DERBY, England, CMC – Jamaican fast bowler Jerome Taylor announced his presence with a three-wicket burst and all-rounder David Bernard produced a strong all-round performance to enhance his Test claims, on the second day of West Indies’ tour match against the England Lions yesterday.
Taylor, who arrived in England on Monday after passing a late fitness test in the Caribbean, knocked over the first three batsmen to fall to finish with three for 31 as England limped to 143 for six at the close in response to West Indies’ 203 all out.
The 27-year-old Bernard, who played a solitary Test six years ago, captured two for 45 with his medium pace including the wicket of out-of-favour England batsman Ian Bell, as West Indies hit back to leave England’s ‘A’ team tottering on another rain-hit day where only 68 overs were possible.
Bernard had earlier stroked a crucial 58 down the order to revive the struggling Windies and propel them to their eventual score in their first innings at the County Ground.
Taylor’s display would have been a heartening sign for the Windies tour selectors, especially with the first Test against England set to bowl off next Wednesday.
The 24-year-old missed the last match of the recent five-Test series in the Caribbean through injury and was also ruled out of the subsequent five-match One-Day International campaign.
He showed no effects from his layoff, however, reducing the Lions to 13 for three in two devastating opening overs.
He accounted for the Lions captain Robert Key with the second ball of the innings, trapping him lbw without scoring to a ball that swung back shortly and struck the batsmen in front, with the total on one.
Taylor then claimed two wickets in three balls in his second over to leave the England Lions innings in strife.
He first had Stephen Moore (3) caught at second slip by Devon Smith fending off a short delivery and then removed Jonathan Trott without scoring to a catch at the wicket by Denesh Ramdin, essaying an ambitious drive.
Bell, overlooked for the Test squad earlier this week, overcame an uncertain start against Taylor to stroke 27 from 43 balls in just over an hour at the crease and shared a 44-run, fourth wicket stand with Samit Patel who also hit 27.
The right-handed Bell seemed poised for a big score when he was adjudged lbw to Bernard and Patel followed soon afterward, caught by Lendl Simmons in the deep attempting to pull rookie fast bowler Nelon Pascal at 78 for five.
Tim Ambrose then came to his side’s aid, counter-attacking with an unbeaten 49 from 58 balls, to rally the Lions lower order.
The right-hander, who featured briefly on England’s recent tour of the Caribbean, hit 10 fours in dominating a sixth wicket stand of 39 with Luke Wright who was bowled by Bernard for four at 117 for six.
Earlier, 20-year old seamer Chris Woakes continued his destruction of the West Indies innings, claiming another two wickets to finish with six for 43.
Woakes, who started the day with four wickets, added the valued scalps of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (21) and Brendan Nash (20) to his tally as West Indies, resuming at 76 for four, slipped further into trouble at 91 for six.
But Bernard struck seven fours off 85 balls in a shade over two hours at the crease in a knock that held the innings together.
He shared a 36-run partnership with Darren Sammy who hit 22 from 36 balls with four fours and also posted 70 for the ninth wicket with Sulieman Benn whose 26 occupied the crease for an hour and contained three fours.
