West Indies gained an upper hand over England on the second day of the opening Test which has also marked the resumption of international cricket after the COVID-19 hiatus. Thanks to captain Jason Holder’s 6/42, the visitors bowled the hosts out for a paltry total of 204 before ending the day at 57/1.
It was the first time in more than four months that cricket lovers witnessed a complete day of play after the rain had washed away the first day’s action to a major extent.
England started the day at 35/1 but it was the Windies bowlers that dominated the proceedings. Shanon Gabriel drew first blood when he fooled Joe Denly (18 off 58 balls) with an incoming delivery in the sixth over of the day. Gabriel was at it again in his next over as he trapped Rory Burns (30 off 85 balls) for an LBW.
From then onwards it was one-sided traffic as the touring captain rattled through the English middle-order one by one. His first two victims were youngster Zack Crawley (10 off 26 balls) and Ollie Pope (12 off 13 balls).
At 87/5, the two most experienced English batsmen, Jos Buttler and stand-in skipper Ben Stokes, tried to steady the ship. They weathered the initial storm from the Windies attack and looked settled for a big score.
However, Holder proved detrimental to their intention and outplayed Stokes (43 off 97) with a brilliant delivery that became outwards after dropping on the seam and kissed the off-stump, breaking the partnership of 67 runs. In his very next over, Holder sent Buttler (35 off 47) back to the pavilion and, in a way, broke the English backbone.
He got Jofra Archer for a duck in his next over to complete an exceptional five-wicket haul. He ended his day at the office with the scalp of Mark Wood.
On the other end, a little cameo from Dom Bess at the twilight of English innings helped the home side cross the 200-mark. Even though he remained not out for 31, his partners at the other end could not save them. Gabriel took the last wicket of James Anderson (10 off 20) to return with a figure of 4/62.
West Indies openers John Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite put up an opening stand of 43 runs. Campbell was dismissed by Anderson towards the end of the day and Shai Hope was at the crease with Brathwaite when umpires ended play on Thursday.
Campbell continued West Indies’ good run with the reviews early on. He successfully overturned two LBW decisions that went against him. However, it was not a case of third time lucky for him as Anderson trapped him in front of leg stump four balls after Campbell had successfully reviewed the second decision.
Hope and Brathwaite however saw off Anderson, Mark Wood and later Ben Stokes before the umpires led the players back due to bad light. About 40 minutes later early stumps was declared for the second consecutive time in the Test.