ST GEORGE’S (Grenada): England removed both West Indies’ opening batsmen before lunch after rain delayed the start of the second Test here on Tuesday.

In the one hour of play, West Indies reached 36 for two and will be very disappointed about the manner in which they lost their second wicket, Devon Smith, in the penultimate over before the interval.

After overnight and early morning rain, England skipper Alastair Cook won the toss and put the hosts into bat, hoping that his bowlers could exploit the damp, humid conditions.

James Anderson, now England’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, not surprisingly managed to find some swing and removed Kraigg Brathwaite with a superb inswinger.

Darren Bravo joined local favourite Smith and the pair batted well with England, particularly seamer Stuart Broad, failing to take full advantage of the favourable bowling conditions.

Chris Jordan should have had Smith caught when the batsman turned the ball to Gary Ballance at leg-slip, but he failed to hold on to the chance.

Three balls later though, Smith was on his way after he went to drive a full delivery wide outside off stump and was adjudged to have edged it to wicket-keeper Jos Buttler.

Smith paused for a moment and considered appealing to the video review but opted against turning to technology.

He will have regretted that decision after replays showed he hit the ground with his bat and the ball was well clear of his outside edge.

Before the game, West Indies suffered the blow of losing opening bowler Jerome Taylor to a shoulder injury with seamer Shannon Gabriel taking his place.

Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo was chosen ahead of slow left-armer Sulieman Benn.

England made one change, all-rounder Moeen Ali coming in as the off-spinner ahead of James Tredwell.

ENGLAND captain Alastair Cook walks off as rain halts play on Tuesday.—Reuters

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

K.C. Brathwaite b Anderson 1

D.S. Smith c Buttler b Jordan 15

D.M. Bravo not out 19

M.N. Samuels not out 0

EXTRAS (LB-1) 1

TOTAL (for two wkts, 15 overs) 36

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-28.

TO BAT: S. Chanderpaul, J. Blackwood, D. Ramdin, J.O. Holder, K.A.J. Roach, S.T. Gabriel, D. Bishoo.

BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 7-4-11-1; Broad 5-2-8-0; Jordan 2-0-8-1; Moeen Ali 1-0-8-0.

ENGLAND: A.N. Cook, I.J.L. Trott, G.S. Ballance, I.R. Bell, J.E. Root, B.A. Stokes, Moeen Ali, J.C. Buttler, C.J. Jordan, S.C.J. Broad, J.M. Anderson.

UMPIRES: S.J. Davis and B.N.J. Oxenford (both Australia).

TV UMPIRE: B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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