Flintoff was struggling with injury, Harmison with "illness" - although why a player who was supposedly suffering from heatstroke spent so much of the day in the field if he wasn't fit to bowl I don't know.

The counter argument to that is there were only 11 overs to bowl after the break between innings. Broad, Anderson and Swann could have covered those between them leaving the other two to get a nights rest and come back fresh in the morning.

Absolutely. Leaving yourself with only 3 frontline bowlers, even in a follow-on in that pitch, is a risk not worth taking when you're so far ahead. Good decision by Strauss.

So far so good



Surely need to be looking at a unchtime declaration?

Depands on how many they have on the board, but I'm sure that will be their target.

72/2 now Anderson gone for a decent 20. Shah and Cook in now.

106 - 3 after 28. Cook on 42.

135-3 at lunch, a lead of 410. Thoughts are that they will go on for another 30 mins then declare.

Rain is forecast apparently. Get declared now, if they can make 440 to win on this pitch then they deserve it.

Well they're 460 ahead now

Its gone past a joke now.

476 to win, WI will be lucky to get 350 if the bowlers perform as they can.

Collingwood just gone, best chance to wave them in but nope he sits back down.

Add Strauss to the long list of England captains who leave the declaration too late:

Atherton, Stewart, Hussain, Vaughan, Strauss

We're looking stupid here call them in FFS, this is sending everyone the wrong mesaage.

yeah like the indian match last year

This just shows how low we are on confidence

They have a lead of over 500 now. Declare FFS

Sending Freddie out was plain stupid.

They declare at last.

The Windies need 503 to win

That was a declaration in name only, I don't think it's worth Monty walking out TBH.

he wouldn't as its swan in this test - hopefully he will play a bigger part with the ball as he did in the 1st innings

Windies 143 - 3 at day 4 close. 360 still required.

England need to close this out asap, before the rain arrives.

Declaration came 50 runs too late imo, although aftre the Chennai Test its perhaps understandable to an extent.

Current partnership is the big one, think it will be touch and go for an England win.

Rain expected today, if they are 7,8,9 down Strauss is gonna look VERY foolish.

Sarwan looked in good nick yesterday though he was given plenty of four-balls. Can someone explain to me, with rain forecast tomorrow, why they ended the day with Pietersen at one end? He could barely get the ball on the stumps.

Maybe they wanted to batsmen to lose focus at the end of the day and play a daft shot as it was 'only KP' bowling?

With Chanderpaul batting?

With flawless logic like that its no wonder England are in such a good position.

Of course, I mean its never worked before has it?

Smith - KP

Vaughan - Tendulkar

fair play. But KP bowled gash last night