Cricket: Stewart doubles up as England seek knockout: Caddick adds insult to injury by taking two priceless wickets after Atherton declares his intent to storm the West Indian citadel

England 355 and 394-7 dec; West Indies 304 and 47-2

ALEC STEWART'S historic achievement in becoming the first Englishman to score two centuries in the same Test against the West Indies, two home batsmen already out and two more retired hurt in the pavilion (traditionally the visiting team's misfortune in this part of the world) have opened up the much scoffed-at pre-match scenario of England becoming the first side to win a Test match in Bridgetown since 1935.

After England had set the West Indies 446 runs to win (40 more than has ever been accomplished before) Richie Richardson was forced to retire hurt for 18 with a pulled hamstring, Desmond Haynes's first-innings finger injury having already led to Jimmy Adams being pressed into the emergency opener's spot alongside Richardson. Adams was caught behind late in the day off Andrew Caddick, and with Caddick then having the nightwatchman Kenneth Benjamin caught low down at second slip by Graeme Hick, the West Indies are staring down both barrels at 47 for 2 this morning. Even with their inconsistent attack, England should be up to finishing the job in the maximum 95 overs remaining today.

England would be in an even stronger position had Brian Lara (on seven) not survived a difficult stumping chance to Jack Russell off Philip Tufnell, and there is enough slow turn in the pitch for Tufnell to exploit the West Indies' traditional impetuosity.

Michael Atherton's decision not to declare until he had a lead of 445 with a maximum 117 overs of the match remaining, was not an act of overpowering faith in his bowlers, but well justified given the lack of support for Angus Fraser in the first innings, and Chris Lewis complaining of a side strain that the England physiotherapist has been unable to locate, let alone treat. However, Caddick's two-wicket burst makes it probable that Stewart's brilliant performance will be suitably rewarded.

Stewart was roundly feted by (and possibly inspired by) the vast throng of English supporters inside the Kensingon Oval - although not everyone would regard banners proclaiming allegiance to Chelsea FC and banal chants of 'Ingurlund' unreservedly uplifting.

Whatever. It was a herculean effort to bat for the thick end of 14 hours in temperatures that would not have persuaded the island's reptilian population to emerge from underneath a rock. In his two innings, Stewart made 261 runs from 480 deliveries and struck 38 boundaries. Sunil Gavaskar is the only other visitor to the Caribbean to have made two centuries in the same Test.

Atherton did not, presumably, pop into the television commentary box to seek David Gower's advice on when he should declare. Gower was the last England captain to indulge himself in this luxury against the West Indies, at Lord's in 1984, when he invited them to make 342 in five and a quarter hours. He then spent the rest of the day with a bemused expression on his face while the opposition cantered in with 12 overs to spare on the back of Gordon Greenidge's unbeaten double-century.

However, while it was England's stated intention on the rest dayto bat on until tea, it was not immediately clear as to whether they were referring to tea on the fourth day or tea on the fifth. They could only cobble together another 53 from yesterday's morning session, and there were two elongated passages of play in which both Graeme Hick and Stewart remained entirely runless.

Hick almost made it to the mid-morning drinks break without adding to his overnight 52, at which point he made seven in two consecutive blows off Curtly Ambrose. This, though, clearly exhausted him, as he was then caught low down at first slip to the second delivery after the resumption from Courtney Walsh.

After Hick's departure, Stewart, who had added only 11 to his overnight 62 in the first hour, then went 46 minutes without scoring, and if England's total had not received further assistance from no-balls, the pre-lunch session would have produced only 46 runs.

Stewart required two and three-quarter hours to make it into three figures, but the arrival of his Surrey team-mate Graham Thorpe injected some much-needed urgency.

Thorpe's eye for the sharp single succeeded in throwing the West Indian attack off a previously impeccable line and length, and both batsmen cashed in with a flurry of boundaries against the second new ball. Thorpe reached his fifty off 81 deliveries, and the contrast from the morning session could not have been more stark as the fifth-wicket pair put on 150 in 161 minutes.

Stewart then top-edged a catch to first slip off Ambrose, and the reason for him not walking on this occasion was umpire Barker busy signalling the 60th West Indian no-ball of the match. Stewart's remarkable innings ended not long afterwards when he chopped a legitimate ball from Walsh on to his stumps, but he and Thorpe had given the bowling such a thorough working-over that England scored 133 runs between lunch and tea.

