Blackwood hundred, Taylor burst fail to stop England charge

England lead by 220 runs with 7 wickets in hand

North Sound (Antigua), April 16 (IANS) Jermaine Blackwood's maiden Test century coupled with an incisive new-ball burst from Jerome Taylor, temporarily raised the West Indies' hopes of carving out a match-winning position but England stormed back to end day three of the opening Test on top here.

The 23-year-old right-hander carved out a superb, unbeaten 112 as the West Indies, responding to England's first innings total of 399, were dismissed for 295, 25 minutes before tea at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, reports CMC.

Taylor then grabbed two early wickets in an excellent display of pace and swing which reduced England to 52 for three inside the first hour of the final session.

However, Gary Ballance and Joe Root restored order to the innings in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership worth 64, allowing England to snatch an overall lead of 220 heading into the fourth day.

Ballance stroked an unbeaten 44 while the in-form Joe Root was on 32, with Taylor taking two for 12 from eight testing overs.

However, it was the unflappable Blackwood who stole all the headlines, and was the impetus behind the West Indies' progress early in the day.

Resuming the day on 30 with the West Indies on 155 for four, Blackwood negotiated challenging spells from the England seamers - especially after lunch - to reach three figures for the first time in his fledgling six-Test career.

All told, he faced 224 balls in five and a half hours at the crease and counted 14 fours and two sixes.

He enjoyed his share of luck, dropped by James Tredwell at gully on 43 in the eighth over of the morning from seamer Ben Stokes, but never wavered as he raised his half century an hour and 15 minutes before lunch.

Importantly, he stretched his fifth wicket stand with veteran left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul to 93, before adding a further 49 for the seventh wicket with Jason Holder (16).

Chanderpaul scored 46 off 139 balls in 189 minutes, and struck eight fours. He looked in good touch, collecting a pair of off-side boundaries in the day's third over by seamer Stuart Broad, and seemed to be closing in on yet another Test half-century when he perished just before the hour mark.

He drove an innocuous delivery from off-spinner James Tredwell to Stokes at cover, to depart with the score on 192 for five.

Chanderpaul was one of two Windies batsmen to perish in the session, as captain Denesh Ramdin fell for nine, ten minutes before lunch, nicking a leg-side catch to the wicketkeeper off a short ball from Broad.

Going to lunch on 69 with the West Indies on 234 for six, Blackwood played positively on resumption, taking 14 runs from the fourth over after lunch by Stokes. He cleared the long off ropes with the first ball of the over before collecting two successive off-side boundaries, to move into the 80s.

He calmly brought up his century an hour after the lunch interval, when he punched Tredwell down the ground for a single.

Once Blackwood reached the landmark, however, Holder's discipline dissipated and he chipped Tredwell to cover two balls later, where Ballance took an easy catch at 276 for seven.

The innings then declined rapidly, as West Indies lost their last four wickets for 19 runs. Kemar Roach was caught at the wicket off Tredwell for five, Taylor was run out without scoring attempting an impossible single and Sulieman Benn was caught at short leg by Root off pacer Jimmy Anderson.

Tredwell was the leading bowler with four for 47 while Anderson (2-67) and Broad (2-67) picked up two wickets apiece.

Taylor then rocked England, with the visitors slumping to 20 for two in the seventh over of the innings. Jonathan Trott had his misery extended on his return to Test cricket when he fell for just four with the score on 15, edging a drive at a full length delivery that swung late, giving Ramdin a low catch behind.

In his next over, Taylor induced captain Alistair Cook to spar at a widish delivery, and Benn at gully snared a simple catch.

First innings century-maker Ian Bell joined Ballance to add 32 for the third wicket and had made 11 when he charged down the pitch looking for a non-existent run and was run out, after being sent back.