Mcgerrigle is the shining light as Donemana blitz off-key Ardmore in classy opening
STUART Broad is hungry to lead England’s pursuit of a series-levelling victory over the West Indies after proving he is still more than capable of backing up big words with big performances.
Broad generated a slew of headlines after he was left out of last week’s defeat in Southampton, describing his frustration and anger at being sidelined, and ended that television interview with another observation.
“When I get that opportunity again, you can bet that I will be on the money,” he said at the time.
For two sessions on day four of the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford, it seemed the 34-yearold had over-promised, wicketless for 19 overs as the West Indies went a long way towards their target of avoiding the follow-on.
But Broad electrified the game with a stunning new-ball spell after tea, claiming three wickets for one run in 14 deliveries to energise the hosts.
The Windies did force England to bat again but the hosts will start day five 219 ahead on 37 for two, eyeing quick runs before turning the job back over to the bowling attack.
And Broad will not need asking twice to play his part.
“I haven’t felt like I wanted to prove a point. I don’t think there’s any point to prove,” he said after stumps.
“I genuinely didn’t feel like I had to prove anyone wrong. I’ve done all that talking on the field, but I felt quietly — or maybe not that quietly — that when I got the chance again I needed to be in the best place to perform.
“I bet everybody thought walking into tea it was a bore draw, this game was going nowhere... then something sparked into life after tea.
“I really enjoyed that spell, that’s where I’m at my best, when it’s time to make something happen and there’s encouragement from the pitch.
“It would have been great to enforce the follow-on and we probably left ourselves too much to do but we certainly made that second new ball talk and that’s encouragement for us.
“It really makes us want two new balls if we possibly can. If we get 85 overs at them, that would be dream world, really.”
There is a job ahead of Ben Stokes and Joe Root first of all.
The job of swiftly bolstering the total against the likes of Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel is easier said than done, as Jos Buttler found to his cost when he perished for a duck atop a hastily revamped batting card.
Broad, though, was already plotting what promises to be an enthralling fourth innings.
“I think we want a minimum
ENGLAND v WEST INDIES Overnight:
Total (99 overs) Fall: of 270, that will end up a brilliant game,” he forecast.
“We should be able to defend 270 on this pitch but they are dangerous players. We want to make this series 1-1 as quick as we can and, with the time that has gone out of the game because of weather, we might have to take a risk.
“It’s going to be a great Test match. I think we will dangle a carrot and all results will be possible, but we’ll have to bowl pretty badly to lose it.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan reflected: “England have given themselves a great chance. They did the right thing with the batting line-up — it showed good intent. They will want to get another 60 and have 85 overs to make sure they have a second new ball.
“This is a series England expected to win. Drawing the series is not what they are about.
“The pitch is starting to play tricks. If West Indies see off the first new ball then they have a chance but it is not going to be easy.
“Joe Root will have West Indies’ win at Headingley in 2017 on his mind. That is bound to have some small effect.”
T20 CUP holders Donemana made a convincing start to the new campaign with a crushing 69 runs victory over Ardmore to claim the advantage in Group 4 of this season’s Long’s Supervalu Championship.
Donemana totalled 153-3 with Dwayne Mcgerrigle hitting 10 sixes in a whirlwind finale which saw him hit 82 not out, in an unbroken stand of 115 with Dean Mehaffey (38 not out). The visitors were restricted to 84-8 in reply with Ash Buchannan, Mehaffey and Levi Dougherty sharing six of the wickets.
Bonds Glen were the other group winners in the closest game of the day; Ben Nixon hitting the fourth and fifth balls of the final over for four and six to pass Killyclooney’s 173-8. The win had been set up by opener John Long’s 61.
Ryan Mcbeth (below) took 4-11 against his former club as Brigade restricted St Johnston to 79-8 but dropped a point as they lost Davy Barr (30) and Ryan Hunter (29) in reaching their target in the
15th over.
Newbuildings, the busiest team in the transfer window over the winter, won the other Group 2 game, also by eight wickets, with Johnny Thompson, who has moved from Beechgrove, and Ross Dougherty, another new face, each hitting unbeaten 50s as they chased down Glendermott’s 142-6 with 25 balls to spare at The Rectory.
Coleraine made it two wins out of two in the three-team Group 1, following up their victory over Ballyspallen on Friday night with a 10 wickets success at Eglinton; Scott Campbell (55 not out) and Rishi Chopra (41 not out) enjoying a number of lives as they reached their target of 109 in the 18th over.
In Group 3, Bready were the surprise losers, bowled out for 88 en route to a 67 runs defeat by Burndennett. Only captain Davy Scanlon reached 20 as Mark Roulston took 4-15 after Ross Mccay had hit the top score of the day, 87, which included nine fours and five sixes, in the home side’s 155-5. Mccay dominated a second wicket stand of 123 with Andy Barr who made do with 31.
Fox Lodge were the other winners, with their modest 1137, 18 runs too good for Strabane. Brian Allen’s 29 was the best individual contribution in the low-scoring match and Foxes skipper Aaron Heywood and returning Johnny Robinson, a double winner with Brigade last season, shared five wickets to keep the Reds Caps in check.