PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, 22 March 2004 — Mark Butcher (61) and Nasser Hussain (58) hit half-centuries but England made painstaking progress toward a first-innings lead on day two of the second Test against West Indies yesterday.
Replying to West Indies’ total of 208, England survived a tough examination against disciplined West Indies bowling on a pitch growing increasingly uneven in bounce to reach tea on 197 for four, 11 runs behind.
Graham Thorpe was not out 34 at the interval with Andrew Flintoff unbeaten on 10.
Butcher and Hussain added 120 for the third wicket, batting through the first session to put the tourists, already 1-0 up in the four-match series, in control. Under cloudy skies at the Queen’s Park Oval, England resumed the day on 54 for two but runs were again hard to come by with only 143 scored in the first two sessions.
Hussain, in particular, was beaten all ends up by Tino Best, Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins, fending one lifting delivery from Best just short of the fielder at forward square leg.
At the other end, Butcher looked more secure, but like Hussain, was made to scrap for every run as the West Indies attack showed great discipline. Butcher passed 50 for the 19th time in tests, including seven boundaries, while former England captain Hussain opened up a little as the morning progressed, one off-drive the pick of his boundaries.
Their 100 partnership came up in 47.2 overs as they reached lunch without losing a wicket.
If West Indies were luckless in the morning session, they received a huge slice of fortune when Billy Bowden made his second poor decision of the match, giving Butcher out.
Having missed Marcus Trescothick’s glove to the wicketkeeper late on day two, Bowden, perhaps transfixed by the conviction of the appeal, adjudged Butcher to have edged Best to Ridley Jacobs with the score on 128.
