England is Driving Position on Antigua Test

Page last updated at 21:17 GMT, Wednesday, 18 February 2009 West Indies v England 3rd Test Antigua, 15-19 February 2009

Third Test, Antigua (day three, close): England 566-9 dec & 221-8 dec v West Indies 285 & 143-3 Swann's fine form continued with the wicket of Chris Gayle England remain in full control of the third Test after setting West Indies 503 to win and reducing them to 143-3 by the close on day four in Antigua. After the tourists resumed on 31-1, Alastair Cook's 58 helped them to 221-8 declared with over a session remaining. West Indies reached tea on 32-0 but then lost Devon Smith, Chris Gayle and Ryan Hinds in quick succession. The key pair of Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul return to the crease on the final morning. Weather reports suggest a 40% chance of rain in Antigua on Thursday but unless it arrives West Indies will be desperate for Sarwan (47no) and Chanderpaul (18no) to forge a lengthy partnership. The Caribbean islanders hold the record for a successful fourth innings run chase - they scored 418-7 to beat Australia at this stadium, the Antigua Recreation Ground, in 2003 - but avoiding defeat is likely to be their priority on this occasion. England will be pleased with their position going into day five and must hope the ARG pitch continues to break up and show signs of unpredictable bounce. Their only concern surrounds the fitness of Andrew Flintoff, whose hip injury seems to be restricting his movement considerably. Flintoff was dropped to number eight in the batting order and seemed in some discomfort as he recorded his second duck of the match before bowling just three overs in the Windies second innings. The day started slowly for England and 16 deliveries had passed before Cook and night-watchman James Anderson got the scoreboard moving. Anderson, dropped at slip by Gayle off the bowling of Fidel Edwards, contributed just 16 runs in the opening hour and, perhaps to England's relief, he was eventually caught behind off Daren Powell. Owais Shah's arrival was timely for the tourists and the Middlesex right-handed signalled his intent by clubbing Powell over midwicket for six. The 30-year-old was a picture of confidence until ambition got the better of him and, pulling at a Powell delivery that was never there to be pulled, saw his middle stump knocked back. It looked as though the stage was set for a Twenty20-style cameo from Kevin Pietersen but the former captain was fortunate to survive when umpire Daryl Harper called a no ball after he was caught and bowled by Sulieman Benn. Cook weighed in with his second half-century of the match As in his first innings, the expansive Pietersen looked to be struggling for rhythm and failed to properly execute any of his numerous attempted switch-hit strokes. Cook notched his 18th Test fifty before lunch but the Essex left-hander had faced just four balls after the re-start when he gloved Hinds to Smith at slip. With Pietersen now partnered by Paul Collingwood, England seemed to adopt a greater sense of abandonment. Both batsmen took thumping boundaries off one Taylor over before Collingwood (34) clubbed Hinds over wide long-on. Pietersen would have been run out had West Indies asked for a direct hit by Brendan Nash to be referred to the third umpire, but he fell moments later after nicking Benn to wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin. Strauss decided against calling England in - he was evidently keen to establish a lead of at least 500 - but it was wickets, rather than runs, that came more readily. Collingwood lost his stumps to Hinds, Stuart Broad was run out and Flintoff volleyed Benn to midwicket. A swept six over midwicket by Matt Prior and Steve Harmison's emphatic heave over midwicket took the lead to 502 and heralded the declaration. Gayle and Smith to the hosts' second innings off to a fairly cautious start, declining the opportunity to take risks but punishing the bad balls with a series of beautiful off-side drives and cuts. Neither batsman was troubled as West Indies eased their way through to tea but England's bowling unit looked pumped up as they returned for the final session and the breakthrough would not be long in coming. Graeme Swann was dispatched by Gayle for two crunching boundaries in his first over after the break but the off-spinner continued to probe in the dangerous footholes outside off-stump. At the other end Harmison was finding a consistent line and length and he gained reward for his disciplined spell with the lbw dismissal of Devon Smith. That decision was somewhat dubious - Smith appeared to be struck a touch high - but there was no doubt surrounding the end of Gayle after he was trapped plumb by a jubilant Swann. West Indies were in serious danger of collapsing when Hinds drove Broad tamely to Shah at short midwicket but Sarwan and Chanderpaul were on hand to steady the innings and guide their side through to the close.