Holder century helps West Indies escape with draw

St. John’s (Antigua), Jason Holder struck his maiden first-class century to lead West Indies to a draw in the first Test in Antigua on Friday after James Anderson had become England’s leading Test wicket-taker.
Denesh Ramdin and Holder shared a resolute seventh-wicket stand of 105 and although the former became Anderson’s 384th Test victim in the final session, the hosts did enough to ruin England’s hopes of going 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Holder ended unbeaten on 103 and Kemar Roach was 15 not out as West Indies finished on 350 for seven, 88 runs short of their improbable victory target of 438.
Paceman Anderson surpassed Ian Botham’s tally of 383 Test victims when he had Ramdin caught by captain Alastair Cook at first slip for 57. Holder held his nerve, however, and he reached three figures by hitting James Tredwell for four in the penultimate over of the match. Earlier, England looked to be closing in on victory when they dismissed Devon Smith, Marlon Samuels and Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the morning session, leaving West Indies on 162 for five at lunch.
First-innings centurion Jermaine Blackwood fell for 31 soon after the interval, aiming a wild heave at Chris Jordan and edging a catch to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. But Ramdin and Holder comfortably survived on a flat pitch and the hosts took tea at 268 for six. Anderson equalled Botham’s total in the morning session when Samuels, on 23, flashed at a wide ball and was well caught by Tredwell in the gully.
Off-spinner Tredwell had already tempted Smith to try to drive him over the top but the opener holed out to Gary Ballance at mid-on for 65.
Tredwell should have dismissed Samuels in his next over, Buttler missing a difficult stumping chance from a sharply turning delivery.
Samuels soon fell to a full delivery from Anderson before Chanderpaul and Blackwood dug in. The limpet-like Chanderpaul appeared well set for another marathon knock but, on 13, he was trapped lbw by part-time spinner Joe Root.
Brief scores: England 399 (Bell 143, Root 83, Stokes 79, Roach 4-94) and 333 for 7 dec (Ballance 122, Buttler 59*, Root 59) drew with West Indies 294 (Blackwood 112*, Tredwell 4-47) and 350 for 7 (Holder 103*, Smith 65, Ramdin 57). — Reuters
Abandoned India tour on agenda in WICB, CARICOM meet
Last year’s controversial abandoned tour of India will be on the agenda when the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) meets with the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Committee on Cricket Governance next Monday in Grenada. WICB president Dave Cameron, along with all 18 directors of the board, will sit down with four regional prime ministers including CARICOM chairman Perry Christie of the Bahamas to discuss the state of the game. The abandoned tour of India last October is one of three items up for discussion with the reform and governance of WI cricket and the relationship between the CARICOM Committee on Cricket Governance and WICB.