Windies in Swann web

England were in full control of the third Test after career-best bowling from Graeme Swann carried them to a 281-run first innings lead over West Indies.

Updated on: Feb 18, 2009, 23:03:57 IST

AFP | By HT Correspondent, St John’s (Antigua)

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England were in full control of the third Test after career-best bowling from Graeme Swann carried them to a 281-run first innings lead over West Indies on Tuesday.

England — who trail the hosts 1-0 — were 31/1 in their second innings when stumps were drawn on the third day at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

This followed Swann taking 5-57 from 24 overs, as West Indies were dismissed for 285, replying to England’s first innings total of 566/9 declared.

Ramnaresh Sarwan hit the top score of 94 for West Indies, and there were supporting knocks of 38 from Devon Smith, 27 from Ryan Hinds, and 22 from Daren Powell.

England decided not to enforce the follow-on, and suffered an early loss, when their captain Andrew Strauss was caught at second slip for 14.

The visitors sent James Anderson in as night-watchman and he was fortunate to have survived. On four, he edged Edwards to third slip, where Hinds muffed a simple chance.

Earlier, England toiled on the hard and took all their chances. Before lunch, it was Swann’s off-spin bowling, rather than the fast bowlers that provided England with two wickets, as West Indies reached 132 for three at the interval.

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