Onions and Swann have a field day by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	England v West Indies
Player:	GP Swann, G Onions
Event:	West Indies in England 2009

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DateLine: 7th May 2009

 

Fast bowler Graham Onions took five wickets, including three in an over, on his Test debut to leave the West Indies contemplating the prospect of defeat inside three days at Lord's on Thursday. The tourists were made to follow-on after a dramatic second day collapse in the first of this two-Test series with England off-spinner Graeme Swann also having a day to remember. On his home debut, he made a Test-best 63 not out and then sparked the tourists' slump with two wickets in two balls before tea, including the prize scalp of Shivnarine Chanderpaul for a golden duck.

 

West Indies were bowled out for 152 in reply to England's first innings 377, 26 runs shy of avoiding the follow-on, with openers Devon Smith (46) and captain Chris Gayle (28) the only batsmen to make more than 17. Durham quick Onions took five wickets for 38 runs in 9.3 overs to grab a place on the bowlers' honours board at Lord's. Before the close James Anderson took his first two wickets of the match, with Gayle, who only arrived in England on Monday, out for nought when he edged the Lancashire paceman to Swann. At stumps, West Indies in their second innings were 39 for two, still 186 runs behind. But they had at least avoided the fate of their 2000 predecessors who were beaten by England inside two days at Headingley.

 

Smith was 26 not out and Lendl Simmons seven not out. The start of the first innings gave no hint of the chaos to come, the first-wicket pair putting on 46 before Gayle played on to Stuart Broad. But by tea the West Indies were 99 for four and after the break their collapse continued in even more spectacular fashion as the next five wickets fell for 11 runs in 14 balls. Onions did the bulk of the damage in his sixth over which started with Simmons held by leaping England captain Andrew Strauss at first slip. Two balls later Jerome Taylor edged to wicket-keeper Matt Prior and the over ended with Sulieman Benn caught by a diving Swann at third slip. There was a flurry of shots during the resistance between the last pair before Onions had Lionel Baker lbw for 17.

 

Swann first bowled the in-touch Smith, who'd struck seven fours in 50 balls, when the batsman played down the wrong line. Next ball Swann had Chanderpaul, out for a golden duck when the usually obdurate Guyanese edged a sharply turning delivery to Paul Collingwood at slip.

 

Earlier in the day Ravi Bopara (143) and Swann both make their Test-best scores, with the duo sharing an eighth-wicket stand of 93 during Thursday's first session. Fast bowler Edwards led the West Indies' attack with six for 92 - his best Test figures against England. But the bowlers weren't helped by six dropped catches after tea on Wednesday, with Bopara missed twice.

 

West Indies took the new ball but it rarely troubled No 9 Swann and he completed a a 73-ball fifty in style by hooking Baker for six. West Indies did eventually see of Bopara, playing in only his fifth Test and first since making 104 in Barbados in February, when the 24-year-old drove Taylor to Brendan Nash at cover to end his seven hour innings.