England round on West Indies

James Anderson accepts the acclaim after removing Denesh Ramdin, the last of his victims en route to figures of 5-87

The England bowlers shared the honours as they mounted a significant victory push on the fourth day of the second npower Test against West Indies at the Riverside.

Each member of the home attack played his part on an enthralling day which saw West Indies follow on after being bowled out for 310, then reach 115 for three at the second attempt before bad light prompted an early close.

James Anderson grabbed two wickets to go with the three he took yesterday evening en route to figures of 5-87, while Stuart Broad claimed 3-62 as West Indies conceded a first-innings deficit of 259.

Graeme Swann made the initial breakthrough after Andrew Strauss had asked West Indies to bat again, and Graham Onions followed up his solitary first-innings scalp by removing Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle in the space of three deliveries this evening.

If West Indies, who trail by 144 runs, fail to stave off defeat tomorrow - victory and the retention of the Wisden Trophy is surely beyond them - they may look back on Onions’ double strike as the key passage of play.

Sarwan, after all, had scored a splendid century earlier in the day, while much more of the sort of destructive strokeplay that carried Gayle to a 39-ball half-century this evening, and England’s grip on this game would be considerably looser.

As it was, the crowd departed Chester-le-Street having witnessed 331 runs at a rate of more than four an over, 10 wickets, some hostile yet intelligent pace bowling and as brutal display of hitting as you are likely to see in the Test arena.

So much happened today that Sarwan and Chanderpaul’s first-innings alliance, after West Indies resumed on 94 for three this morning, seemed an age ago.

They kept England at bay for the best part of an hour and a half as they extended their fourth-wicket partnership, worth 26 overnight, to 99.

Denesh Ramdin, who made 55, and Sulieman Benn added 70 for the eighth wicket, but the fact that no other first-innings partnership yielded more than 30 reflected West Indies’ travails against the moving ball.

Ramnaresh Sarwan gloves a Stuart Broad bouncer to gully shortly after reaching three figures on the fourth morning

Sarwan was the most notable exception, the classy right-hander making light of a painful blow to the nether regions from Anderson to convert his unbeaten 41 into a typically elgeant hundred.

Resuming on 41, he drove Graham Onions through mid-on and extra-cover for four either side of registering a 102-ball fifty containing seven fours.

Chanderpaul was noticeably less fluent - he managed just two boundaries in the two and a quarter hours he spent at the crease - only to fall to a Broad off-cutter which located his outside edge.

Sarwan’s progression to his century was largely untroubled, and he reached the landmark by pulling Broad dismissively behind square. He had faced 131 deliveries and hit 14 fours.

Broad exacted his revenge almost immediately, generating extra pace and bounce to have Sarwan, discomfitted by the short ball, ducking into a well-directed bouncer which he could only glove to Tim Bresnan at gully.

It was just reward for Broad for a particularly testing pre-lunch spell, and Anderson’s removal of Brendan Nash half an hour into the afternoon session compounded West Indies’ woes.

Forced back into his crease by a series of short deliveries, the left-hander aimed at leaden-footed drive at Anderson but connected only with the bottom of his bat. He turned to see the ball roll on to his leg stump.

The hyperactive Jerome Taylor was trapped on the crease playing back to Onions, and England’s position could have been stronger had Matt Prior and first slip Strauss not watched an edge from Benn off Bresnan fly between them.

Benn capitalised on that reprieve to advance down the track and smite Swann back over his head, while Ramdin also prospered on both sides of the wicket during an entertaining stand spanning just 14 overs.

Chris Gayle launches Anderson for six - only the second ball he faced - to kickstart his blistering innings of 54

It took a direct hit from Kevin Pietersen at deep mid-on to end Benn’s innings for 35 - his highest Test score - but Ramdin hit two fours in an over off Swann to go to 50.

Of some concern for England was the finger injury sustained by wicketkeeper Matt Prior as he tried to gather a delivery from Broad. He did not return to the field after tea - Paul Collingwood deputised - but an X-ray showed no break and he is expected to feature tomorrow.

Anderson, peppered by a succession of bouncers from Edwards when he batted yesterday, returned the compliment with ball in hand, but it was Broad who had him taken at first slip as he attempted to pull.

Anderson nevertheless completed the sixth five-wicket haul of his Test career by inducing a thick outside edge from Ramdin as he pushed forward.

When West Indies followed on, it came as little surprise when Swann trapped Smith on the back foot - it is the fifth time he has dismissed him in Tests - but Gayle was already well on his way.

Having lofted the second ball he faced, bowled by Anderson, over long-on for six, he repeated the feat off Onions in the midst of a handful of crunching pulls and forcing shots through cover.

Sarwan did not suffer in comparison, unfurling some handsome drives and cuts in a run-a-ball 22, but both perished to the persevering Onions.

First, he nipped one back to pin Sarwan in front of middle stump, then had Gayle, fencing at a delivery that climbed more than he expected, taken by Strauss for 54.

In passing 8,540 Test runs, Chanderpaul overtook Viv Richards to become the second leading run-scorer in West Indies history, but it was a rare bright spot on an otherwise dispiriting day for the tourists.

Tickets for the final day will be available on the gate from 9am tomorrow - priced £10 for adults and £5 for juniors.