Just like old times

Birmingham - Some things never change and few have been as enduring in cricket as Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose persecuting the opposition, most notably England, in the cause of the West Indies.

They were at it again here yesterday on the opening day of their latest encounter, combining with a little help from their younger accomplices to dismiss England for an unsatisfactory 179.

It was the ideal platform on which their batsmen could build.

Even if the loss of the two young left-handers, Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds, in the closing 19 overs were disappointing setbacks, Sherwin Campbell's solid start and Brian Lara's presence encourage optimism when the West Indies restart this morning at 50 for two.

England, predictably sent in after Jimmy Adams won the toss on a fine, if cloudy, day, were first throttled by Ambrose's unerring accuracy and then picked off, one by one, by Walsh's clinical each-way movement in the conditions they have grown to know and love after several seasons of Test and county cricket.

The story line had been repeatedly played out through their lengthy association.

This was Walsh's 118th Test and his seventh series against England.

His return of five for 36 from 21 overs was the 21st time he has claimed at least half the opposition wickets in Tests, the third time in successive Tests. He has now done it a staggering 101 times in all first-class cricket.

At 37, Walsh continues to confound the theory that international sport is for the young. So does Ambrose, a year his junior, in his 94th Test, and his fifth Wisden Trophy Series against England.

Ambrose's reward for 20.5 overs that cost him a miserly 32 runs was one wicket. It was a deceptive statistic. The pressure his accuracy exerted contributed significantly to the outcome of the innings.

Franklyn Rose delivered one outstanding spell, in which he repeatedly defeated the left-handed Nick Knight, England's modest topscorer with 26, and dismissed captain Nasser Hussain to a gloved catch to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.

But Reon King, so consistently of late the fastest and more penetrative of the apostles, had an off-day.

Lacking his necessary rhythm to such an extent that he delivered a wide and his first two no-balls in Test cricket, as well as four times aborting his ap-proach, he was taken for 60 runs and 11 fours in 14.1 overs.

Had the support been more effective, England would not have got as far as they did.

They had been reduced to 112 for seven when Knight and Andy Flintoff were dismissed in successive overs but the tail put together a further, valuable 67 against wayward bowling.

Ambrose and Walsh were bowling for the first time on tour, having taken required rest after their exertions in the preceding series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan in the Caribbean.

Ambrose was on target from his first over, offering nothing in width and length.

Like a vintage Rolls Royce just emerging from storage, Walsh needed a little more time to function again on all cylinders.

It was, in fact, an hour and six overs. Suddenly, his engine began to purr with a satisfying and familiar precision.

As he explained afterwards, he assessed the lack of pace in the pitch, trimmed his miles-per-hour accordingly and settled for control and movement.

Mark Ramprakash, who had taken 17 of the 20 runs Walsh conceded until then, edged a lifter off just short of a length into his pad and Hinds at short-leg accepted the rebound.

Atherton, opening out with three hooked fours and another on-driven when King relieved Ambrose, felt for one from Walsh that left him sharply and Ridley Jacobs gathered in the thick edge.

Graeme Hick, who has never been comfortable against West Indies fast bowling since his first Test against them in 1991 ' when Walsh and Ambrose were still young men ' lasted only seven balls.

With his feet static, he, too, edged Walsh's leg-cutter. Gayle at third slip spilled the offering but Campbell saved embarrassment with alert reaction to gather the rebound.

England lunched at 51 for three, Walsh bowling unchanged for a return of 13-5-23-3 in the morning. They continued to subside afterwards.

The West Indies were left with 19 tricky overs for the rest of the evening.

The challenge proved too great for Gayle and Hinds, in their first Tests in England and unaccustomed to such conditions.

Gayle slashed Caddick to fine gully where Flintoff dropped him and was then plainly lbw to Gough's inswinger.

Hinds began with a confident flourish, driving Gough square for four and lifting Caddick through mid-off for another.

But Edgbaston is not Kensington, the ball does not come onto the bat straight, and his aerial drive off Caddick was plucked out by Hussain.

It left Campbell and Lara to see out the day. They achieved their goal. Their real work lies ahead today.