England looking to force victory
Kevin Pietersen needs to play a big innings for England
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Monday, 09, Mar 2009 10:25
England have given themselves a chance of winning the fifth Test against the West Indies and levelling the series.
After bowling the West Indies out for 544, which meant England had a two run first innings lead, openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Coook came out looking to score quick runs and they ended the day on 80/3. Kevin Pietersen (34) and Paul Collingwood (1) are the two batsmen at the crease for England.
In a day when spectators witnessed two West Indies players scoring centuries and a riveting late day battle between Pietersen and Fidel Edwards, it was the referral system which reared its ugly head and was the talking point of the day.
It started with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was given out on 90 after he looked to have edged-behind to Matt Prior off the bowing of Graeme Swann. Chanderpaul referred the decision and third umpire Aleem Dar felt he could see space between the bat and the ball and that Chanderpaul hadn't edged the ball.
Chanderpaul went on to hit a 147 not out and was given good support by Brenadan Nash who scored his maiden Test century. The West Indies lost their last four wickets for 24 runs and England suddenly had a chance to try and put themselves into a position to force an unlikely win.
England started their innings with the intent of playing in one-day mode and putting as many runs on the board as quick as possible.
Struass struck a couple of boundaries before he nicked-behind to Dinesh Ramdin off Lionel Baker. Despite their being a huge noise, which looked to come off nothing but the bat, umpire Daryl Harper gave the England skipper not out. Unsurprisingly the Windies referred the decision, but the third umpire decided to go with Harper and gave the decision not out.
In the end the decision didn't matter as Strauss was out a couple overs later for just 14 as he was caught and bowled by Gayle.
Owais Shah failed with the bat again as he under-edged behind to Ramdin off Baker and was sent packing after just scoring one run.
Cook and Pietersen added 45 runs at five runs and over, but then Cook fell for 24. The opener felt he hadn't made contact with the ball off the bowling of Ryan Hinds and asked the decision to be referred. But the third umpire agreed with the on-field umpire and Cook was given out, even though replays suggested he had made no contact with the ball.
The referral system took centre stage once again in the very next ball when the West Indies thought they had Paul Collingwood out lbw. The on-field umpire give the batsman not out and the third umpire agreed on referal.
Pietersen kept England ticking over by hitting a huge six and three fours and it now seems any hopes England have on winning rest on the shoulders of their flamboyant former captain.