The West Indies limped to 79/6 at the close of play on Day II of the first Test against England at Lord’s, trailing the hosts by 171 runs and heading for a heavy defeat.
Half-centuries by Joe Root, Harry Brook and debutant keeper-batter Jamie Smith lifted England to a first-innings total of 371 before James Anderson, playing his 188th and last Test match, bowled Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite with a fine delivery that jagged back.
Kirk McKenzie, Mikyle Louis and Kavem Hodge fell cheaply and only a battling partnership between Alick Athanaze and Jason Holder ensured the game went into its third day. Anderson then dismissed Athanaze for 22, and Gus Atkinson snared Holder for 20 in what was the final ball of the day, with Joshua Da Silva batting on eight.
England had resumed the proceedings on Thursday at 189/3. Brook batted with attacking intent, reaching his 12th fifty in 13 Tests before getting in a tangle over a short ball from Alzarri Joseph and skying a catch to wicketkeeper Da Silva. Captain Ben Stokes was bowled by left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie for four with a ball that spun sharply and hit the the former’s middle stump.
Root eased to his 62nd Test fifty and looked completely untroubled until just before lunch when Motie produced another fine, turning ball to bowl him for 68. The 23-year-old Smith, however, shared a 52-run partnership with Chris Woakes who was caught at square leg off Jayden Seales for 23.
Thereafter, debutant pacer Atkinson, who took seven Windies wickets in the first innings, fell first ball to Holder as Smith went on the attack, hitting two big sixes and eight fours to underline his potential. No.10 batter Shoaib Bashir was run out by a brilliant throw from Louis before Smith became Seales’ fourth victim when he holed out on the mid-wicket boundary.
Anderson did not face a ball in what could be his final Test innings after receiving another standing ovation from the crowd. The 41-year-old began his last opening spell with a maiden and produced a trademark delivery to breach Brathwaite’s defence.
Stokes then trapped McKenzie lbw to become only the third player to take 200 wickets and score 6,000 runs in Tests after Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis.
