So, 18 tests in to the 1990s we have our first draw.
Rained every day but the last: days 1 and 2 there was about 8 overs of play then the rest of the morning wiped out; days 3 and 4 start delayed just over an hour. (Incidentally, I have only ever seen these 2 types of rain interruption, and they are always exactly the same length, which is disappointing.)
The rain and slow scoring throughout the match meant a draw was always on the cards, but England nearly threw it away for the 2nd match in succession.
Gooch’s 95 was the backbone of England’s first inns with only Hick’s 40 providing any meaningful support - Marshall bagging a 5-fer.
England looked like taking a healthy first inns lead as the West Indies top order struggled, losing wickets regularly and scoring painfully slowly. Haynes accelerated out of nowhere to get a 50 - went from 20-odd off nearly 90 balls to 50 in just over 100 - but when he was out they were really in trouble. Dujon and Marshall played carefully to drag them closer to England’s total but the Ambrose played a comfortable 67 that was staggering in the context of what went before and secured a 49 run lead.
England made a rocky start losing Gooch for a duck, but Atherton and Hick did well but when Hick went Lamb followed quickly after without adding to the score. Ramprakash rebuilt with Athers but in the last hour of day 4 England lost both Atherton and Smith and were still less than 60 ahead with 5 down.
Ramprakash and Russell got through to the close and the first hour of day 5, but in the second hour they lost Ramprakash, Pringle and Defraitas to go into the interval 112 ahead and 8 down.
Russell farmed the strike superbly in the afternoon session, and was ably supported by Watkin. Russell passed a brilliant 50 and went on... when he was out agonisingly short of a wonderful century the lead was 196, it was almost Tea and England were almost safe.
England declared shortly after tea, setting a nominal target of 203 which the West Indies never looked like chasing. Haynes went cheaply, and Simmonds edged a lot mainly from the luckless Malcolm, with most of the runs being edged 4s. Towards the end Simmonds tried to accelerate towards a maiden Test 50 but the match finished with him on 49*
