Jamaican fast bowler Jerome Taylor announced his presence with a three-wicket burst and all-rounder David Bernard produced a strong all-round performance to enhance his Test claims, on the second day of West Indies' tour match against England Lions yesterday.

Taylor, who arrived in England on Monday after passing a late fitness test in the Caribbean, knocked over the first three batsmen to fall to finish with three for 31 as England limped to 143 for six at the close, in response to West Indies' 203 all out.

The 27-year-old Bernard, who played a solitary Test six years ago, captured two for 45 with his medium pace, including the wicket of out-of-favour England batsman Ian Bell, as West Indies hit back to leave England's 'A' team tottering on another rain-hit day where only 68 overs were possible.

Bernard had earlier stroked a crucial 58 down the order to revive the struggling Windies and propel them to their eventual score in their first innings at the County Ground.

Heartening sign

Taylor's display would have been a heartening sign for the Windies tour selectors, especially with the first Test against England set to bowl off next Wednesday.

The 24-year-old missed the last match of the recent five-Test series in the Caribbean due to injury and was also ruled out of the subsequent five-match one-day international campaign.

He showed no side effects from his lay-off, however, reducing the Lions to 13 for three in two devastating opening overs.

He accounted for the Lions captain Robert Key with the second ball of the innings, trapping him lbw without scoring to a ball that swung back shortly and struck the batsman in front, with the total on one.

Taylor then claimed two wickets in three balls in his second over to leave the England Lions innings in disarray. He first had Stephen Moore (3) caught at second slip by Devon Smith fending off a short delivery and then removed Jonathan Trott without scoring to a catch at the wicket by Denesh Ramdin, essaying an ambitious drive.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES 1st Innings

(76 for four overnight)

D Smith c wkp Ambrose b Woakes 8

L Simmons c wkp Ambrose b Woakes 4

R Sarwan c Patel b Woakes 31

+D Ramdin c Bell b Woakes 4

S Chanderpaul c wkp Ambrose b Woakes 21

B Nash c Patel b Woakes 20

D Bernard lbw b Rashid 58

D Sammy lbw b Wright 22

J Taylor b Mahmood 0

S Benn c wkp Ambrose b Plunkett 26

N Pascal not out 1

Extras (lb4, nb4) 8

TOTAL (all out, 64 overs) 203

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-20, 3-34, 4-55, 5-90, 6-91, 7-126, 8-130, 9-200, 10-202.

Bowling: Mahmood 12-1-46-1, Woakes 18-6-43-6, Plunkett 18-2-53-1, Trott 4-1-9-0, Wright 5-1-23-1, Rashid 7-0-25-1.

ENGLAND LIONS 1st Innings

S Moore c Smith b Taylor 3

R Key lbw b Taylor 0

I Bell lbw b Bernard 27

J Trott c wkp Ramdin b Taylor 0

S Patel c Simmons b Pascal 27

+T Ambrose not out 49

L Wright b Bernard 4

A Rashid not out 13

Extras (b8, lb6, nb6) 20

TOTAL (6 wkts, 32.1 overs) 143

To bat: L Plunkett, C Woakes, S Mahmood.

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-9, 3-13, 4-57, 5-78, 6-117.

Bowling: Taylor 10.1-1-31-3, Pascal 8-0-44-1, Bernard 11-0-45-2, Sammy 3-1-9-0.

Position: England Lions trail by 60 runs.

Umpires: N Mallender, P Willey.