England need more than Stokes if they are to avoid defeat against West Indies
Maybe it was always going to be the way, that in Ben Stokes’ first go in the field as captain he would decide to do it himself.
His four wickets for 49 broke through dogged Caribbean resistance to restrict a first innings deficit to 114 when it looked like being more.
But he will have slept on Friday evening knowing that Saturday will see no end to responsibility. Even though Rory Burns and Dom Sibley were able to negotiate a 14-over period that cut West Indies’ lead to 99, Stokes – who top-scored with 43 in the first innings – will know he and others will need scores of note to avoid defeat before they can contemplate any sort of win.
Perhaps the onus was on him to dig deep after two big decisions that will continue to be scrutinised. It is hard to gauge which was the more cavalier – batting first in favourable bowling conditions or dropping Stuart Broad and his 485 wickets. We will have to wait to see how this pans out before passing judgement on the toss, but the protagonist involved in the second had his say before play with day three’s most pronounced spell after the captain.
“Angry, frustrated and gutted” were Broad’s emotions relayed to Sky regarding his omission. Perhaps by the end of the day, he was a little glad, too. The phenomenon of being a better player when you’re out of the side was in full effect here, especially when the reasons Broad was sidelined – extra pace on a surface needing that – could only return one wicket between them for 135 runs across 44 overs.
That would go to Mark Wood, bowling Kemar Roach to dismiss West Indies for 318, while Jofra Archer had nothing to show for his frustrating set of 22. Archer’s misery was compounded by what would have been the first wicket of the day until replays showed his LBW dismissal of Shai Hope had him overstepping the front line. But for Dom Bess’ controlled off spin, which not only portioned off 19 overs for 51 runs but also returned the wickets of Hope and Jermaine Blackwood, their day might have involved a lot more graft.
The story of day three, however, was not of high profile omissions or misguided pace, but mostly levelheaded batting. England’s mistakes on day two were heeded by their opponents, who started the morning on 57 for one, adding 102 for the loss of two wickets up to lunch, then a more sedate 76 for two in the second session.
Kraigg Brathwaite’s 65, from 125 deliveries, a 26th Test score of 50 or more, quelled any threat of a “good first hour” for England. Though he was unfortunate to go in the second – his LBW to Stokes was marginal on impact on both the pad outside off and the stumps – others followed his lead to ensure the third and fourth hours were just as frustrating for the hosts.
Shamarh Brooks (39 from 71) and Roston Chase (47 from 142) combined with Shane Dowrich to bring West Indies to parity in the 48th over and then establish a 43-run lead. By the time James Anderson trapped Chase for his third of the innings, ending their stand on 81, England’s first effort of 204 had been put into context.
The next three wickets would go to Stokes, including some revenge on Jason Holder, who undid him in the first innings. A bouncer hoiked to Archer out at deep backward square leg saw a man who averages 42 against England done for just 14.
Dowrich, having completed the ninth half-century of his career, flicked Stokes down the leg side through to Jos Buttler to end his stay on 115 balls and 61 runs. And just as it looked like Stokes would become the first England captain since Bob Willis to take a five-wicket haul, Wood closed out the innings. Nevertheless, it moved him to 151 dismissals – the second fastest to that milestone supplemented by 4,000 runs since a certain Gary Sobers.
England will be buoyed to have all 10 second-innings wickets intact when they start day four. It will still require great effort and luck to emerge from this match unscathed and undefeated. And more than just Stokes.