England produced a brilliant all-round performance on Day 2 to take complete control of the first Test match against West Indies at Lord’s on Thursday. The veteran Joe Root and debutant Jamie Smith helped England post a 371 total in their first innings and then West Indies witnessed another embarrassing collapse in their second innings.
James Anderson, Ben Stokes and first innings’ hero Gus Atkinson took two wickets each as the visiting side stumbled to 79/6 at the end of Day 2’s play, trailing 171 runs. Playing his last international game, Anderson picked two wickets for 11 and Atkinson dismissed Jason Holder on the last ball of the day to put the Three Lions on the verge of a big win.
Resuming Day 2’s play from 189/3, England batters Joe Root and Harry Brook added a further 55 runs for the fourth wicket. Brook scored a quick fifty to return to form and Root added 68 runs to put England on track for a big total.
West Indies managed to make a comeback with spinner Gudakesh Motie bowling out both Ben Stokes and Joe Root with brilliant deliveries. England regained control with debutant wicketkeeper Jamie Smith and the veteran pace all-rounder Chris Woakes adding 52 runs for the seventh wicket with the former top-scoring with 70 runs off 119 balls.
Jayden Seales dismissed both Woakes and Smith as the Three Lions stumbled to 371 in 90 overs. Seales picked four wickets while Motie and Holder claimed two each for the visiting side.
More to follow…
