Chanderpaul, Samuels defy dominant England

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels launched a rearguard action as they battled to prevent the West Indies going down to defeat by England in the first Test at Lord's on Saturday.

West Indies, in dire straits after losing three wickets on 36, had recovered to 120 for four in their second innings at stumps on the third day.

That still left them 35 runs behind England's first innings 398.

Chanderpaul, officially the world's best Test batsman, dug-in to be 34 not out in two-and-a-half hours of typical defiance.

Samuels offered sound support in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 55 in 113 balls to be 26 not out at the close.

"In Shiv and Samuels we've got two experienced players," said West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who earlier on Saturday marked his Test debut by leading the attack with a promising return of three for 60 in 21.3 overs.

"Hopefully, they can bat for as long as possible and get us into a better position," he added.

Ian Bell, whose controlled 61 bolstered England's total, insisted bowling the West Indies out twice was no easy task.

"You expect a flat pitch at Lord's and we know we have to work hard here to get 20 wickets," he explained.

"If we can get Chanderpaul in the morning, we're into their all-rounders and their bowlers."

Shortly before stumps, England thought they had Chanderpaul lbw for 22.

First-change Tim Bresnan, from around the wicket, had his appeal rejected by South African umpire Marais Erasmus but England captain Andrew Strauss called for a review.

However, replays indicated the ball would have missed leg stump.

The West Indies, 155 behind on first innings, saw openers Adrian Barath and Kieran Powell put on 36 for the first wicket.

But Barath (24) was undone by Bresnan's fifth ball of the innings, an excellent leg-cutter he could only edge to wicket-keeper Matt Prior.

Powell was far more culpable in his dismissal for eight, languidly top-edging a pull off Stuart Broad to Bell, running round from deep square leg.

And worse followed when Kirk Edwards was run out for nought.

Darren Bravo nudged the ball and non-striker Edwards sprinted half-way down the pitch for a single that was never on and was run out by England debutant Jonathan Bairstow's direct hit from cover-point as he turned back.

West Indies had then lost three wickets for no runs in nine balls.

Chanderpaul, who seems to have spent the bulk of his Test career conducting salvage operations -- something that seems set to continue if he persists in staying at No 5 behind a weak top order -- came in after the interval.

The left-hander, whose unbeaten 87 was the centrepiece of West Indies' first innings 243, might have gone for two when he tried to uppercut Bresnan and leaping third slip James Anderson failed to hold a tough left-handed chance.

Bravo though went for 21 when off-spinner Graeme Swann, from around the wicket, clean bowled the left-hander, who inexplicably played no stroke to leave the West Indies 65 for four.

England had resumed on 259 for three, with Strauss 121 not out, having ended his 18-month wait for a Test century on Friday.

But the opener added just one run before being caught behind off an inside-edge against Kemar Roach.

West Indies bowled well but a ninth-wicket partnership of 55 between Bell and Swann, whose exuberant 30 featured six fours, strengthened England's position.

Bell was last man out when he pulled Gabriel to Powell at deep backward square leg.

"It was nice to make a contribution that helped us to get a 150-run lead," said Bell. "Early in the English season you want to be careful driving the ball, and I wanted to be as patient as possible and let the bowling come to me.

Gabriel, a 24-year-old Trinidad paceman, had previously clean bowled Prior to open his Test account.

"It was special to get my first Test wicket," he said. "I bowled yesterday (Friday) and didn't get one so I was thinking 'when is it going to come?'"

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