Fletcher praises old guard More pictures from Port of Spain

England stumbled to 54-2 in reply to West Indies' 208 on a rain-hit day two in the second Test.

Just two-and-a-half hours' play was possible, with England taking two wickets then losing two of their own.

Ridley Jacobs was run out for 40 and Steve Harmison bowled last man Pedro Collins for 10 to finish with 6-61.

Captain Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick were both out early but Nasser Hussain (20) and Mark Butcher (25) steadied the innings.

The start of the tourists' reply was the stuff of nightmares as the home attack gained extra swing under low cloud.

Corey Collymore was extremely unlucky not to remove both Butcher and Hussain Agnew's day two verdict

Vaughan groped at three deliveries from left-armer Collins before he was struck by an inswinger in line with middle stump and send back for a duck.

Trescothick should have been out twice - via a glove down leg side and a chance at gully - by the time he top-edged a pull off Best to square leg for one.

Four hours were lost in the afternoon, before Hussain and Butcher were forced to face another hour of pace bowling.

There was enough time for Hussain to see two deliveries from Adam Sanford zip through very low, raising doubts over the pitch at the Queen's Park Oval.

Butcher survived on 20 when second slip Shivnarine Chanderpaul dropped a simple chest-high chance off an edge from Corey Collymore's bowling.

Their third wicket partnership was worth 46 when the rain returned to force an early close.

In contrast, England's fielding impressed in the first half hour of play, with Ashley Giles's throw from third man responsible for Ridley Jacobs' dismissal.

West Indies: B Lara (capt), C Gayle, Devon Smith, R Sarwan, S Chanderpaul, R Jacobs, Dwayne Smith, T Best, C Collymore, P Collins, A Sanford.

England: M Vaughan (capt), M Trescothick, M Butcher, N Hussain, G Thorpe, A Flintoff, C Read (wkt), A Giles, S Jones, M Hoggard, S Harmison.