Graeme Swann optimistic about England win

10 March,2009 08:41 AM IST |   |  Agencies

Graeme Swann yesterday admitted England are clinging to the hope of producing a couple of magic sessions in their bid to level the Test series against West Indies.


Graeme Swann yesterday admitted England are clinging to the hope of producing a couple of magic sessions in their bid to level the Test series against West Indies.

England head into the final day of the five-match campaign 82 runs ahead with seven second-innings wickets intact and looking to entice their hosts into a chase. Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Brendan Nash collected hundreds to keep West Indies in the fifth and final Test yesterday.

West Indies bowler Ryan Hinds celebrates the wicket of England vice-captain Alastair Cook on Day Four of the fifth and final Test at Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain yesterday
England lost the wickets of their captain Andrew Strauss, stylish No 3 Owais Shah, and their vice-captain Alastair Cook in a dramatic hour and 10 minutes before stumps were drawn on the penultimate day at Queen's Park Oval. The visitors had earlier gained a lead of just two runs, after Chanderpaul scored his 21st Test hundred, an undefeated 147, and Nash made his maiden Test hundred of 109, as West Indies were dismissed for 544, replying to England's first innings total of 546 for six declared.


"We have to go in believing we can do it," Swann said. "We need to be as positive as possible, hopefully get a score on the board and create some doubts in the minds of the West Indian batsmen," said Swann.

Brief scores
England 546/6d & 80/3 (15.0 overs)
West Indies 544

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Graeme Swann England West indies Test series Andrew Strauss