Mixed fortunes for England batsmen
Ian Bell resumes on 77 n.o.
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Thursday, 07, Jun 2007 11:03
England ended the first day of the third Test against the West Indies on 296-7 after a 98-run partnership between Matthew Prior and Ian Bell averted a mid-innings collapse.
After winning the toss Michael Vaughan made the expected decision to bat first on a placid Old Trafford wicket.
But before long, England had lost Andrew Strauss, who went with just 13 on the board after he played all around a straight one from Jerome Taylor and paid for his hesitancy with an lbw decision.
Alastair Cook (60) and Vaughan (41) soon vindicated the skipper's choice to take on the visitors' bowling however.
The pair shared 104 runs at a decent pace before Vaughan's dismissal after lunch signalled the start of an afternoon wobble from the middle order.
The skipper was cleaned out by a Corey Collymore delivery that darted back in and Cook soon gifted Darren Sammy his first Test wicket as he lifted the ball straight to Dwayne Bravo at backward point.
The prized wicket of Kevin Pietersen separated the two dismissals as a typically aggressive pull shot from the number four lacked the power to clear Bravo.
Paul Collingwood's departure for just ten left England stumbling at 166-5, but Prior and Bell dug in to push the score on with well-timed attacking bursts.
The wicketkeeper's shot selection failed him when on 40 though as an ambitious pull off Bravo found only Runako Morton in the deep on the leg-side.
Liam Plunkett was sent back to the pavilion for 13 after being bowled by a sizzling delivery from Fidel Edwards, but with Bell to return to the crease tomorrow on 77, a decent total of over 300 looks likely for the hosts.