It was cold at Lord's on Sunday, bitterly so as a brisk northerly cracked in over the Grandstand where once stood Father Time. Visitors from the Caribbean might be expected to keep themselves tucked indoors on days such as this, and right until the last few overs of the day West Indies batsmen, between them, ensured that this was precisely where their team‑mates were able to remain. It was a defiant effort from a side that have deservedly gathered a reputation in recent years of philanthropy towards bowlers.
By the time Graeme Swann ended the West Indies second innings, begun midway through the third day, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels had taken their fifth‑wicket partnership to 157 before Samuels succumbed for 86 to Stuart Broad and the second new ball. Chanderpaul himself, unbeaten for 87 in the first innings, added 91 in the second before Swann, with the first ball of a speculative pre-tea over, had him lbw as he attempted to sweep. In the end West Indies reached 345. It took England almost 10 and a half hours to shift Chanderpaul, a monumental feat of concentration if small beer to some with his history of crease occupation.
There had been further contributions from the wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who made 43, and Darren Sammy, whose robust 37 changed the tempo of the innings in its latter stages so that the last four wickets were able to add 84 runs. It left England requiring 191 to win, which in theory ought not to trouble them unduly unless the ball moves around, in which case the West Indies bowlers, more used to the conditions second time around, might be expected to make life awkward even when the newness has left the ball.
But the Lord's pitch, which seems not to have suffered from denting on the first day when it was at its most damp, has played increasingly easily, slow on to the bat, with time to adjust. If it makes scoring more difficult, it also does the same for wicket‑taking. However, England were left with a tricky potential seven overs before the close, four of which were delivered, during which time Fidel Edwards and Kemar Roach worked up to deliver the quickest bowling of the match.
It was too much for the first‑innings centurion Andrew Strauss certainly, who could only fend, from the shoulder of his bat, a lifter from Roach that carried gently to the floating slip position, one of five catchers posted on the offside. It was too much for the nightwatchman Jimmy Anderson, too, given out caught down the leg-side off Roach. He appeared on replay not to have hit it with anything other than his shirt, but decided not to review it. And it was almost too much for Jonathan Trott, who was within a smidgen of being lbw first ball, saved only by the not-out decision and, on review, the umpire deciding his pad was struck only the merest fraction outside the line of off‑stump.
Stumps came with England on 10 for two. They should still get the runs. Monday morning will find the adrenaline levels of the bowlers down on those of the evening charge and England will have had time to regroup. A further five overs in the evening and they might have suffered untold damage.
There has proved a remarkable disparity in the returns enjoyed (or not in several cases) by the three England seamers. Ever since Broad got through a rusty spell on the first morning, a function of a lack of competitive cricket brought about by injury, he has bowled with a rhythmical urgency that has brought its rewards. The second innings proved much harder work, the ball not so compliant to his will as the conditions changed, but he hammered away and finished with four for 93, giving him match figures of 11 for 165, only the third time that an England bowler has taken 10 in a Lord's Test against West Indies.
Equally special, it places him alongside Gubby Allen, Ian Botham and Keith Miller as the only cricketers to appear on all three Lord's honours' boards, home dressing room or away, to have scored a century, taken five wickets in an innings and 10 in a match. Whether he celebrated as either of the latter two might is doubtful but it has been a tremendous display from someone who has learned how to make it count when it is his day.
It remains baffling how Anderson, on the other hand, could bowl with such consistent skill and yet come away with such scant reward as 3 for 126 from 61 overs. Much the same was said of Tony Lock when Jim Laker managed 19 wickets to his one. Maybe he bowled too many overs from the wrong end, for 14 West Indian wickets fell when bowling was from Anderson's less favoured Nursery end. He ought not to be so reluctant: the prevailing wind and the way the slope will set a bowler at the crease makes it a great end from which to deliver swing. Finally, just when it seemed he might never take one, he found a way inside Ramdin's defence. Tim Bresnan has proved diligent but generally less threatening without the help he needed in the air and, whatever the outcome here, he might well be replaced by Steve Finn on the faster pitch at Trent Bridge.