STOKES PUTS ENGLAND IN CHARGE AGAINST WINDIES
Ben Stokes’ impressive 176 took England to an imposing firstinnings score of 469 for nine declared in the second Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford yesterday. Earlier, Dom Sibley weighed in with a painstaking 120 and helped Stokes add 260 for the fourth wicket after England had been struggling at 81 for three following the loss of returning Captain Joe Root.
West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach checked England’s progress when he struck for the first time in this campaign with two wickets in two balls.
Off-spinner Roston Chase took five for 172 in 44 overs as he again troubled England, having taken a Test-best eight for 60 against them in Barbados last year during a victory that helped the West Indies regain the Wisden
Trophy. Sibley’s hundred was one of the slowest in Tests by an England batsman, the opener batting for 471 minutes - nearly eight hours - to complete a 312-ball century featuring a mere five fours.
But the 24-year-old Warwickshire righthander’s second hundred in his eight Tests, following his 133 not out against South Africa at Cape Town in January, was a valuable innings.
And he made normally reliable West Indies captain Jason Holder pay for dropping him in the slips on 68.
Run-scoring was difficult against a swinging ball and on a sluggish outfield, with even the usually fluent Stokes taking nearly six hours and 285 balls to complete his 10th Test century.
But Stokes’ third fifty came off just 46 balls and, having given Sibley a ‘head start’ of 31.2 overs, he overtook his teammate’s total.
England resumed on 207 for three with Sibley 86 not out and Stokes unbeaten on 59. West Indies made a wayward start with Shannon Gabriel bowling several wide deliveries.
Stokes, 99 not out at lunch, went to three figures with a cheeky reverse-swept four off Chase.
Holder delayed taking the new ball until the 94th over, perhaps concerned it would make run-scoring easier for England.
As if proving that point, Stokes promptly clipped his rival all-rounder through midwicket for four.
The left-handed batsman upped the tempo still further with a remarkable check-drive six over mid-wicket off a respectable Alzarri Joseph delivery.