1st Test
Day-2 Evening Session Highlights:
James Anderson and Ben Stokes along with Gus Atkinson has leaved the West Indies in disarray after Smith’s fifty on debut
West Indies scored 121/10 (1st Innings) & 79/6 (2nd Innings), where as England scored 371/10 (1st Innings)
So, finally West Indies trial by 250 runs.
Debutant Jamie Smith contributed with a half-century in a collective batting effort from England, which was followed by a clinical bowling performance led by James Anderson, Ben Stokes, and Gus Atkinson, as the hosts charged towards a big victory in the opening Test against the West Indies at Lord’s.
After posting 371 in their first innings, England reduced the West Indies to 79 for 6 at stumps on Day 2 (Thursday, July 11), with the visitors still needing 171 runs to make England bat again.
Despite bowling for the last time in Test cricket, Anderson was as disciplined as ever, moving the ball both ways and starting with maidens to Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis.
The West Indies captain, after playing 12 dots, eventually got going with a boundary past mid-off in Chris Woakes’s second over, and Louis then struck a delightful front-foot punch for a four off the same bowler.
Anderson delivered the first blow by getting one to swing in late to bowl Brathwaite, dismissing the West Indies captain for the eighth time in Tests.
The soon-to-retire 41-year-old had figures of 5-4-2-1 in his first spell.
England lost a review in Atkinson’s first over for a leg-before appeal against Louis before Stokes struck in his first over, trapping Kirk McKenzie in front for a duck, joining Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis in an exclusive club of 6,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests.
The England skipper was stingy with the ball, bowling three maidens on the trot, and bagged his second wicket by getting Louis to edge to the ‘keeper soon after Alick Athanaze had struck three fours in an Atkinson over.
England’s star bowler in the first innings picked up his eighth wicket of the match when he had Kavem Hodge drag the ball onto the stumps, reducing the visiting side to 37/4.
Despite being hit for a few fours towards the end of his first spell, Stokes had impressive figures of 2 for 25 in 10 overs, including four maidens.
Anderson returned to the attack at the other end, bowling in tandem with Stokes, and kept it tight, making run-scoring arduous for the West Indies, with Jason Holder and Athanaze in survival mode.
Their resistance was cut short by the veteran pacer who tempted Athanaze into a drive to get him out caught behind.
Anderson, who became the first paceman to bowl more than 40,000 deliveries in Test cricket, had figures of 2-11 in 10 overs at the end of his second spell.
Even after his lengthy bowling spell, Stokes was agile on the field and nearly had Holder run out with an excellent bit of fielding.
In what turned out to be the last over before the close of play, Atkinson bombarded Holder with short deliveries and got his reward as the West Indies ended the day in deep trouble.
Earlier, Smith took center stage as his 70 helped England finish with a 250-run lead.
Following half-centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root, England lost quick wickets, slipping to 287 for 6 from 244 for 3.
Smith stepped up at this stage, receiving good support from Woakes as they were instrumental in the hosts finishing with 371 in their first innings.
Smith, who had assisted Root in a 33-run partnership, put on 52 with Woakes for the seventh wicket.
The stand ended after the West Indies opted for the second new ball, with Woakes flicking the ball straight to deep square leg to give Jayden Seales his third wicket.
Holder then found the outside edge of Gus Atkinson’s bat to leave England eight down.
Smith, with just the tailenders for company, upped the ante after becoming the 10th England wicketkeeper to register a fifty-plus score on debut.
He hit sixes off Shamar Joseph and Seales, while Shoaib Bashir did well to survive at the other end until a direct hit from Louis found him short of the crease as he tried to get Smith back on strike.
Smith then struck a four off Seales before handing a catch in the deep, as England were bowled out late in the second session.
At the start of the first session, Root began watchfully before Brook got into the act with a crisp cover drive for four off Seales.
A half-century stand was soon established as England crossed the 200 mark, with Brook executing a late cut to perfection off Alzarri Joseph.
Root found his rhythm, hitting a pull and a cover drive for two fours off Seales.
The lead surpassed 100, and Root continued to flourish with regular boundaries.
The West Indies bowlers struggled with discipline, and the pitch offered little assistance as England made good progress in the first hour.
Brook struck the day’s first six, pulling Shamar over the fence, and got to his eighth Test fifty, off only 55 balls, with a couple off Alzarri.
But the West Indies’ persistence with short deliveries paid off when Alzarri induced a top edge, leading to Brook’s dismissal and ending a 91-run fourth-wicket partnership.
It was a good little period for the West Indies as Stokes fell soon after Root became the fourth half-centurion.
The England captain was bowled by a delivery from Gudakesh Motie that turned in sharply, marking his fifth consecutive single-digit score.
Smith and Root then put on a useful stand, which ended with Root getting bowled by Motie just before lunch.
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