MANCHESTER, England, 12 June 2007 — Spinner Monty Panesar took his first 10-wicket Test haul as England wrapped up the series against the West Indies with a 60-run victory in the third Test at Old Trafford yesterday.
Panesar took six for 137 as West Indies were bowled out for 394 shortly after lunch on the final day, ending the tourists’ hopes of a record run chase.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (116 not out) scored his first Test hundred for two years but his team fell short of their 455 target. The record chase stays at 418 by West Indies in 2003.
Panesar exploited a wearing pitch that offered him considerable bounce and turn while fast bowler Steve Harmison took four for 95 in the innings and showed a more disciplined line than in recent matches. England have an unbeatable 2-0 lead in the four-match series and the win meant Michael Vaughan became the country’s most successful Test captain, surpassing Peter May’s 20 victories.
The West Indies resumed on 301 for five but Panesar settled England’s nerves early by having Denesh Ramdin (34) caught by Paul Collingwood at slip to the 15th delivery of the morning.
Ramdin had added 62 with Chanderpaul to build West Indies hopes of the record chase.
Darren Sammy’s stand of 37 with Chanderpaul that spanned 14 overs was halted when Panesar took a sharp return catch. The bowler, often ridiculed for his clumsy fielding, seemed stunned that he had held the ball. Jerome Taylor (11) was dropped on one by Collingwood off Panesar but his obdurate 56-minute innings ended just after lunch when he fended a short Harmison ball to short-leg. That was Harmison’s 200th Test victim in his 53rd match.
Fidel Edwards departed three balls later when he edged Harmison to Ian Bell in the gully. Corey Collymore was the last man, caught at short-leg by Bell off Panesar.
England, who scored 370 and 313, bowled West Indies out for 229 in their first innings. Chanderpaul’s century was his team’s only hundred of the series. He batted for over six hours. West Indies’ Sammy enjoyed a successful debut, claiming seven wickets for 66 in England’s second innings on Saturday.
The first Test at Lord’s was drawn and West Indies suffered their heaviest Test defeat of an innings and 283 runs in the second at Headingley. The fourth and final match is at Durham starting on Friday.
Ford Turns Down India Coach Job
In New Dlhi, South African Graham Ford changed his mind about becoming India’s new cricket coach after confirming his readiness to take the post, a senior cricket board official said yesterday.
Ford turned down the job two days after the Indian board named him to succeed former Australia skipper Greg Chappell, who quit following the team’s World Cup debacle. Ford said yesterday he had decided to stay in his post as director of cricket at English county Kent.
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer N. Srinivasan told a news conference in Bangalore that Ford had sent a letter with his decision.
“He was selected and... It was only a matter of informing us as to when he would be able to join. Therefore, the board announced it had selected him,” Srinivasan said.
“He had said that he would let us know when he could join but he has said he can’t join us now. That is all.” The board’s decision-making working committee would meet today to decide on the issue with the team due to leave on June 20 for a one-day series against South Africa in Ireland followed by a Test tour of England.
Ford was selected for the job by India’s coaching committee after an interview in Chennai on Saturday, pipping fellow candidate and former England spinner John Emburey. He told Kent’s website (www.kent-ccc.co.uk): “I am very grateful to the club for allowing me to go to India to find out more about the job of coaching the Indian team. “I have had a chance to reflect on the offer made by the BCCI and their urgency to fill the vacant position.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to continue my work here at Kent.
“This has been a really difficult decision. I am honored that India have shown such interest in my capabilities but feel that this is the right decision for me and my family.” Former skipper Sunil Gavaskar, a member of the panel which interviewed Ford, said his decision should be respected. “His unavailability makes us go back to square one,” he told reporters, suggesting India could appoint a domestic coach as an interim step, as they did for the Bangladesh series which followed the World Cup. Graham Johnson, Kent’s chairman of cricket, described Ford’s decision as “great news.”
