Cork, White trigger Windies collapse

Cork, White trigger Windies collapse
AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE

Manchester, August 4: England's back-up pace bowlers Dominic Cork and Craig White both took vital wickets as West Indies, 87 for four overnight, saw their collapse continue, with the tourists 148 for eight at lunch on the second day of the third Test here at Old Trafford on Friday. Franklyn Rose was 16 not out and Reon King two not out.

After 65 wicketless minutes, Cork produced the crucial delivery to have Ranmaresh Sarwan caught lbw, to leave the score at 118 for five in the day's 16th over.

It would probably have hit the middle and leg stumps - and it was certainly a hit with the England players after Sarwan and captain Jimmy Adams had fought out the first hour with some determined batting.

Sarwan, with 36 from 100 balls, had looked calm and stylish in addition to showing good judgment of the ball to attack, but appeared to be thrown out of his stride after being hit in the chest by Craig White.

It was the fastest ball of the match at 90 mph and Sarwan needed time to recover, taking 13 balls to score his next run.

Captain Nasser Hussain ran through his repertoire of quick bowlers before Cork's timely strike.

Earlier, Adams had not added to his overnight 16 when he played a ball from Andy Caddick into the ground, only for it to roll back onto the stumps without removing the bails.

It was Caddick who started things going for Englad. With a superb inswinging yorker, he bowled wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs for five to leave the tourists 126 for six.

White then removed Adams for 24, forcing the left-hander to play at a ball just outside off-stump before Graham Thorpe took his third fine slip catch of the innings, West Indies now 130 for seven.

Earlier on Thursday, Adams won the toss and elected to bat in a surprising decision given that the tourists have the series' outstanding bowlers in pacemen Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh while their top-order batting has been consistently frail.

The veteran quicks would have been relishing theopportunity to immediately test England debutant and opening batsman Marcus Trescothick.

Instead Sherwin Campbell was first to fall, edging DarrenGough's eleventh ball and the recalled Thorpe taking another fine catch going to his left at third slip.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (1st innings): Sherwin Campbell c Thorpe b Gough 2, Adrian Griffith lbw b Caddick 2, Wavel Hinds c Stewart b Cork 26, Brian Lara c Thorpe b Gough 13, Jimmy Adams c Thorpe b White 24, Ramnaresh Sarwan lbw b Cork 36, Ridley Jacobs b Caddick 5, Franklyn Rose not out 16, Curtly Ambrose c Hussain b Caddick 3, Rion King batting 2; Extras: (b1, lb12, nb6) 19. Total (for eight wickets in 69 overs) 148

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-12, 3-49, 4-49, 5-118, 6-126, 7-130, 8-135

Bowling: Gough 20-3-50-2, Caddick 24-10-45-3, Cork16-8-22-2, White 9-1-18-1

Ambrose bemoans lack of support

LONDON: Curtly Ambrose, in a rare interview, has bemoaned the lack of support he and courtney walsh are receiving from their fellow West Indies' pace bowlers.

The most successful fast bowling pair in cricket history havetaken 861 test wickets between them and with a combined age of 73 are still carrying the West Indies' attack.

In a televison interview ambrose, who has rejoined the side forthe third test against england at manchester after a sabbatical in his native antigua, said he was carrying an unfair burden.

''I've said over the last couple of years that it is time forthe youngsters to come through and take over the mantle but they're not ready yet,'' he said.

''Courtney and I are still expected to do the bulk of the work.That's unfair because the youngsters should be doing the bulk of it. That's just not happening.

''As long as we are playing for the West Indies we have to doour best. I just hope the youngsters come through quickly.''