BASSETERRE (St Kitts), Jan 31: England’s batsmen finally got a chance, after Lendl Simmons missed out on a triple hundred for West Indies ‘A’ in their tour match on Friday.

England’s bowlers would have been relieved when West Indies ‘A’ declared on 574 for eight in their first innings in the first hour after tea, following a magnificent 282 from Simmons on the second day of the three-day match at Warner Park.

England captain Andrew Strauss then hit an unbeaten 59 and Ian Bell supported with 52, as England reached 134 for two at the close.

England suffered an early setback, when Alastair Cook was caught at gully off Kevin McClean for a first-ball duck.

Strauss and Bell then helped England recover, when they entertained in a 114-run, second wicket stand.

Bell however, succeeded in finding another means of throwing his wicket away. After he was dropped on 49, leg-spinner Gavin Wallace bowled him around his legs five overs before stumps.

But England’s bowlers had been worn down earlier in the day, when Simmons continued to dominate with his majestic innings, when West Indies ‘A’ resumed on 343 for two.

He spent almost 9-1/2 hours at the crease in which time he collected 26 fours and eight sixes from 381 balls.

Paul Collingwood was the unfortunate bowler, when Simmons, the nephew of former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons, gathered a single off his modest medium-paced bowling to reach the 200-run mark.

England had succeeded in taking an early wicket, when James Anderson had Sewnarine Chattergoon caught behind off Steve Harmison for 37, following a 100-run stand with Simmons.

But England again hit the wall, when Leon Johnson came to the wicket and carried the ‘A’ team to 462 for three at lunch before Harmison made inroads after the interval.

Harmison enhanced his chances of a place in the 11 for the first Test, starting on Wednesday in Jamaica, when he claimed the scalps of Johnson for 26 and West Indies ‘A’ captain Darren Sammy for 14.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES ‘A’ (1st Innings):

K.O.A. Powell c Bell b Anderson 14

A. Barath c Collingwood b Pietersen 132

L.M.P. Simmons lbw b Sidebottom 280

S. Chattergoon c Prior b Anderson 37

L.R. Johnson c Prior b Harmison 26

D.J.G. Sammy lbw b Harmison 14

D.C. Thomas c Prior b Harmison 38

K.R. McClean b Harmison 10

A.S. Jaggernauth not out 0

EXTRAS (B-6, LB-10, W-1, NB-4) 21

TOTAL (for eight decl, 149.5 overs) 574

FALL OF WKTS: 1-28, 2-290, 3-390, 4-468, 5-490, 6-547, 7-570, 8-574

DID NOT BAT: B.J. Bess, G. Wallace.

BOWLING: Anderson 29-5-92-2; Harmison 25.5-1-101-4; Sidebottom 23-8-61-1; Swann 41-2-160-0; Collingwood 20-4-75-0; Pietersen 6-0-38-1; Bell 5-0-31-0.

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A.J. Strauss not out 59

A.N. Cook c Johnson b McClean 0

I.R. Bell b Wallace 52

K.P. Pietersen not out 12

EXTRAS (B-6, W-1, NB-4) 11

TOTAL (for two wkts, 28 overs) 134

FALL OF WKTS: 1-5, 2-119.

TO BAT: P.D. Collingwood, O.A. Shah, M.J. Prior, G.P. Swann, R.J. Sidebottom, S.J. Harmison, J.M. Anderson.

BOWLING (to-date): Bess 4-0-24-0; McClean 6-0-34-1; Sammy 7-1-24-0; Jaggernauth 7-0-30-0; Wallace 4-0-16-1.—Agencies