Five-wicket Onions puts England on top

England have not won a Test in four years at Lord’s. Their defeat in the opening game of the 2005 Ashes has been followed by six consecutive draws, thanks to a series of high-scoring games mixed with poor weather.

But with three days to play in the first Test the West Indies are, following on, still 186 runs behind, thanks to a sensational debut from Graham Onions.

The weather forecast is gloomy - but surely not so gloomy as to stop England kicking off the Ashes summer on a high.

Graham Onions’ debut didn’t start too well: he was out first ball when England batted and his first four overs went for 22. But then it all turned round for the Durham fast bowler, as he took the last five Windies wickets in 27 balls including three in one over and four in seven balls.

Those seven balls saw the end of Lendl Simmons, Jerome Taylor, Denesh Ramdin and Sulieman Benn and took West Indies from being down (117/5) to being very nearly all out (128/9).

Earlier, Graeme Swann had picked up the key wicket of Shiv Chanderpual, caught at slip first ball.

With West Indies all out for 152 in reply’s to England’s 377 (Bopara 143, Swann 63*), they followed on 225 runs behind and soon lost Chris Gayle (0) and Ronnie Sarwan (1), both to Anderson.