By Richard Sydenham
MANCHESTER, June 10 - England claimed the solitary
wicket of Runako Morton in the session before tea on the fourth
day of the third test at Old Trafford on Sunday as West Indies
fought to remain in the match and the series.
West Indies, set a record 455 to win the match, were 199 for
four at the interval with the ever-reliable Shivnarine
Chanderpaul unbeaten on 51 and Dwayne Bravo on 11. Morton was
out for 54.
England are 1-0 up in the four-match series.
Morton and Chanderpaul frustrated England for the first hour
after lunch as they put on a stand of 73 from 151 deliveries.
They demonstrated the kind of patience that their coach David
Moore had been demanding since their record innings and 283-run
loss at Headingley.
Following on from his career best 201 in a tour match last
week, Morton survived a couple of close escapes.
When on 40 he straight drove part-time off-spinner Kevin
Pietersen, who was unable to take a difficult return catch and
the ball bounded on to the boundary.
Morton also stood his ground when on 53 even though the
England players were convinced he had got an inside to Ryan
Sidebottom.
He did not last much longer, however, departing lbw to
spinner Monty Panesar while playing no shot. He faced 145 balls.
Chanderpaul, while on 18, also profited from a dropped
catch, by Panesar off pace bowler Steve Harmison. Panesar, often
ridiculed by spectators for his clumsy fielding, should have
grasped the chance diving in from mid-on.
Chanderpaul has mostly been a tough opponent for England. He
reached his 43rd test half-century with consecutive boundaries
off Harmison, the second pulled to square leg.
Chris Gayle, caught at second slip off Harmison for 16, and
Devon Smith, caught at short leg off Panesar for 42, were
dismissed before lunch.