Rain fails to stop England's party

[Vinoth]

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Rain delayed play after lunch but England continued to make headway against West Indies on the opening day of the second cricket Test at Queen's Park Oval on Friday.
Only half an hour of cricket was possible in the afternoon period, but it was enough time for Simon Jones to have Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught behind for two after top-edging a cut to leave West Indies on 127 for four.

Light rain prompted an early tea break with Ramnaresh Sarwan not out on 13 and Dwayne Smith not out on 10.

For close to 90 minutes there was no cricket after lunch because of inclement weather and it offered West Indies some respite after three wickets, all to Steve Harmison, set back the home team on 110 for three.

West Indies might have hoped that experienced left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul and vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan might have batted through the remaining time until the revised tea break at 2015 GMT.

Harmison and Jones, however, exploited the overcast conditions and moist pitch to gain exceptional bounce and movement from the pitch and Chanderpaul, chasing a wide, short ball outside off-stump, was gleefully caught by 'keeper Chris Read.

Harmison now has three for 35 from 11 overs and Jones has taken one for 32 from 7.2 overs.

Earlier, Harmison removed three wickets, including West Indies captain Brian Lara for nought, in the final 15 minutes before lunch, after West Indies made a bright start.

Opening batsman Chris Gayle was caught behind for a whirlwind 62, fellow left-hander Devon Smith was lbw for 35, and Lara was caught at gully.

Gayle launched a merciless assault on England's bowlers after West Indies, not totally unexpected, chose to bat under sunny to overcast skies.

Batting like a man possessed, Gayle crashed 12 fours and one six from 81 balls in just under two hours to help West Indies erase the memories of last Sunday's debacle at Kingston when they were bowled out for a Test low of 47.

Smith, who was the perfect foil, remained unflappable to smash seven fours from 71 balls and batted all but the last four balls of the morning period before being trapped plumb in front and exposed Lara for four balls.

The West Indies captain was caught in the gully from Harmison's delivery as England removed a major obstacle in their way.

West Indies made two changes to their side that lost the opening Test at Kingston by 10 wickets with Dwayne Smith and Pedro Collins replacing the ill Ryan Hinds and injured Fidel Edwards.

England, who lead the four-Test series 1-0 as they bid to end a 36-year wait for a Test series victory over West Indies in the Caribbean, have kept faith with the same side that completed that sensational victory