CRICKET FIRST TEST:STUART BROAD led an England fightback at Sabina Park on an old-school day of Test cricket which defied the age of technology in which it was played.

Broad claimed half of the six wickets to fall as West Indies closed a third day, littered with further umpire challenges, on 352 for seven – which meant a total of just 192 runs for the day.

West Indies literally ground to a halt after reaching 220 for one shortly before lunch, losing four wickets for 34 runs in the next 28 overs as Andrew Strauss’ tactic of delaying the second new ball until the 105th over worked to the tourists’ advantage. Centurions Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan (pictured left) were among that quartet, but runs proved harder to come by after their departures and it took sixth-wicket pair Denesh Ramdin and Brendan Nash to restore some momentum late on.

Nash, the first white West Indies player since the early 1970s, dropped anchor for an unbeaten 47. Ramdin had been the aggressor during their alliance but it was not until the 131st over of the innings that his pulled four off Broad put West Indies beyond England’s first innings of 318.

Monty Panesar dismissed Ramdin with a classical piece of left-arm spin bowling, although frustratingly for England it came in his 39th over of the innings.

Fast bowler Steve Harmison followed up with a maiden breakthrough of his own as Jerome Taylor was trapped lbw as the shadows spread across the ground. But it was Broad’s improved showing which hauled back the hosts, claiming the prize scalp of left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpaul with one which nipped back to trap him in front of off-stump – the batsman’s challenge to umpire Tony Hill’s decision proving futile.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle was delighted to score his first century on his home ground as West Indies, before he was dismissed by Stuart Broad.

“It meant a lot to me,” he said. “The last game I played here I got a pair so it’s nice to give the home crowd something to cheer about.” Ramnaresh Sarwan also helped himself to a century, eventually falling to Andrew Flintoff for 107, but Gayle believes his side still have a lot to do. “Sarwan got a hundred as well, but at the same time it’s not over ‘til it’s over,” Gayle added.

“Give credit to the England bowlers, they bowled really well on a flat wicket. Hopefully tomorrow we can continue where we left off. We have only got a lead of 34. We are batting really well and would like a nice lead of 60 on this deck.”