three quick strikes as England hit back to leave West Indies wobbling at 37-3 at lunch on day two of the third and final Test at the Kensington Oval here on Saturday.

Earlier, England had been dismissed for 257 while adding only 17 runs to their overnight total of 240-7. Fast bowler Jerome Taylor wrapped up the English tail in rapid fashion by removing Chris Jordan (3), caught behind by Denesh Ramdin, and then clean bowled Stuart Broad (10) and Anderson off successive deliveries.

Jos Buttler (3 not out) ran out of partners when Anderson was cleaned up by a fine in-swinger from Taylor who ended with figures of three for 36.

But Anderson responded immediately by getting Kraigg Brathwaite on the second ball of the innings through a fine catch in the slips by Jordan. Debutant Shai Hope was held low at slip by England captain Alastair Cook for five before Anderson got the prized scalp of Marlon Samuels for nine.

On Friday, Cook made his first Test century in almost two years but lost his wicket in the final over of the opening day’s play.

Cook’s fine, considered innings of 105, guided England away from a shaky start after they lost their first three wickets for just 38 runs. The England captain scored his last century against New Zealand at Headingley in May, 2013, but his delight at ending that barren spell will be tempered by the disappointment at losing his wicket just before the close.

Cook attempted to cut off-spinner Samuels but edged the ball into the gloves of Ramdin.

Cook and Moeen Ali built a major partnership against a West Indies attack that had lost its threat. But just two short of a 100 partnership, Ali (58) was run-out after Cook called for a single that never looked on and Hope at backward point threw accurately to Ramdin for the run out.

Ben Stokes tried to pick up where Moeen had left off but after he made 22 in 69 minutes he steered Gabriel to Hope at gully.

England lead the three Test series 1-0.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings, overnight 240-7):A.N. Cook c Ramdin b Samuels 105I.J.L. Trott c Permaul b Gabriel 0G.S. Ballance b Holder 18I.R. Bell c and b Holder 0J.E. Root c Ramdin b Permaul 33Moeen Ali run out 58B.A. Stokes c Hope b Gabriel 22J.C. Buttler not out 3C.J. Jordan c Ramdin b Taylor 3S.C.J. Broad b Taylor 10J.M. Anderson b Taylor 0

EXTRAS (LB-1, W-1, NB-3) 5

TOTAL (all out, 96.3 overs) 257

FALL OF WKTS: 0-1, 2-38, 3-38, 4-91, 5-189, 6-233, 7-240, 8-247, 9-257.

BOWLING: Taylor 18.3-8-36-3 (3nb); Gabriel 15-3-47-2 (1w); Holder 16-3-34-2; Samuels 27-5-53-1; Permaul 20-1-86-1.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

K.C. Brathwaite c Jordan b Anderson 0S.D. Hope c Cook b Anderson 5D.M. Bravo not out 9M.N. Samuels lbw b Anderson 9S. Chanderpaul not out 9

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-1) 5

TOTAL (for three wkts, 15 overs) 37

FALL OF WKT: 1-0, 2-5, 3-21.

TO BAT: J. Blackwood, D. Ramdin, J.O. Holder, J.E. Taylor, V. Permaul, S.T. Gabriel.

BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 6-4-4-3; Broad 5-1-20-0; Moeen Ali 2-1-20; Root 2-0-6-0.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2015

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