W. Indies in command

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 32

W. Indies in command

NZPA-Reuter St John’s, Antigua The West Indies recovered from a shaky start and finished well in command on the third day of the fourth cricket test against England yesterday. The epatain, Tan Botham, briefly raised England’s hopes by snapping up three wickets in five balls but the West Indies tailenders then savaged the bowling and they finished 197 ahead on the first innings. After Graham Dilley had removed Sunday’s hero, Viv Richards, with only four added to his overnight 110, Botham, dismissed: Everton Mattis, Larry Gomes and David Murray in quick succession. The West Indies replied to

the. .setback, with; a' vengeance as Michael Holding spearheaded a superb fightback which took his team from 296 for seven to 468 for nine declared. Holding batted 103 minutes for a test career-best innings of 58 not out as the last .three wickets added 172 valuable runs. England’s openers, Geoff Boycott and Graham Gooch, who shoulder much of the responsibility for preventing the. West. Indies going 3-0 ahead in the . five-match series, reached seven without loss before bad light ended play 10 minutes early. ENGLAND First innings 271, * Second innings \ . G. A. Gooch not. out; ...... 3 G. Boycott not out 4 Total " 7

' ‘ WEST INDIES First innings C. G. Greenidge c Athey b Stevenson 63 D. L. Haynes c Downton b Botham 4 I. V. Richards c.Emburey b Dilley 114 E. • H, Mattis c Butcher b Botham 71 H. A. Gomes c Gower b Botham ;...-... 12 C. H. Lloyd c Downton b Stevenson .............. 58' D. A. Mun-ay c Boycott b Botham 1 A. M. Roberts b Stevenson 13 J. Garner -c Butcher b :Di- ■ Hey 46 M. E. Holding not out .... 58 C..E. Croft not out ... . 17 Extras (bl, lb 7, wl, nb2) 11 Total for nine wickets dec. 468 Fall: 12, 133, 241, 268, 268, 271, 296, 379, 401. -.■] ■ • - ' • \ Bowling.—Dilley -25, 5, .99, 2; Botham 37, 6, 127, 4; Stevenson 33; 5, 111, 3; Emburey 34, 12, 84,' 0; Willey 21, 7, 31, 0; Gooch 2,2, 0,0; Boycott 3,2, 5, 0.