West Indies reach 126-1 at lunch

Published February 2, 2019
NORTH SOUND: West Indies opener John Campbell looks on after edging a delivery by England paceman Ben Stokes to 
Jos Buttler in the slips during the second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.—AP
NORTH SOUND: West Indies opener John Campbell looks on after edging a delivery by England paceman Ben Stokes to Jos Buttler in the slips during the second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.—AP

NORTH SOUND (Antigua): West Indies’ top-order batting negotiated a testing two-hour period with a combination of luck and skill to reach the lunch interval at 126 for one replying to England’s first innings total of 187 on the second day of the second Test of the three-match series here at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday.

Kraigg Brathwaite soldiered through the session in getting to 48 not out, anchoring the home side’s effort to bat through the day in pursuit of a significant lead as they press for the victory which will give them an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series and the Wisden Trophy back in their possession after ten years in English hands.

Brathwaite and John Campbell, resuming at 30 without loss through 21 overs at the end of the first day, extended that opening stand to 70 with Campbell getting to 47 before his luck ran out.

Reprieved within minutes of the start of play by a TV review of an umpiring decision which was shown to be erroneous, the left-hander was then dropped by Jos Buttler at slip before top-edging an attempted pull just out of the reach of scampering substitute wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow at backward square-leg.

Bairstow is continuing to do duty behind the stumps from the end of the first day as the appointed gloveman, Ben Foakes, receives treatment for a blow on the hand from fast bowler Shannon Gabriel while compiling a hard-fought 35 runs on day one.

Campbell’s moments of good fortune were all at the expense of Stuart Broad, England’s most impressive bowler so far in an innings which started late the previous day after the West Indies fast bowlers had successfully exploited a green, uneven pitch.

It took the introduction of Ben Stokes into the attack for the opening pair to be separated as Campbell pushed at another delivery angled across him and Buttler atoned for his earlier with a catch every bit as straightforward as the one missed earlier off the suffering and increasingly aggravated Broad.

New batsman Shai Hope also survived a searching early examination on the seaming track but grew in confidence as the lunch interval approached in getting to an unbeaten 22 in a partnership with fellow-Barbadian Brathwaite which has so far realised 56 runs for the second wicket.

On Thursday, West Indies’ surprising dominance of England continued with the home side’s fast bowlers bundling out the visitors for 187.

Thrashed by 381 runs in the first Test in Barbados, England again struggled to cope with the combined assault of the home side’s pacers.

Kemar Roach led the assault with four wickets. He was ably supported by the fastest of the quartet, Shannon Gabriel (3-45) while Alzarri Joseph and captain Jason Holder combined for the remaining three wickets after West Indies elected to bowl first on a green, sporting track.

Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow struck half-centuries to avert a complete capitulation by England.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st innings):

R. Burns c Holder b Roach 4

J. Denly c Dowrich b Joseph 6

J. Bairstow lbw b Roach 52

J. Root c Hope b Joseph 7

J. Buttler c Campbell b Holder 1

B. Stokes c Dowrich b Gabriel 14

Moeen Ali c Gabriel b Roach 60

B. Foakes b Gabriel 35

S. Curran c sub (S. Brooks) b Roach 6

S. Broad not out 0

J. Anderson b Gabriel 1

EXTRAS (W-1) 1

TOTAL (all out, 61 overs) 187

FALL OF WKTS: 1-4, 2-16, 3-34, 4-55, 5-78, 6-93, 7-178, 8-186, 9-186.

BOWLING: Roach 15-5-30-4 (1w), Gabriel 15-5-45-3, Joseph 10-3-38-2, Holder 13-5-43-1, Chase 8-1-31-0.

WEST INDIES (1st innings, overnight 30-0):

K. Brathwaite not out 48

J. Campbell c Buttler b Stokes 47

S. Hope not out 22

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-2, NB-2, W-1) 9

TOTAL (for one wkt, 50 overs) 126

FALL OF WKT: 1-70.

TO BAT: D. Bravo, R. Chase,

S. Hetmyer, S. Dowrich, J. Holder,

K. Roach, A. Joseph, S. Gabriel.

BOWLING: Anderson 13-1-37-0, Broad 12-4-22-0, Stokes 12-3-29-1, Curran 9-0-25-0, Ali 4-1-7-0.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2019

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