ENGLAND CENTURIES IN BOTH INNINGS

Charles Russell. . . . . . . . .140 & 111 v South Africa 1923

Herbert Sutcliffe. . . . . . . . . .176 & 127 v Australia 1925

Wally Hammond. . . . . . . . . . . .119no & 177 v Australia 1929

Herbert Sutcliffe. . . . . . . . .104 & 109no v S Africa 1929

Eddie Paynter. . . . . . . . . . .117 & 100 v South Africa 1938

Denis Compton. . . . . . . . . . . .147 & 103no v Australia 1947

Graham Gooch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333 & 123 v India 1990

Alec Stewart. . . . . . . . . . . . .118 & 143 v West Indies 1994

CENTURIES IN BOTH INNINGS v W INDIES

Doug Walters (Australia). . . . . . . . . . .242 & 103 Sydney 1968-69

Sunil Gavaskar (India). . . . . .124 & 220 Port of Spain 1970-71

Greg Chappell (Australia). . . . . .123 & 109no Brisbane 1975-76

Alec Stewart (England). . . . . . . . . . . .118 & 143 Bridgetown 1994

SCOREBOARD FROM BRIDGETOWN

(Fourth day: West Indies won toss)

ENGLAND - First Innings 355 (A J Stewart 118, M A Atherton 85; C E L Ambrose 4-86).

WEST INDIES - First Innings 304 (S Chanderpaul 77; A R C Fraser 8-75).

ENGLAND - Second Innings

(Overnight Sunday: 173 for 3)

A J Stewart b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .143

(475 min, 319 balls, 20 fours)

G A Hick c Lara b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

(186 min, 126 balls, 8 fours)

G P Thorpe c Arthurton b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

(188 min, 129 balls, 9 fours)

R C Russell not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

(33 min, 18 balls, 1 four)

C C Lewis c Walsh b Adams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

(6 min, 7 balls, 1 four, 1 six)

Extras (b8 lb6 nb36). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Total (for 7 dec, 508 min, 108.5 overs). . . . . . . . .394

Fall (cont): 4-194 (Hick), 5-344 (Stewart), 6-382 (Thorpe), 7-394 (Lewis).

Did not bat: A R Caddick, A R C Fraser, P C R Tufnell.

Bowling: Ambrose 22-4-75-0 (nb14) (5-1-12- 0, 1-0-5-0, 3-0-8-0, 7-2-18-0, 6-1-32-0); Walsh 28-5-94-5 (nb9) (8-1-27-2, 4-0-28-0, 10-3-10-1, 6-1-29-2); W Benjamin 22-3-58-0 (nb5) (12-1-34-0, 10-2-24-0); K Benjamin 20-1-92-1 (nb12) (7-1-25-1, 4-0-15-0, 6-0-38-0, 3-0-14-0); Chanderpaul 10-3-30-0 (4-2-3-0, 1-0-8-0, 5-1-19-0); Adams 6.5-0-31-1 (3-0-6-0, 3.5-0-25-1).

Progress (fourth day): 200: 328 min, 68 overs. New ball: 75 overs, 219-4. Lunch: 224-4 (Stewart 75, Thorpe 25) 77 overs. 250: 391 min, 82.2 overs. 300: 432 min, 90.5 overs. 350: 486 min, 102.4 overs. Tea: 357-4 (Thorpe 70, Russell 5) 104 overs.

Stewart's 100: 416 min, 272 balls, 12 fours.

Thorpe's 50: 127 min, 81 balls, 6 fours.

WEST INDIES - Second Innings

* R B Richardson ret hurt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

(50 min, 39 balls, 2 fours)

J C Adams c Russell b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

(81 min, 49 balls, 1 four)

B C Lara not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

(46 min, 37 balls, 2 fours)

K C G Benjamin c Hick b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

(7 min, 5 balls)

K L T Arthurton not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0

(5 min, 3 balls)

Extras (b1 lb5 nb1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Total (for 2, 97 min, 22 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

Fall: 1-43 (Adams), 2-43 (K Benjamin).

To bat: D L Haynes, S Chanderpaul, J Murray, W K M Benjamin, C E L Ambrose, C A Walsh.

Bowling (to date): Fraser 8-3-17-0 (one spell); Caddick 5-2-16-2 (nb1) (2-0-15-0; 3-2- 1-2); Tufnell 9-6-8-0 (one spell).

Umpires: L H Barker and D B Hair.

(Photograph omitted)