Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo hit half centuries before falling just before the close as West Indies reached 275 for six on day one of the third Test against England at Old Trafford on Thursday.

The pair came together with the touring side in trouble on 108 for four, adding 157 for the fifth wicket to frustrate England, who are 2-0 up in the four-match series and seeking their ninth win in 10 Tests.

Chanderpaul continued his good form with 76 and Bravo made his maiden Test fifty in his third match on the way to 77 before Matthew Hoggard returned to the attack to have both batsmen caught by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

The two had brought up their half centuries in quick succession, Bravo punching Andrew Flintoff through gully for three and Chanderpaul top-edging a hook for six over Jones.

When bad light stopped play with 19.1 overs remaining, wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh, replacing Ridley Jacobs, was nine not out and Dave Mohammed yet to score in his second Test.

LARA DUCK

England all-rounder Flintoff earlier took two quick wickets in the afternoon session including Brian Lara for a duck.

Ramnaresh Sarwan played a quicker delivery on to his stumps for 40 and Lara, still seven short of 10,000 Test runs, was yorked leg stump.

The West Indies captain has shown a habit of shuffling across his stumps in the series and Flintoff exploited it perfectly on his home ground.

Debutant opener Sylvester Joseph, replacing Devon Smith, played steadily for his 45 before edging Steve Harmison to Graham Thorpe at third slip.

Harmison appeared rejuvenated after looking tired in the back-to-back first two Tests in which he took only three wickets.

Seamer James Anderson, again preferred to Simon Jones, was less convincing and spinner Ashley Giles failed to produce the penetration that brought him 18 wickets in the series.

Hoggard, who finished with figures of three for 61, dismissed Chris Gayle for five in the day's fifth over, finding the opener's leading edge to give Andrew Strauss a catch at point.

Play began an hour late because of overnight rain in Manchester after Lara won the toss.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings):
C.Gayle c Strauss b Hoggard 5
S. Joseph c Thorpe c Harmison 45
R.Sarwan b Flintoff 40
B.Lara b Flintoff 0
S.Chanderpaul c Jones b Hoggard 76
D.Bravo c Jones b Hoggard 77
C.Baugh not out 9
D.Mohammed not out 0

Extras: (b-9, lb-10, w-1, nb-3) 23

Total: (for six wickets, 70.5 overs) 275

To bat: P.Collins, F.Edwards, C.Collymore.

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-85, 3-97, 4-108, 5-265, 6-266.

Bowling: Hoggard 16-3-61-3 (nb-2, w-1), Harmison 19.5-5-52-1, Flintoff 12-3-46-2 (nb-1), Anderson 10-1-42-0, Giles 13-0-55-0 .

England: M.Trescothick, A.Strauss, R.Key, M.Vaughan, G.Thorpe, A.Flintoff, G.Jones, A.Giles, M.Hoggard, S.Harmison, J.Anderson.