Rain kills final day's drama

Rain kills final day's drama
Tony Lawrence

MANCHESTER, AUGUST 7: The third Test between England and West Indies ended in anti-climax at Old Trafford on Monday as rain and bad light killed off the chance of a dramatic finish on the final afternoon. West Indies captain Jimmy Adams threw down the gauntlet to his pace attack, declaring the second innings on 438 for seven after an hour's play to set England 293 to win from a minimum of 71 overs.

The home side responded positively, scoring at almost four an over to reach 42 without loss by lunch before the bad weather closed in. Two hours were lost to intermittent showers before the players were forced off for the final time, this time for bad light, with England stranded on 80 for one.

The stalemate left the series tied at 1-1 with two matches to play. The next Test begins at Headingley on August 17.

The day had begun with West Indies on 381 for six and in the driving seat, thanks to Brian Lara's rapid 112 the previous day. They soon lost Franklyn Rose lbw to a Craig White inswinger but then accelerated before the declaration, Ambrose smashing off-spinner Robert Croft for a straight six and pulling seamer Dominic Cork to the mid-wicket fence on his way to 36 not out from 45 deliveries. Jacobs finished on 42 not out as the pair added 54.

England, effectively out of the game, responded brightly despite an early scare when opener Marcus Trescothick edged just wide of the slips for four during Courtney Walsh's first over.

The left-handed Test debutant, who made 66 in the first innings, settled his nerves by turning the same bowler off his hip for another four and then hauling Curtly Ambrose to the mid-wicket fence. The Somerset 24-year-old ended on 38 not out, giving him a Test average of 104 after his first game.

Michael Atherton, playing in his 100th Test, was the one wicket to fall, caught behind for 28 as he fenced at Walsh with the score on 61.

Nasser Hussain, meanwhile, struggling with the bat after missing England's second-Test win with a fractured thumb, looked unconvincing again as wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs missed him off a regulation catch off Walsh after he had made just a single. He ended on six not out.

Until the final afternoon, the initiative had swung from one team to the other. England dismissed West Indies for 157 in their first innings and raced to 169 for three in reply, with Alec Stewart, also in his 100th Test, making 105. But West Indies hit back as Ambrose and Walsh both took four wickets to restrict England to 303 before Lara's 14th Test century gave them the upper hand.

West Indies -- first innings: 157
England -- first innings: 303
West Indies -- second innings:
A Campbell c Cork b White 55

A Griffiths lbw b Croft 54
W Hinds c Stewart b Gough 25
B Lara (run out) 112
J Adams lbw b Cork 53
R Sarwan lbw b Caddick 19
R Jacobs (not out) 42
F Rose lbw b White 10
C Ambrose (not out) 36
Extras (b-14, lb-4, w-2, nb-12) 32
Total (for seven wickets, declared) 438
Fall of wickets:1-96 2-145 3-164 4-302 5-335 6-373 7-384
Bowling:Gough 27-5-96-1, Caddick 23-4-64-1, Cork 28-9-64-1,Croft 47-8-124-1, White 27-5-67-2, Trescothick 1-0-2-0, Vaughan 2-1-3-0
England -- second innings

M Atherton c Jacobs b Walsh 28
M Trescothick (not out) 38
N Hussain (not out) 6
Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-3) 8
Total (for one wicket) 80
Fall of wicket: 1-61
Bowling:Ambrose 12-2-31-0, Walsh 14-6-19-1, King2.4-0-15-0, Adams 5-1-10-0
Result:test dtawn
Series:Level at 1-1
Fourth Test:Leeds (Headingley), August 17-21
Fifth Test:London (The Oval), August 31-September 4.