Anderson sparks huge West Indies collapse
BIRMINGHAM: James Anderson initiated a rapid West Indies collapse to leave England contemplating an innings victory in the inaugural day/night Test in Britain at Edgbaston on Saturday.
England’s all-time leading wicket-taker took two wickets for six runs in four overs during the third day’s opening session and effected a run-out too as the West Indies slumped to 145 for eight at lunch. That left them 369 runs adrift of England’s first innings 514 for eight declared, a total built on Alastair Cook’s 243 and captain Joe Root’s 136.
Jermaine Blackwood’s 60 not out in a session where the West Indies lost seven wickets for 89 runs in 23 overs -- all without having to bat under floodlights that many say make the pink ball a far more difficult proposition for batsmen.
They now needed 170 more runs just to avoid the follow-on with only two wickets standing.
The West Indies resumed on an overnight 44 for one, with Kieran Powell 18 not out and Test debutant Kyle Hope 25 not out.
Saturday’s first over took more than 30 minutes to complete after rain stopped play following just one ball.
But five balls later, Anderson produced an excellent delivery that flew off a length and carried to Ben Stokes at gully off the shoulder of Kyle Hope’s bat.
Hope, replaced by his brother Shai, was out without adding to his score and West Indies were 45 for two. Five balls later, that became 47 for three when Powell, only ambling for a tight single, was run out by a direct hit on the bowler’s end stumps from Anderson, coming round quickly from mid-on.
England 1st Inn 514-8 decl vs West Indies 1st Inn 145-8 in 41 overs (K Hope 25, J Blackwood 60 not out; Anderson 3/23, Broad 1/35, Roland-Jones 2/31).