West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor bowls during action on the first day of the first Test in the Digicel Home Series against England at Sabina Park yesterday. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

A fairly decent all-round effort from the West Indies put them in a good position against England at the end of the first day of the first Digicel Test of the 2009 Home Series at Sabina Park yesterday.

Sent to field after losing the toss the West Indies, behind a marathon bowling performance of 2-64 from left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, restricted England to 236-5 when stumps were drawn.

Benn, who bowled 33 overs from the George Headley stand end, was best supported in the bowling department by pacer Darren Powell, who claimed 1-31, captain Chris Gayle, 1-35 and Jerome Taylor, 1-56.

England, who are seeking to record back-to-back series wins over the regional team after their last stop in 2003-04 produced a 3-0 win, were spearheaded by a patientand calculated knock from their star batsman, Kevin Pietersen, who in striking 12 fours and a six, top-scored with 97.

Pietersen fell three runs short of what would have been his 16th Test century in 45 Tests when, attempting to hit Benn for four consecutive boundaries - after hitting two fours and the only six of the day, a huge hit into the George Headley Stands - he skied a catch that wicketkeeper Ramdin gloved in the middle of the field.

The fall of the wicket, which came just shy of an hour before the scheduled close of play, brought joy to the West Indies, who gathered at the centre of the wicket to celebrate with Benn, who said it was a proud moment for him.

"He was sticking in and appeared as if he wanted to go for a big one, so to have get him when we did was a good one," said the lanky Benn, who, in three Tests has taken eight wickets at an average of 58.62. "It was a good wicket, as it has now strengthened our chances of getting into their tail and restricting them," he added.

Defiant

Middle-order batsman Andrew Flintoff, who shared in a defiant and prosperous 186-runs fifth-wicket stand with Pietersen, is not out on 43, while wicketkeeper Matt Prior will resume on 27.

"We would have wanted more runs, but 236-5 isn't a bad total. Our hope is to come here tomorrow (today) and get as big as a total as we possibly can," said Pietersen, who was stripped of the England captaincy last month after a row with former coach Peter Moores, who was sacked.

The West Indies, who are seeking to turn the tables after three successive series defeats to the visitors, began the day positively and while not taking a flurry of wickets in the first session, bowled with accuracy and purpose to have England at 73-3 at the luncheon interval.

England skipper Strauss was the first to fall. After a shaky start where he was dropped at third slip by Xavier Marshall off the swinging pace of Jerome Taylor, he edged to Ramdin after scoring seven, this with only eight runs on the board.

Dangerous

Next to go was his opening partner, the left-handed Alastair Cook, who, after seeing off most of Taylor and Powell's overs and appearing to be settling in, attempted a pull off the latter, only to find Ramnaresh Sarwan at short mid-on at 31.

Cook's dismissal then brought the dangerous Pietersen to the crease and along with the composed-looking Ian Bell, who crafted 28 - including three fours - shared in a 40-run third-wicket stand, which was broken by Gayle, who had the latter caught by Marshall at second slip with the score on 71.

Pietersen was then joined by Collingwood, but he, too, looked a bit shaky and with the score on 94, departed for 16 off the bowling of Benn, who exacted bounce and turn to have him lbw after the right-hander attempted a slug sweep but failed to make contact.

This brought the hard-hitting Flintoff and along with Pietersen, they treated fair-size gathering, which grew as the day progressed, to a number of delighted fours straight and square of the wicket.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st Innings:

A. Strauss c wkpr Ramdin b Taylor 7A. Cook c Sarwan b Powell 4I. Bell c D.S. Smith bGayle 28K. Pietersen c wkpr Ramdin b Benn 97P. Collingwood lbw b Benn 16A. Flintoff not out 43+M. Prior not out 27Extras (b5, lb2, nb7) 14

TOTAL (5 wkts, 359 mins, 88 overs) 236

S. Broad, R. Sidebottom, S. Harmison, M. Panesar to bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Strauss), 2-31 (Cook), 3-71 (Bell), 4-96 (Collingwood), 5-180 (Pietersen).

Bowling: Taylor 13-2-56-1 (nb2); Edwards 10-1-43-0 (nb3); Powell 14-5-31-1 (nb1); Benn 33-10-64-2;Gayle 18-5-35-1.

WEST INDIES:C. Gayle, D. Smith, R. Sarwan, X. Marshall, S. Chanderpaul, B. Nash, +D. Ramdin, J. Taylor, S. Benn, D. Powell, F. Edwards.

Toss: England

Umpires: R. Koertzen, T. Hill, TV Replays: D. Harper, Reserve: N. Malcolm.

Match Referee: A. Hurst.