England cloese in on fourth consecutive win over West Indies

LONDON (AP) -- Despite an attacking 105 by Chris Gayle and solid resistance from Dwayne Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, England closed in on its fourth consecutive victory on Saturday against the West Indies.

The West Indies, following on 318 runs behind on first innings, moved its second innings score from 84 for two at the start to 274 for six at the second interval at the Oval.

That left the West Indies 44 behind with four wickets standing and two days left.

In the first session of two hours, James Anderson dismissed both West Indies captain Brian Lara and Gayle to slip catches in his best spell of the series.

But Bravo and Chanderpaul held England at bay for almost two hours on a partnership of 82. The youngest member of the West Indies at 20, Bravo was playing in his fourth test. Chanderpual, 30, was in his 77th.

Bravo recovered from a blow on the back of the helmet from a Steve Harmison bouncer to score 54 before he was ruled leg before wicket padding out to Matthew Hoggard's inswinger.

He hit 11 fours from 117 balls.

Chanderpaul followed 35 minutes before tea for 32 from 111 balls, edging a catch to wicket-keeper Geraint Jones off his pad from left-arm spinner Ashley Giles.

The West Indies collapsed to 152 in reply to 470 on the second day and had to follow on. Hopes were pinned on Lara.

But the left-hander only added 14 to the single he scored the previous afternoon when he edged a low catch to Marcus Trescothick at first slip.

As he walked off the ground, Lara turned and raised his bat in all directions. It was a clear indication that it would be his last test in England. The West Indies is not scheduled to return for at least six years.

A crowd of 18,000 accorded him a standing ovation.

Gayle, 59 at the start, raised his first 100 against England and his sixth in all tests by taking two fours off successive balls from Andrew Flintoff.

He celebrated the achievement by punching the air and jubilantly acknowledging the crowd's ovation. But he added only five when he was caught at second slip off Anderson.

His main scoring shots off the 80 balls he received were a six over long-on off Anderson and 18 fours, six of each ball of an over off Matthew Hoggard the previous afternoon, a test record.

At lunch, Dwayne Bravo was batting 24 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul was 9. Chanderpaul came in one spot lower than nominated because he taking a toilet break when Lara was out.

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