http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 – 3rd Test (Day 4) – Match Recap – England trail by 205 as Tino Best brings Windies up to 426
A lower-order surprise was in store for the West Indies on the fourth day (June 10) of the 3rd Wisden Trophy Test, currently being played at Edgbaston in Birmingham, as Tino Best, coming in at number 11, scored a whopping 95, and set up a 10th wicket 143-run stand with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/D-Ramdin-c1299 (107) which brought their side up to a solid 426.
England’s top order failed to fire in response, and with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IR-Bell-c1597 (76) providing some much-needed stability, the hosts reached 221 by the end of the day, with the Windies still leading by 205.
With the first two days of play having been washed out due to rain, the fifth and final day spells England’s last opportunity to make it a 3-0 series whitewash, after having won the first two matches. However, the tourists’ improving performances, and particularly Best’s game-changing knock, have lowered England’s chances by a considerable degree.
The fourth day of play began with the West Indies at 280 for 8, with Ramdin (60) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ST-Finn-c2566 in the very first over of the day, bringing the pacer’s tally up to three wickets. The Windies appeared to have fallen for a low score in their first innings when number 11 batsman Best stepped up to the crease.
Best’s 95 proved not only to be the saving grace of the tourists’ innings, but also made it to the record books for being the highest individual total of all time by a number 11 batsman in Test cricket, as well as the highest individual score in a last-wicket stand in West Indies Test history. In addition to Best’s knock, Ramdin also brought his 60 up to an unbeaten 107 – his second Test century.
The partnership came to an end in the 130th over, when Best was caught out by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/G-Onions-c1449 (who finished as the Poms’ highest wicket-taker with 4 for 88), with the Windies at a substantial 426 – 146 runs more than what they had begun with on day 4.
England’s first innings got off to an uninspired start, with the hosts allowing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DJG-Sammy-c1382’s men to claim 3 early wickets, sweeping the crease clean of the top-order.
Skipper Strauss (17) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/IJL-Trott-c1576, who succeeded in contributing only 17 runs before his dismissal at the hands of Sammy in the 11th over.
By now, England were at 40 for 2, and Best stepped in to polish it off, sending Strauss back to the pavilion in the 15th over.
England received some much-needed stability in the shape of a 4th wicket stand between Pietersen (78) and Bell (76), which yielded 137 runs, and got their side up to 186 before Pietersen was dismissed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marlon-Nathaniel-Samuels-c74804, caught out at slip by Sammy.
Bell, however, remained unbeaten till the end of day 4, and was joined by Jonny Bairstow (18) after Pietersen – both batsmen contributed a combined score of 29 runs to the total, before Best, clearly the man of the moment, claimed Bairstow for his second wicket of the day, registering figures of 2 for 37.
Steven Finn was the next up to bat, but had not succeeded in contributing any runs to the total as the Poms finished day 4 at 221 for 5 – trailing by 205. The fifth and final day at Edgbaston, on June 11, will prove crucial as England fight to claim a 3-0 sweep from the West Indies who appear bent on having the last say in the series.
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