Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday analysed a few moments of the first day’s play of ongoing second Test between England and the West Indies at the Old Trafford. Tendulkar was seen taking to Twitter to praise Jason Holder for his captaincy skills.
“In the 1st session I noticed a few balls didn’t even carry to the keeper off fast bowlers indicating a lot of dampness in the pitch,” Tendulkar wrote on his official Twitter timeline.
“Smart move by Jason Holder to bring on a spinner on such a track where the odd ball may grip and the other may go straight,” he added.
In the 1st session I noticed a few balls didn’t even carry to the keeper off fast bowlers indicating a lot of dampness in the pitch.
Smart move by @Jaseholder98 to bring on a spinner on such a track where the odd ball may grip and the other may go straight. #ENGvWI— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 16, 2020
The true cricket legend, that he is, hit the perfect chord as Chase gave Windies a perfect start and dismissed opener Rory Burns and England’s highest scorer from last match Zak Crawley off consecutive deliveries to reduce England to 29/2.
While Burns was trapped in front for an LBW with the reconfirmation of the third umpire, Crawley had edged it to Holder at the firsts slip. Opener Dom Sibley then partnered with his skipper Joe Root for a steady 53-run stand for the third wicket in the second session.
Tendulkar, meanwhile, had a piece of advice now for the West Indies team and wrote, “Joe Root and Dom Sibley in a crucial partnership for England. WI needs to find a way to get breakthroughs while the ball is fairly new. Old Trafford is a hard surface when it dries out hence the ball will become soft. A lot will depend on how the teams play the new ball.”
. @root66 & @DomSibley in a crucial partnership for England. WI needs to find a way to get breakthroughs while the ball is fairly new. Old Trafford is a hard surface when it dries out hence the ball will become soft. A lot will depend on how the teams play the new ball. #ENGvWI
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 16, 2020
As it happened, fast bowler Alzarri Joseph ended Root’s 23 run vigil off 49 deliveries with a classic outswinger that grazed the right-hander’s bat and flew to his counterpart Holder at slip.
However, England staged an epic comeback as all-rounder Ben Stokes joined hands with Sibley to bail out the hosts after they were left overwhelmed with the loss of three wickets for just 81 runs.
The duo not only steadied the ship after an initial storm had rattled their team’s top-order but batted more than 50 overs to give England the advantage. While Sibley remains 14 runs shy of a memorable century, Stokes is batting at 59 as England finished the first day’s play on Thursday at 207/3.