An unbroken 75-run fifth-wicket partnership between Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder helped West Indies reach 202 for four in response to England’s first innings total of 311 on the second day of the first Test at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. . Wednesday. At 127 for four at tea after a scintillating opening stand of 83, the tourists’ attempt to press home in the final session was thwarted as the opposite right-handed pair took all the challenges presented to them on a calm surface. faced.
On a day of successive brief interruptions to rain, it was another quick shower that ended the day’s play with a cuffed Bonner on 34 off 103 balls with three fours and Holder on 43 off 104 balls with slightly more purposeful intentions. Showcasing his innings, embellished with six boundaries and a six, he alone overcame the 50-partnership-bringing boundary.
Captain Craig Brathwaite hit 55 off 70 balls with seven fours and a six and made an aggressive effort to dominate the starting stand.
John Campbell, playing his first Test for almost a year, was content to play a supporting role.
But when he fell for 35 in mid-afternoon, in an effort to complete a leg-side catch to Craig Overton for wicketkeeper Ben Fox, England did more, with Mark Wood’s raw pace proving particularly unstable. Felt a chance for success.
Brathwaite chased down a wide delivery from the pacer and Overton took a tumbling catch at backward point, before being lead-footed by Shamar Brooks on Ben Stokes resulted in an easy catch from England captain Joe Root at first slip.
Jermaine Blackwood was lucky to survive the run as Fox could not hold onto a sharp opportunity when the vice-captain drove loosely on Wood.
However, there was no respite a few minutes later when the appeal of a catch from Chris Woakes was upheld on review as televised replays showed an inside ball on the thigh pad before nesting the ball on the stroke of tea into Overton’s safe hands. The edge appeared. Interval.
Putting the day’s play in perspective, Wood said, “We will need to take early wickets on the third morning because Holder and Bonner played really well today to eliminate reverse swing.”
“We were definitely working on a plan to bowl straighter lines and try as many times as we could to play down the stumps, but every time we went offline we were punished. That’s it. It’s about being persistent and trying to stick to your plans as best they can.”
Earlier, opening day batting star Jonny Bairstow was dismissed for 140, contributing 31 of the 43 added by England, who were 268 for six overnight.
Jaden Seals struck twice in three balls and took four for 81 for the home side, while fellow pacer Alzarri Joseph finally found some success with the last two wickets of England’s first innings.
Bairstow’s controlled effort eventually ended via a well judged catch by Holder as short third-man from slips as the right-hander made an effort on-side half an hour before lunch.
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His six-and-a-half hour hold at the crease was highlighted by 21 boundaries in 259 balls.
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