West Indies
held on to draw the first Test on the day James Anderson became England's
leading wicket-taker in Test history.
Anderson's two wickets on the final day in Antigua took his tally to 384,
breaking Sir Ian Botham's record.
But Jason Holder's unbeaten 103, his maiden Test century, helped West Indies
- set 438 to win - reach 350-7.
He added 105 with captain Denesh Ramdin, who scored 57, while Devon Smith
made 65.
England's celebrations at Anderson's achievement were tempered by their
failure to prise out more than five wickets in almost 90 overs on the final day.
While the tourists can take heart from dominating much of the game, they have
not won a Test away from home in 10 attempts stretching back to 2012.
They were denied by a combination of a lifeless pitch and the defiance shown
by Holder, Ramdin and, late in the day, Kemar Roach, who batted for an hour and
a quarter for an unbeaten 15.
A couple of rash dismissals aside, West Indies batted with commendable
application, and can head to Grenada for Tuesday's second Test, with renewed
justified optimism.
Ramdin played a central role, leading the recovery from 155-5 after three
wickets fell in a morning session which began with West Indies 98-2.
Devon Smith drove James Tredwell to mid-on to end an otherwise patient
175-ball innings, Anderson had Marlon Samuels taken at gully to take him level
with Botham's record, and Joe Root trapped Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw as he
pushed forward.
Jermaine Blackwell threatened to undermine Ramdin's efforts when he charged
at Chris Jordan and inside-edged to wicketkeeper Jos Buttler to depart for 31.
But Holder, whose previous highest first-class score was 52, accompanied his
skipper in a largely untroubled seventh-wicket stand spanning 32 overs.
Standing tall and driving straight off front and back foot, Holder struck 15
fours as England captain Alastair Cook rotated his bowlers to little effect.
Although he lost Ramdin to a wonderful outswinger which Cook held at first
slip to give Anderson the record, Holder and Roach repelled England for the
remaining 18 overs.
Holder, on 87, survived a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Tredwell when a
drive ricocheted off Gary Ballance's shin at silly point.
But few in the ground could begrudge him his moment of glory as successive
fours down the ground took him to a richly deserved century.
James Tredwell, who took 4-47 in the first
innings, claimed the first wicket on the final day
Denesh Ramdin made an unbeaten 107 in his
previous Test against England, at Edgbaston in 2012
Jason Holder's previous highest
first-class score was the 52 he made on Test debut
James Anderson becomes England's highest
Test wicket-taker by removing Denesh Ramdin
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