CRICKET: Simon Jones earned his reward for his hard work during his lengthy period of rehabilitation by claiming his maiden five-wicket Test haul and bowling England to the brink of an emphatic second Test victory at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
The Glamorgan fast bowler endured 17 months on the sidelines waiting for a chance to return to international cricket after his bright career was dramatically halted by a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained in Brisbane last winter.
But the endless hours in the gym and in nets working on his action paid dividends yesterday when he claimed five for 57 to all but break West Indian spirits and leave England a victory target of 99.
A run chase seemed unlikely in fading light but England were on course for a repeat of their Karachi triumph in the dark three years ago on 71 for two when umpires Billy Bowden and Daryl Harper decided the light had become too poor to carry on and halted play with 11 overs remaining.
The only blemish on Jones' display, which bristled with hostility and aggression, was an over-enthusiastic celebration for his third wicket which may result in him being disciplined for breaking the new hard-line code of conduct introduced by the International Cricket Council last year.
Jones charged down the pitch like a man possessed after winning an appeal for leg before against Ramnaresh Sarwan, with Jones, shouting and shaking his fist at the West Indies batsman before he departed the crease.
That incident apart, Jones gave everything England could have hoped from him in only his second Test since his return from injury and his fourth in all.
And, like Steve Harmison in the previous Test, he used his aggression, pace and bounce to halt West Indies' brief show of resistance.
The tourists had added only 19 runs this morning after resuming on 300 for six before being dismissed for 319, registering a 111-run first innings advantage over a West Indies side still showing scars from the humiliation of being dismissed for 47 at Sabina Park just over a week ago.
They began their second innings cautiously and took 33 deliveries just to open their account.
But by the time Jones was introduced into the attack in the 12th over, openers Gayle and Devon Smith were showing signs that they could repeat their first innings century stand.
Within two deliveries Jones had broken their stand, a full-length delivery keeping low to pierce Gayle's defences and hit his off-stump, and Smith followed in his next over when he drove lamely to mid-off.
Jones had a similar impact to the afternoon session, striking with the second delivery after lunch to win that leg before appeal against Sarwan from umpire Billy Bowden to claim his third wicket for 18 runs in 21 balls either side of lunch.
