By Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
West Indies' bowler Pedro Collins (left) and wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs (right) celebrate after taking the wicket of England's Robert Key during the first day of the second Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham yesterday. - Reuters
BIRMINGHAM:
WHEN THE second Test between the West Indies and England got under way at Edgbaston yesterday, there was hope among the Windies fans that their record in the midland city of Birmingham would inspire the tourists in their bid to win the match and level the series at one-one.
In seven matches between the two countries at Edgbaston, the West Indies have won four the last four, one by an innings and 180 runs, one by seven wickets, one by an innings and 64 runs, and one by an innings and 93 runs.
England have won only one 41 years ago, and although they were on the back foot when the day's play ended, that record certainly seems to have lifted the West Indies who recovered from a disappointing start to cool England's batsmen who at one stage were running hot on a good pitch and in fine weather.
At stumps, England, thanks to a superb innings of 105 by Marcus Trescothick, were 313 for five with Andrew Flintoff on 42 not out, Geraint Jones on 27 not out, and although, in terms of runs scored and wickets lost, they are not as well placed as they were at Lord's when they closed the first day on 391 for two, with Flintoff and Jones still there and batting well, with the West Indies sentenced to batting last on a pitch that, according to local knowledge, will crack and break up as the game goes on, they are well placed to push for victory.
WONDERFUL OVATION
Preening himself on the same ground if not on the same pitch that Peter May (287 not out) and Colin Cowdrey (154) posted 411 for the fourth wicket in 1957, Trescothick, only the third England batsmen to score a century against the West Indies in these parts, stroked and smashed 19 boundaries while batting for 251 minutes and facing 182 deliveries before, shortly after tea, he went back, drove at medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo, edged a catch to captain Brian Lara at first slip, and walked away to a wonderful ovation at 210 for four after ticking off his first century against the West Indies and the seventh of a career that is now in its 52nd match.Walking out after England had won the toss and correctly deciding to bat, left-handers Trescothick and Andrew Strauss batted with the easy composure of batsmen having a knock in the nets against bowlers who were there simply for their enjoyment. In the first over, Strauss eased his right foot forward and stroked left-hander Pedro Collins straight for four; in the third over, Trescothick pushed his right forward and drove Collins to the left of point for four; and from there on, the red ball glistened in the sun time and time again as it raced 12 times across the fast outfield as England hopped to 61 without loss off 13 overs in the first hour. Strauss committed suicide when he drove at a wide delivery from Jermaine Lawson and the ever reliable Ridley Jacobs behind the stumps made it 77 for one in the 18th over.
It was 105 for one with 17 boundaries at lunch and remembering that it was 91 for one with 11 boundaries at the first interval at Lord's, it appeared that the West Indies, who had brought in Lawson and Corey Collymore for Fidel Edwards and Tino Best, were in for another hiding especially when, in the first over after lunch, Robert Key went back and drove Collins to the boundary at square cover.
BOUNDARIES
Thanks to Lawson and Bravo, however, although the England batsmen continued to score boundaries at will 49 fours and one six throughout the day, even though Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Graham Thorpe, Flintoff and Jones reeled off some glorious strokes, that was not to be.
On a day when Collins, despite the good fortune of finishing with a wicket, was picked off for 13 boundaries while conceding 75 runs off 16.2 overs, on a day when Collymore, also despite the good fortune of finishing with a wicket, gave up 85 runs off 18 overs, and on another day when offspinner Omari Banks was no better than ordinary, Lawson, one for 47 off 17 overs, and Bravo, two for 42 off 16, were like misers while pocketing a wicket or two.
Collins, coming up with a good delivery 22 minutes after lunch, was the first to pull the reins when Key went on to the back foot, attempted to drive a delivery that left him off the pitch, and edged a simple catch to Lara at first slip.
That was 125 for two; Bravo made it 150 for three when he beat Vaughan through the air and accepted the return catch when the batsman mistimed an attempted drive. He then made it 210 for four when he cut down Trescothick; and just when the experienced Thorpe appeared set to go all the way to his 15th Test century, Collymore made it 262 for five when, fortunately for him, the left-hander went back to pull a short delivery, played over the ball, and handed Jacobs a catch off the bottom edge of his bat.
At that stage the contest appeared nicely balanced.
Flintoff and Jones were at the top of their form, however, and with Flintoff smashing Banks over mid-wicket for and lofting Lawson high to the long-off boundary, with Jones playing two splendid drives off Collymore in over one through extra-cover, one through mid-wicket, the pair handed England the honours by the time ended the day's play with 4.4 overs still to come.
