England paceman Stephen Harmison delivered the occasional gem admist a flurry of wide deliveries to help leave West Indies 153 for three in reply to England's 370, a deficit of 217, at tea on the second day of the third Test at Old Trafford here on Friday.
Devon Smith was 40 not out and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, West Indies' most experienced batsman who'd missed their record-breaking innings and 283-run defeat in the second Test at Headingley with a knee injury, 15 not out.
Harmison had figures of two for 39 from eight overs but the inclusion of eight wides gave a clue to his waywardness. England, 1-0 up in the four-match series, saw Harmison's first over began with a wide.
Two dot balls were then followed by four byes and another wide, the Durham quick looking as wayward as he's been earlier in the series. But, with new England bowling advisor Allan Donald, the former South Africa quick, watching on, Harmison then pitched one straight to have West Indies captain Daren Ganga, leading the team in place of the injured Ramnaresh Sarwan, plumb lbw for five.
However, Harmison should have been stopped from bowling until 30 minutes into West Indies' reply under Cricket's Law 17.1 after breaking the rule which prevents players practising on the square when the match is in progress, during the break between innings.
At lunch, West Indies were 17 for one. Afterwards, Gayle moved on to 23 when, trying to drive Liam Plunkett - who'd been practising with Harmison during the innings break - he lost control and was caught in the gully by Alastair Cook.
Plunkett bowled with great control than Harmison and at tea had figures of one for 18 from seven overs. Meanwhile Harmison, who last year in the first innings at Old Trafford took six for 19 against Pakistan, remained wildly off target.
Nevertheless, he eventually ended a third-wicket stand of 67 when Runako Morton, on 35 which included a six off left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, edged a rising straight delivery to Andrew Strauss at first slip. Edwards, much improved having bowled too short and too wide on the first day, finished with figures of three for 94 from 20.1 overs. However, his 12 no-balls were a major factor in a high extras total of 47.
ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS (OVERNIGHT: 296-7)
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A. Strauss lbw b Taylor 6
A. Cook c Bravo b Sammy 60
M. Vaughan b Collymore 41
K. Pietersen c Bravo b Collymore 9
P. Collingwood lbw b Taylor 10
I. Bell c Ramdin b Collymore 97
M. Prior c Morton b Bravo 40
L. Plunkett b Edwards 13
S. Harmison c Ramdin b Edwards 18
R. Sidebottom b Edwards 15
M. Panesar not out 14
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Extras: (b15, lb8, w6, nb18) 47
Total: (all out, 105.1 overs) 370
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Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Strauss), 2-117 (Vaughan), 3-132 (Pietersen), 4-132 (Cook), 5-166 (Collingwood), 6-264 (Prior), 7-285 (Plunkett), 8-324 (Harmison), 9-338, 10-370 (Sidebottom)
Bowling: Taylor 20-1-67-2 (3nb, 2w); Edwards 20.1-2-94-3 (12nb, 1w); Collymore 25-5-60-3 (3nb, 1w); Bravo 23-4-94-1 (2w); Sammy 17-7-32-1
WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS:
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C. Gayle c Cook b Plunkett 23
D. Ganga lbw b Harmison 5
D. Smith not out 40
R. Morton c Strauss b Harmison 35
S. Chanderpaul not out 15
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Extras: (b16, lb8, w9, nb2) 35
Total: (3 wkts, 30 overs, 133 mins) 153
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