England in with chance to end 31-year drought

England have not beaten the West Indies in a rubber since 1969 and thanks to some good work by their batsmen and the inclement weather, they are in with a chance to end the long drought at the Oval. They enter the third day of the final Test holding a 2-1 lead. Also the players are aware that a financial bonus is on offer and a well-earned rest awaits all but one of them.

England, led by Ray Illingworth defeated West Indies, captained by Gary Sobers in 1969. Since then more often than not, English teams have experienced grave disappointments. Presently however England enjoy a 2-1 lead in the five match series thanks principally to their remarkable victory in the fourth Test inside two days. Added incentive is the bonus of the 215,000 pounds reward from sponsors Vodafone and the England and Wales Cricket Board if they complete the job. Also, coach Duncan Fletcher has announced that this will be the final match of the season for every player selected for the one-day and Test sections of the winter schedule, which involves all but Michael Vaughan from the final Test line-up.

But coach Fletcher insisted that no motivation other than ending West Indies' three decades of dominance was necessary to lift an England side determined to complete a successful summer with victory over the next three days. ``It's got nothing to do with bonuses,'' stressed Fletcher. ``The guys out there want to do well for England, it's as simple as that, they want to go and win a Test series.''

Their first priority will be to make inroads into the West Indies line-up as they resume on 13 without loss having dismissed England, who began the second day on a promising 221 for five, for a disappointing 281. England's experience in losing all their first innings wickets for just 122 runs, having laid a solid foundation on 159 without loss, has given Fletcher hope they could do the same to West Indies - even though he admitted they under-performed in their first innings. ``We'd have liked a few more runs but the wicket is assisting the bowlers,'' said Fletcher. ``I think 300 to 320 would have been a score we would have looked at. It's the kind of pitch that if you get one wicket you can another one pretty quickly. We'd have liked a couple before the close, the guys bowled well and their opening pair played and missed quite a bit, but we'd have been happy with one. We are quite happy with 281 they way the wicket is playing.''

Former England captain Mike Atherton summed it up by saying it is the sort of pitch on which you never feel in. ``It's seaming and gripping. As it's got drier and drier it's got a bit more difficult to play on and a lot could depend on what happens in the first hour or two today.'' Fletcher also indicated that West Indies' controversial decision to bowl first could yet backfire on them.