Strauss Takes Lead in Slow March to Make Matters Level

Andrew Strauss, with another half-century, was leading the way once more as England set out on their quest to win the final Test and level the series but it was a slow march rather than a charge.

The England captain, with centuries in Antigua and Barbados, carried that scintillating form to Queens Park Oval yesterday, having won the toss. But it was torpid stuff, as, with Strauss on 50, England reached 91 from 39 overs, for the loss of Alastair Cook, progress more wading through the shallows, rather than surfing the wave, on a pitch that might be the surface of Saturn so devoid was it of life in the early stages.

England will be hoping that sufficient runs can accrue from a depleted batting line-up and then that there will be sufficient wear for spinners to take charge. It might be wishful thinking however, for England have not been noticeably successful on the slow turners of Sri Lanka and India, both of which environments this pitch resembles.

As had been anticipated, England made three changes from the side that drew in Bridgetown, with Matt Prior, back from paternity leave replacing Tim Ambrose, Monty Panesar coming back into the side at the expense of Ravi Bopara having missed out to Graeme Swann in the last two matches, and a first cap for Amjad Khan, who plays in place of Ryan Sidebottom, and was presented with his cap by Nasser Hussain, the former England captain, before play.

There were changes for West Indies too, the batting strengthened by the inclusion of Lendl Simmons, the local boy who scored 282 against the tourists in St Kitts at the start of the tour, but the bowling consequently depleted by the absence of Jerome Taylor – who is injured and has been replaced by Lionel Baker, the 24 year old from Montserrat, and Sulieman Benn, the left arm spinner who is merely – and mysteriously – deemed surplus to requirement.

With one of the games greatest stonewallers, Shivnarine Chanderpaul down to number six, West Indies were battening down the hatches to try and preserve their lead which doesn't quite stack up with Gayle's stated desire to avoid negative thoughts and concentrate on winning. After a decade of being largely ridiculed however it is hard to blame them.

All the pontificating and predictions regarding the pitch came to an end as Fidel Edwards galloped in to deliver the first ball, which Strauss clipped easily away to leg to get off the mark. There was no pace to be had, as the ball was barely carrying knee high through to Denesh Ramdin, either from Edwards or Daren Powell, who characteristically had begun by gifting Strauss a couple of deliveries short and wide into which he could tuck with glee.

Edwards, who has flogged himself on the shirt fronts in the two previous Tests, was clearly not in the mood this time, barely reaching fast-medium, and after his early aberration, it was Powell, finding a better length, and just nibbling the ball around, who looked the likelier of the two to make a breakthrough. It came in his fourth over, when a good length delivery squared up Alastair Cook, on 12, forcing him to play towards mid-on, the ball taking a fine edge through to the keeper.

This was good bowling from Powell and an indication of the length needed for this pitch. Short ought not to be an option.

The new batsman Shah has found himself placed under extra scrutiny by Bopara's century, and he emerged from the newly named Brian Lara Pavilion knowing that even though he might reasonably expect a good run in the side, he is under pressure to perform.

As ever, he looked intense, his stance, bat raised, mechanical and rigid-looking. It took him fully 20 deliveries to get off the mark, an anxious period where he was obviously fretting, and when finally he did push a sharp single in the direction of point, it involved a juvenile piece of cricket on his part that would have brought about the downfall of his captain, had Ryan Hinds underarm shy at the stumps not missed.

Strauss, then on 31 and fortunate to be there still beyond that, seemed to accept it with smiling good grace and a spot of glove punching with his partner although Shah has a history of erratic running, which brought about his own downfall on his return to the side in Antigua. The punching may have involved more than gloves if the captain had been discharged by Shah's impetuosity.

Immediately, as if relieved to have opened his account, Shah belted Powell straight down the ground to the boundary and followed it by drilling him through extra cover.

On the strength of this, Gayle withdrew Powell from the attack and introduced the medium pace of Brendan Nash, a part-time bowler made frontline by circumstance and on before lunch on the first day. In the commentary box, Michael Holding heaved a sigh.

After the first interval, England had to cope with the softer ball in addition to defensive fields and progress became a struggle. For the second time Strauss, on 47 now, almost lost his wicket to a run out although this time he was saved by Shah's call, the left-handers cut failing to beat gulley as he had thought when he set off for a run only to be sent back.