Windies collapse

Only a miracle can save the West Indies from the situation they have got themselves into in the second Test of the series at Headingly here today.

Only a miracle can save the West Indies from the situation they have got themselves into in the second Test of the series at Headingly here today. After Kevin Pietersen smashes his highest ever score in Tests, and propped England to a 570/7 declared, the West Indies innings collapsed like a pack of cards and they were bowled out for 146 and forced to follow on. That, only on the second day of the Test.

At stumps, they were really looking down the barrel at 22/2, still trailing by 402 runs.

The drama unfolded in the last session of the match, and the visitors missed their skipper Sarwan who could not come into bat after having injured himself while fielding yesterday.

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Earlier, at tea, Pietersen smashed the highest Test score for England in 17 years as they took command against the West Indies.

Pietersen was the last man out for 226 when captain Michael Vaughan declared on 570/7 an hour before the tea interval. A demoralised West Indies then saw openers Chris Gayle (11) and stand-in captain Daren Ganga (five) fall lbw to left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom as they reached 66/2 at the interval.

Devon Smith, on 22, and Sylvester Joseph, 13, were unbeaten at the break.

Pietersen surpassed Robert Key’s 221 against the West Indies in 2004 and trailed only Graham Gooch’s 333 against India in that time.

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When he was eventually caught at deep extra cover off Dwayne Bravo, he had faced 262 balls. He managed to finally better his previous Test score of 158, which he had registered on three occasions — twice against Australia and once against Sri Lanka.

England had dominated the day so far, having resumed on the overnight score of 366/5. Pietersen put on 160 with Matt Prior in 211 balls, as Prior made 75 to follow his debut hundred in the drawn first Test at Lord’s. England took seven overs to go from 500 to 550.

Scoreboard

england, 1st innings

Overnight (366/5)

K Pietersen c Taylor b Bravo 226

P Collingwood c Gayle b Collymore 29

I Bell c Ramdin b Collymore 5

M Prior b Powell 75

L Plunkett not out 44

Extras: (1b, 15lb, 9w, 6nb) 31

Total: (7 wkts, 122.3 overs) 570

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-91, 3-254, 4-316, 5-329, 6-489, 7-570.

Bowling: Powell 33-5-153-2, Collymore 29-1-110-2, Taylor 22-4-116-1, Bravo