BEN RIDES TO THE RESCUE
But Stokes needs big slice of luck after the top order fails again
Just when West Indies had a golden chance to make a mockery of the condemnation that has been heaped on them since the capitulation at Edgbaston, along came Ben stokes.
the difference in the tourists at the start of this second test from the rabble who embarrassed themselves and their proud cricketing heritage in Birmingham was, well, like night and day as they reduced England to 152 for six.
But, as West Indies began to tire after tea and bad mistakes crept in, they were faced with the unstoppable force that stokes can be as he smashed his sixth test hundred to lead yet another English rescue act.
It meant England, once again let down by their top order, were well on the way to getting out of jail when they were dismissed for 258 on a first day where West Indies at the very least clawed back some lost pride.
But the tourists are still very much in this match after losing only one wicket in the 45 minutes left, and their inexperienced batting line-up today have the chance to put pressure on England.
How much better their position would have been if their much more disciplined bowling had only been matched by the standard of the catching. they reprieved stokes twice.
When he had made just nine, stokes saw Kraigg Brathwaite fumble a sharp chance at second slip and then, agonisingly, shannon Gabriel dropped an absolute dolly at mid- on to let England’s talisman off the hook on 98. He reached his century next ball.
Both times the unlucky bowler was Kemar Roach, who screamed with frustration and could barely look at Gabriel when the easiest of the missed chances went down.
At least Gabriel, providing proper pace for West Indies at last, atoned for his error two overs later by claiming stokes off a mistimed pull for exactly 100 and gave him a send- off that England’s vicecaptain returned with a long, lingering look as he left.
they were not the only errors from West Indies, who also missed the chance to nip Joe Root’s halfcentury in the bud when he too was badly dropped, this time by Kieran Powell at slip off the returning Gabriel on eight.
It allowed the England captain to equal AB de Villiers’ world record of making a 50 in 12 consecutive tests but Root was furious with himself when he again failed to convert it into the three-figure score his huge talent demands.
Root has, of course, hit two big centuries this summer but since his double hundred against Pakistan at Old trafford last year he has only converted three of his 14 half centuries into the hundreds that would make him a true great.
Root will be more concerned at the never-ending problems at the top of England’s order because, with only one test after this to come before the Ashes, they are still no nearer knowing their best options in three key positions. Never will Mark stoneman, tom Westley and Dawid Malan have better chances, with the sun initially shining and the pitch flat, to cement their places in the team. But all three blew it to leave more questions than answers.
All fell to poor shots and all betrayed technical issues that have delayed until this season their introductions at the highest level. Now the selectors seem to be faced with a return to the drawing board ahead of the big one this winter.
At least the rest of England’s team is of the highest class and the strongest lower middle order in world cricket consistently gets them out of trouble and has allowed them to so far have the most productive of test seasons.
this was not stokes’ best hundred. As well as being dropped twice, he rode his luck and got away with several near-misses against the excellent Roach and Gabriel, who was deemed not fully fit to play in the first test.
But how he cashed in on his good fortune while adding 69 with Root and then, crucially, 68 with Moeen Ali. He hit 17 fours in his 124-ball stay as Roach and West Indies were driven to distraction.
West Indies could easily have crumbled under the lights in the last mini- session but they held firm despite the loss of Kieran Powell, who gave Jimmy Anderson his 493rd test wicket and Alastair Cook his 150th catch.
they will begin today on 19 for one, 239 behind, and can only do better than last saturday when they lost 19 wickets at Edgbaston on one of the worst days in Caribbean cricket history to crash to a humiliating defeat.
this, then, has already been a much better contest, but the health of test cricket was not helped by a shameful over-rate that saw five overs unbowled despite the extra half hour. It was not helped by a seven-minute delay because of a malfunctioning sightscreen after lunch but, still, it was a very shoddy effort.