If there were doubts existing as to whether England could recapture the adrenalin-charged cricket that swept them to victory in the second Test more than a month ago, they were dispelled at Old Trafford yesterday on a rain-interrupted first day.
West Indies will resume today on 87 for four and in trouble as Darren Gough produced one of the finest spells of his international life, dismissing Brian Lara, the fulcrum of the West Indies batting.
Gough's magnificent effort brought him two for 37 from his 15 overs. The support was forthright if less spectacular, with Andy Caddick catching the opener Adrian Griffiths hopelessly indeterminate in front of his stumps and firing the ball time after time across the left-handed Wavell Hinds and past his outside edge. Hinds, given out caught at the wicket off Dominic Cork's bowling, was a shade unlucky, if the television snickometer is to be believed.
The day had an unpromising beginning, overnight rain rendering the outfield unplayable until midday.
Bowling first is so much a part of the West Indian strategy that Hussain might well have thought he misheard when Adams called correctly and opted to bat. But any thoughts of West Indies seizing back the initiative were dispelled before lunch, as Gough tore in from the start.
His second over brought an early result as Sherwin Campbell edged a catch low to the right of Thorpe. Griffiths followed three overs later, when he shuffled in front to Caddick.
The real theatre of the day came as Gough confronted Lara. Gough, just as he did at Edgbaston, rattled him, bounding in, bowling genuinely fast on a slowish surface.
Lara survived for more than an hour and a half, twice swatting the ball away over gully to the boundary. But his other 73 balls produced only five runs. He was finally dismissed when a thickish outside edge was snaffled by Thorpe at third slip.
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