Cricket: England were yesterday battling to prevent a comprehensive defeat in the final Test against West Indies after following on with a 466-run first innings deficit despite a battling century from Andrew Flintoff.
The tourists had resumed the fourth day on 171 for five - 580 behind - at the Recreation Ground knowing the prospect of following on was almost inevitable after Brian Lara's record-breaking innings of 400.
But instead of frustrating West Indies' attack, England were dismissed for 285 in only 99 overs with Lancashire all-rounder Flintoff finishing unbeaten on 102.
They then moved on to 10 without loss, to trail by 456 runs, in their second innings.
England had begun the day hopeful of securing a draw but their hopes of achieving that objective looked slim after West Indies claimed three wickets before lunch and also dropped Flintoff twice.
The tourists were hoping the unbroken 73-run partnership between Flintoff and Geraint Jones, who was playing his maiden Test innings, could remain intact and provide a foundation for their tail to at least reach 552 and save the follow on.
Their hour-long stand was broken in only the second over of the day, however, with Jones being bowled playing around a fast and straight delivery from Fidel Edwards.
Both Gareth Batty and Matthew Hoggard, who returned from his sick bed to bat, kept Flintoff company for nearly an hour each before they both fell to left-arm seamer Pedro Collins.
Flintoff, though, had played sensibly to reach his 50 after nearly three hours at the crease and although he rode his luck today, he deservedly reached his third Test century after nearly five hours at the crease, which included a six and 13 fours.
He had already had one reprieve the previous evening when Lara dropped him at 27 and lived a charmed life again yesterday and was dropped twice in the morning session with West Indies struggling to seize the initiative.
His first escape came on 56 when he drove Collins to Ricardo Powell at fourth slip and then the same bowler failed to take a return catch when Flintoff had progressed to 67.
Those let-offs allowed Flintoff to forge another encouraging partnership with Simon Jones, who was also dropped on three by Collins off the first delivery with the new ball, and he reached his century just an hour after lunch.
He had successfully resisted his natural attacking game for the majority of that time in the middle and only bared those instincts briefly on his way to three figures when he hit Edwards for 17 with the second over of the new ball.
Jones briefly left Flintoff in the middle after being struck on the left forearm by Best and retired hurt to receive treatment but returned just eight minutes later when Steve Harmison was bowled by the same bowler.
His second stint was less impressive than his first and he was given leg before to Ryan Hinds' spin to end the innings.
England escaped further damage before tea despite West Indies' claims that Marcus Trescothick was caught behind before he had scored.
SCOREBOARD
WEST INDIES: first innings 751 for 5 declared (B.Lara 400 not out, R.Jacobs 107 not out, R Sarwan 90, C Gayle 69)
ENGLAND: first innings (overnight 171-5)
M Trescothick c Jacobs b Best 16
M Vaughan c Jacobs b Collins 7
M Butcher b Collins 52
N Hussain b Best 3
G Thorpe c Collins b Edwards 10
A Flintoff not out 102
G Jones b Edwards 38
G Batty c Gayle b Collins 8
M Hoggard c Jacobs b Collins 1
S Jones lbw b Hinds 11
S Harmison b Best 5
Extras (b-1 lb-5 w-4 nb-22) 32
Total (all out, 99 overs) 285
Fall of wickets 1-8; 2-45; 3-54; 4-98; 5-98; 6-182; 7-205; 8-229; 9-283
Bowling: Collins 26-4-76-4 (nb-14 w-3), Edwards 18-3-70-2 (nb-5 w-1), Collymore 19-5-45-0 (nb-1), Best 10 3-3-37-3 (nb-1), Hinds 17.3-7-29-1 (nb-1), Sarwan 7-0-18-0, Gayle 1-0-4-0.
ENGLAND: second innings:
(following on)
M Trescothick not out 48
M Vaughan not out 47
Extras (w-1) 4
Total (27.5 overs) 99
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