Broad keeps England in game

ENGLAND must be fed up with pitches lacking pace and bounce. Such surfaces are expected on the sub-continent where spin has dominated for decades, but in Jamaica, the island that produced such fiery great fast bowlers like Michael Holding and Ian Bishop, it feels like a betrayal of a proud heritage. The increasing blandness of Test match pitches around the world hinders the sport's attempts to market the five-day game as the pinnacle of cricket.

Since the first day this one has offered turn, little bounce and no seam movement. The seamers, once the new ball has lost its shine and hardness, have had to employ a full repertoire of skill and craft to pose stubborn batsmen problems. So we have witnessed some good reverse swing, much disciplined accuracy and some very subtle and clever changes of pace but the heart and the head long for the sight of a fast bowler hurtling thunderbolts down, thoroughly testing a batsman's courage and technique.

None of which should detract from a wonderful effort by England's least experienced bowler, Stuart Broad. Until this match he was considered more as a young one with potential than a serious wicket-taker but allying superb discipline of line and length with a mix of cutters he completed his first five wicket haul. Indeed without him West Indies could have forged a much bigger lead than the eventual 74 the lower order eked out yesterday.

That he was so important must be of concern to the England management though. Freddie Flintoff bowled well, again, and proved with a workload of 33 overs that there were no lingering pains from his side strain. He was unlucky not to pick up more than the two victims but England cannot continue to rely on him as strike bowler and workhorse. The problem is Stephen Harmison bowled poorly, partly because the pitch negated his threat of steep bounce, Ryan Sidebottom laboured and looked like a man short of work, overs and pace while Monty Panesar failed to replicate the dangerous left arm spin of Sulieman Benn for West Indies. He turned the ball – it was almost impossible not to as the pitch had worn considerably – and he changed his pace from 55 miles per hour to 45 with some skill and on a more fortunate day he would have celebrated a couple of wickets with his customary jig but it is still not enough. Batsmen are finding him predictable to face and that is because he lacks an arm ball. The new spin bowling coach, Mushtaq Ahmed, has done well with Panesar in the short time they have worked together and pundits and critics must remember that spinners improve with age and experience but he must develop a well disguised arm ball, a quicker delivery that the batsmen is deceived into thinking is pitched short. He also needs a chat with the coaching staff to get a proper fielder in at silly point. A couple of chances went past Ian Bell close on the offside and while both were difficult, they were made impossible by Bell's poor technique. Fielders close to the bat must stay low to the ground, hands inches from the turf so they only have to react one way, upwards. Bell stands up with the batsman and hangs his hands around his knees.

That is the least of Bell's concerns though, as Alastair Cook succumbed immediately in England's second innings, loosely prodding at a full wide delivery from Jerome Taylor.

He started well, a neat clip off his legs and looked elegant. But he always does. This, and he as good as acknowledged it himself in an interview before play, was exactly the kind of tough situation in which he needed to make a big score.

Not having a decision referred would be a splendid start. The idea of a third umpire using a TV replay to correct an incorrect call from the on-field umpires is laudable. With so much at stake, both financially and in careers, it makes sense for TV to help the game, but there have been some niggling problems in this match. Firstly is the time each referral takes. Instead of the fielders gathering around and a drinks man running on to the pitch the umpires should insist every player is in position for the next delivery so the game can restart immediately. The game suffers enough with tardy over rates without more pauses and drinks but most importantly it would help the whole process if the umpire looking at a TV screen could actually see.

Daren Powell rightly asked for a referral at the end of West Indies' innings as every run he and Fidel Edwards added extended an already decent lead. He swung a pull shot at a Harmison leg-side long hop and was given out caught behind. TV clearly showed a gap between bat and ball and yet Daryl Harper upheld the dismissal.

How? Goodness only knows but it made an instant mockery of the whole referral system.

Imagine if it had been Chris Gayle or Kevin Pietersen instead of a tail ender.

It left England needing to bat the best part of five sessions to secure a draw on a wearing pitch, difficult to score on and providing plenty of encouragement for Benn and Gayle, a much underrated bowler.

A few of the England touring party may be a lot wealthier after the IPL auction in Goa on Friday but they should not confuse dollars in the bank with the real sporting currency, success on the pitch. Bat well for the rest of this match and the series is still to be won. Time for Bell to finally justify his inclusion.