Harry Brook’s unbeaten fifty put England in a strong position going into day three of the tight second Test match against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.
England were already 207 runs ahead at the end of Saturday’s second innings, 3-248.
Brook scored 71 while star batsman Joe Root was unbeaten on 37 as the pair shared 108 runs in 23.4 overs.
England gained the upper hand against West Indies’ erratic attack as Ben Duckett scored 76, his second fifty of the match, while Ollie Pope added 51 to take their tally to 121 in the first innings.
But as the ball changed, so did West Indies’ fortunes. England’s 1-127 soon turned into 3-140 as paceman Alzarri Joseph replaced both batsmen.
However, Root and Brook quickly restored England’s lead by scoring goals against a tiring West Indies attack.
England started their second innings 41 runs behind after Joshua Da Silva (82, not out) and Shamar Joseph (33) aggressively took the last wicket, leaving West Indies with 457 runs.
It was the first time in nearly a decade that West Indies had scored 450 in a Test innings.
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Highest Test Batting Average
99.94 – Don Bradman (Australia)
63.71 – Harry Brook (ENG)
61.87 – Adam Boggess (AUS)
60.97 – Graham Pollock (RSA)
60.83 – George Headley (WI) ️
* Minimum 20 innings
Jack Crawley, who was out for Dirk in England’s first innings, was unlucky enough to score three runs when Jaden Shields hit Duckett’s drive off the stumps at the bowler’s end.
But Pope regained his momentum with three 4-pointers on consecutive runs from Seals.
Left-hander Duckett also played well, hitting three consecutive fours against off-spinner Kevin Sinclair to reach his 50 off 55 balls.
But the first delivery after the ball was changed ended a 119-run second-wicket partnership when Pope pushed Alzarri Joseph to Sinclair in the gully. The bowler’s excellent inswinging yorker had Duckett lbw.
But Brook struck back and stylishly checked-driven Alzarri Joseph to long-off the ropes to complete his third fifty of the innings, his fifth four runs from 62 balls.
Nevertheless, West Indies could take heart from the more convincing batting performance, considering they had lost to England by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s, having been dismissed for 121 and 136 respectively.
So they’ve been down 1-0 for three games in a row.
West Indies resumed at 5-351, 65 runs behind, after Kavem Hodge (120) and Alick Athanaze (82) shared 175 runs to revive the side from 84-3.
England, playing in their first home Test since 2012, were without retired duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have taken 1308 Test wickets between them. They struggled on Friday.
Chris Woakes struck out Jason Holder on a cloudy morning, then walked Alzarri Joseph and Seals back-to-back, before Shamar Joseph survived a hat-trick ball to secure a 4-84 win.
“I don’t have players like Jimmy or Stuart Broad anymore, but I’ve never felt more pressure because of that,” Walkes told reporters.
“I try to stay in the present and at this stage in my career, being in my 50th Test, I have gained enough experience to know what is right for me.”
But da Silva lofted fast bowler Mark Wood over extra cover for a superb six to take his 87-ball fifty.
And the wicketkeeper took West Indies past the 400-run mark with a brilliant uppercut six off Wood.
“It was pretty much what I expected,” da Silva said.
“I thought Mark Wood would hit a few more short balls, but he was fine.”
There were boundaries on both sides. Shamar Joseph caught fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who had taken 12 wickets on debut at Lord’s, for a six to level the scores.
After two balls, Atkinson fell short again and was picked up by Shamar Joseph, who knocked tiles off the roof of the Loud & Boche Tavern.
Several damaged tiles fell onto the audience sitting below.
“He backed up his bat and hit some great shots,” da Silva said.
England captain Ben Stokes attacked Root but da Silva hit the part-time spinner for three fours and a six off successive balls.
Wood eventually chipped Shammar Joseph to mid on, his only wicket of the innings, which he took at over 97 mph (156 km/h) and outside edge.
