West Indies' fast bowler Courtney Walsh (left) watches as his delivery demolishes England batsman Darren Gough's stumps during the 5th Test match at the Oval yesterday.LONDON
FORTUNE often favours the brave. Yesterday, however, the second day of the fifth and final Test between the West Indies and England at The Oval, was one of those days when it did not - at least as far as the West Indies are concerned.
One-two down, the West Indies must win the Test match to share the series and to protect their magnificent record of not losing to England in 31 years, and after a wonderful recovery on the first day when they picked five wickets towards the end of the day to share the honours, they returned in a dangerous mood yesterday, and threatened to take control.
The gods, however, were in England's favour.
After the lovely sunshine on day one, rain, which stopped play on three occasions, washed away 42 of the day's allotted 90 overs, and at the end of a disappointing day during which the former world champions were robbed of valuable time, the contest was still interestingly poised with the West Indies on 13 without loss in reply to England's 281.
With England, once sailing along smoothly at 159 without loss before losing five wickets for 62 runs, resuming on 221 for five, the West Indies snatched the last five wickets for 60 runs off 33 overs in between the showers as England, needing only a draw to tick off their first series victory against the West Indies in 14 attempts since 1969 and batting as if they were playing for a draw, failed to bat themselves into a position of safety.
Unfortunately for the West Indies, who mixed aggression with caution by bowling aggressively to a defensive field, the rain not only interrupted them as they moved in to mop up the England innings, but it also delayed their reply - the time lost in both situations working against them and in England's favour.
With captain James Adams calling for the second new ball the moment Courtney Walsh had completed his unfinished over of the previous day, rain sent the players off after three overs; after Curtly Ambrose - two for 38 off 30 overs, Walsh - three for 68 off 35.4, and Nixon McLean - three for 80 off 29 - had combined for three wickets in four overs as England slipped from 254 for five to 255 for eight at lunch, rain sent them off again after one over; and after Walsh had wrapped up the innings with two quick wickets, the rain came tumbling down again and delayed the start of the Windies innings until 5.50 when the umpires ruled that only another 21 overs were possible.
Probably looking too much at a bonus of 215,000 pounds sterling if they win the series, Graham Thorpe and Graeme Hick, 31 and two respectively overnight, resumed the England innings like batsmen who were told that their job was to bat for as long as possible - even if they did not score a run. The result was that although they batted for 93 minutes minus 16 for rain, when they were cut down one behind the other by some clever bowling, England had added only 33 runs off 119.2 overs and were far from comfortable.
Hick, known as a batsman who does not like short-pitched bowling, was trapped leg before wicket for 17 at 254 for six by Ambrose who followed up two screaming bouncers with a well pitched delivery which caught the right-hander easing forward timidly; and Thorpe, as was the case at Old Trafford, was destroyed by a slower delivery from Walsh - the left-hander surprised by a 67-mile an hour swinging delivery from a man who now bowls at an average speed of 80 and plumb leg before wicket for 40 at 254 for seven.
McLean made it 255 for eight when he sent away Dominic Cork leg before wicket for zero and after Andy Caddick had struck England's first boundary in three hours, Walsh wrapped up the innings to complete a good recovery by the West Indies.
"Yu know something sah," said a dread-locked Jamaican during the tea interval as the West Indies waited to start their reply. "We going to bus dem up. Dem boy ya caan beat wi."
There were not many West Indians who shared that sentiment, however - not only because they have little faith in the batsmen on this West Indies team, but also because the ball, all be it not yet alarmingly, has started to bounce awkwardly off the Oval pitch.
May be they were concerned with simply playing out time and were too cautious. Whatever it was, Sherwin Campbell, on six, and Adrian Griffith, on four, did not look comfortable in the 14 overs from Darren Gough and Caddick.
By Tony Becca
Senior Sport Editor
