BIRMINGHAM: James Anderson took three wickets and pulled off a fine run-out as England tightened their grip on the day-night Test match at Edgbaston by reducing the West Indies to a sorry 145 for eight at lunch on the third day on Saturday.

Fellow Toby Roland-Jones also continued the fine start to his Test career by chipping in with two wickets as only Jermaine Blackwood showed any resistance with an unbeaten half-century in the visitors’ response to England’s mammoth 514 for eight declared.

Anderson, who had set the ball rolling with the first wicket on Friday, continued where he left off after a false start when the players had to come off after just one ball because of rain.

On the resumption, England’s all-time leading wicket taker produced a sharp, rearing delivery off a length that had Kyle Hope helplessly steering the ball to Ben Stokes at gully.

Anderson then ran out Kieran Powell, who had embarked on a calamitous quick single, with a direct hit before he got rid of Roston Chase, inducing him to play on.

Roland-Jones bowled Shai Hope and trapped Shane Dowrich lbw in quick succession before Moeen Ali had captain Jason Holder caught behind on review and Stuart Broad sent Kemar Roach’s off-stump cartwheeling to cap the seven-wicket session.

Only Jamaican Blackwood, who struck a six just before lunch to go with his seven fours, stood firm, his counter-attacking unbeaten 60 coming off just 56 balls.

Meanwhile, Alastair Cook’s 243 — his fourth Test double century — was the cornerstone of England’s imposing total on Friday before the former captain’s dismissal prompted current skipper Joe Root to declare.

That left the West Indies with a tricky nine overs to bat in twilight before the tea interval.

That was time enough for opener Kraigg Brathwaite to be caught behind by Bairstow for a duck off Anderson.

Powell had made just two when the normally reliable Stokes dropped him in the gully off Broad.

Cook was dismissed by off-spinner Chase, whose return of four wickets for 113 runs in 26.2 overs made him the most successful member of an otherwise seam-dominated West Indies attack.

Cook, who was 213 not out at lunch. But his chances of surpassing his highest Test score of 294, made against India at Edgbaston six years ago, were not helped by a rush of wickets at the other end, with Chase the main beneficiary.

Cook, with Roland-Jones for company, was lbw on review to Chase when he missed an onside flick as a marathon effort of more than nine hours finally came to an end.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A.N. Cook lbw b Chase 243
M.D. Stoneman b Roach 8
T. Westley lbw b Cummins 8
J.E. Root b Roach 136
D.J. Malan c Blackwood b Chase 65
B.A. Stokes c Blackwood b Chase 10
J.M. Bairstow b Holder 18
M.M. Ali c Brathwaite b Chase 0
T.S. Roland-Jones not out 6

EXTRAS (lb-10, w-3, nb-7) 20

TOTAL (for eight wkts decl, 135.5 overs) 514

FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-39, 3-287, 4-449, 5-466, 6-505, 7-506, 8-514.

DID NOT BAT: S.C.J. Broad, J.M. Anderson.

BOWLING: Roach 28-8-86-2 (3w); Joseph 22-3-109-0 (2nb); Cummins 24-3-87-1 (3nb); Holder 29.3-4-103-1 (2nb); Chase 26.2-2-113-4; Brathwaite 6-0-6-0.

WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 44-1):

K.C. Brathwaite c Bairstow b Anderson 0
K.O.A. Powell run out 20
K.A. Hope c Stokes b Anderson 25
S.D. Hope b Roland-Jones 15
R.L. Chase b Anderson 0
J. Blackwood not out 60
S.O. Dowrich lbw b Roland-Jones 4
J.O. Holder c Bairstow b Ali 11
K.A.J. Roach b Broad 5
A.S. Joseph not out 2

EXTRAS (LB-1 W-2) 3

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 41 overs) 145

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-45, 3-47L ,4-47, 5-89, 6-101, 7-129, 8-134.

TO BAT: M.L. Cummins.

BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 12-5-23-3 (1w); Broad 13-3-35-1; Roland-Jones 6-0-31-2 (1w); Stokes 7-0-40-0; Ali 3-1-15-1.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2017