Gabriel gets KP

Shannon Gabriel has made a very positive impression during his first Test. After three wickets in the first innings he added the prized scalp of Kevin Pietersen on the final day to leave England wobbling on 57 for 4. And it was the manner in which he struck which impressed. Pietersen, trying to dominate, had just dispatched a dismissive pull to square leg but Gabriel did not shirk the challenge. He bowled another short ball, which did not quite bounce as much, and Pietersen could not resist another pull which resulted in a bottom edge to the keeper and a jubilant bowler.

There has been some curious running in this match with most of it centred around Shivnarine Chanderpaul. This time, however, with Alastair Cook and Ian Bell in their crucial stand, Cook became tangled with Darren Sammy at the bowler's end as he turned for a second run. Both players ended in a heap but Bell had time to sense the danger and get back into his ground. Cook and Sammy dusted themselves off and acknowledged each other in good spirits.

It was going to take a huge effort from West Indies to win the Test, yet at 57 for 4 there was more than a glimmer. So it was surprising to see some of Sammy's tactics as lunch approached and England whittled down the target. Roach was not recalled for a second spell while Sammy and Samuels operated in tandem. A captain cannot bowl his strike man into the ground, especially with two more Tests to go, but sometimes an occasion demands going for broke. This felt like one of those.

The game had long since gone from West Indies but when Darren Sammy had a big appeal for lbw against Jonny Bairstow turned down the captain opted for a review anyway. No one really looked that interested and even less so when Hot Spot showed a thin edge from Bairstow. It was another excellent umpiring decision in what was a fine Test for Aleem Dar and Marais Erasmus.

After a slow start, the crowd grew during the morning session. It wasn't quite a People's Monday as against India last year but there are understandable reasons why - people needing to work and the amount of cricket being high up there. Those who were in the ground by lunch were given the chance to walk, or perambulate as they like to call it in these parts, around a portion of the outfield although a large section was kept well protected. It does not just host cricket this year, there's the Olympic archery to come too.