Brathwaite and Dowrich half-centuries put Windies on top despite Stokes’ four wickets
SOUTHAMPTON: Shane Dowrich steered the West Indies into a commanding lead over England on the third day of the first Test at Southampton on Friday.
Dowrich made 61 ater opener Kraigg Brathwaite had top-scored with 65 in a total of 318 all out.
Stand-in captain Ben Stokes led England’s atack with 4-49 to follow his top score of 43 in the hosts’ 204.
But that let West Indies 114 runs ahead on first innings in a match that marks international cricket’s return from lockdown.
And they were still 99 runs in front ater openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley survived a tricky 10 overs to take England to 15-0 in their second innings at stumps.
Stokes’ haul included the wicket of West Indies captain Jason Holder for just five, with the England talisman having fallen to his rival all-rounder during the towering seamer’s Testbest 6-42 on Thursday.
And when Stokes bowled tailender Alzarri Joseph, he had his 150th Test wicket.
But wicketkeeper Dowrich held firm with a fine fity until a 115-ball innings featuring eight boundaries ended when he was caught down the legside by opposing gloveman Jos Butler off Stokes.
It was not the first time Dowrich had proved a thorn in England’s side.
Last year he made 116 and shared a huge stand of 295 with Holder when his fellow Bajan
made an unbeaten 202 during the West Indies’ 381-run win over England in the first Test at their
Kensington Oval home ground.
That victory helped West Indies regain the Wisden Trophy but it is 32 years since they last won a Test series in England.
England dropped veteran paceman Stuart Broad for this current match to play express quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood together for the first time in a Test.