England on Friday gained an upper hand over the West Indies and declared after posting a mammoth score of 469/9 in the first innings of the second Test at the Old Trafford Stadium on Day 2.
Ben Stokes with 176 runs off 356 deliveries and Dom Sibley with 120 of 372 were the highest scorers for the hosts as the duo also shared an epic 260-run stand between them.
Resuming the day’s play at 207/3, Stokes and Sibley batted the entire first session without losing their determination. In the meantime, the 24-year-old scored his maiden Test century, while the all-rounder, at the other end, continued with his natural style of play and completed his tenth Test century.
The first breakthrough for the visitors that came during the second day’s play was when Sibley top-edged a delivery from Roston Chase to Kemar Roach. It was followed by a quick departure from new batsman Ollie Pope. He lasted only eight deliveries and scored seven before Chase trapped him for an LBW to pick his fourth scalp of the innings.
Visibly tired from his marathon knock, Stokes, too, did not last too long after Tea. After Jos Buttler hit chase for three fours, Stokes looked to go after Kemar Roach in the next. He however ended up edging him to Shane Dowrich behind the wickets while trying to reverse slap a length delivery.
This was Roach’s first Test wicket in 86.5 overs. As it turned out, the next wicket came off the very next ball for Roach with Chris Woakes edging the delivery to Shai Hope at gully.
The hat-trick did not come but Roach almost got a wicket off the ball after that when he got the ball to nip back into Sam Curran and the ball went straight through the batsman and over the stumps. Buttler soon picked a man on the boundary off Jason Holder and departed on 40 off 79 balls.
Chase completed his five-wicket haul in the very next over when he sent Curran back to the pavilion after the tailender added 17 off 39 balls. However, as it happened the West Indies suffered more humiliation when Stuard Broad and Dom Bess toyed with the tired bowlers and added more than 40 runs for the last wicket in less than 7 overs.
After England captain Joe Root declared, the West Indies then lost opener John Campbell and at stumps, they are 32/1 with Kraig Brathwaite in the middle with night watchman Alzarri Joseph.
West Indies will start the third day on 32/1, trailing England by 437 runs as the hosts look to level the series. Brief scores: England 469/9 (Ben Stokes 176, Dom Sibley 120; Roston Chase 5/172) vs West Indies 32/1 (Alzarri Joseph* 14, John Campbell 12; Sam Curran 1/8)
With IANS inputs