Highflying Dom has a ton of enthusiasm
DOMINIC Sibley just wants to “keep contributing” after his century at Emirates Old Trafford lifted England to a 113-run win over West Indies in the second Test.
The Warwickshire opener laid the foundation for a series-levelling victory with a superb 120 in nine hours 16 minutes. It was textbook Test match opening batting, first steering his side away from the early turbulence of 81 for three and then building a victory platform in a fourthwicket partnership of 260 with Ben Stokes.
The ton took Sibley’s Test average over 40 (44.33) and offered further evidence that the assertion of Bears’ batting coach Tony
Frost last winter, that Sibley “will fly” in Test cricket, is spot on.
All the 24-year-old has in mind right now, though, is scoring more runs in the third Test in Manchester, which gets under way tomorrow.
“It was great to contribute to another win” Sibley said. “Stokesy is batting on a different level to anyone else at the moment. It is brilliant batting
Stokesy is batting on a different level to anyone else at the moment. It is brilliant batting with him and I just did my job. Dominic Sibley
with him and I just did my job. “We talked as the partnership went along and agreed it was important to play the way we did, especially at first when we had lost some early wickets and the ball was doing a bit.
“It was a bit strange without spectators and, of course, you miss the crowd and having all the England fans getting behind you, but when you are out there batting you are concentrating on your job so don’t notice it so much. It’s when you are fielding that you notice it more, with not having the Barmy Army making noise.
“But it was fantastic to be part of that last day when we closed out the win. It is going okay for me at the moment but I’ve still only played eight Tests so haven’t really achieved anything yet. I need to keep scoring runs and contributing to the team and hopefully more wins.
“It was a great win and gives us some good momentum, which hopefully we can build on in the last Test and clinch the series.”
Warwickshire players were key to the victory in Manchester with both bat and ball. While
Sibley’s ton underpinned the batting, Chris Woakes performed a similar role in the bowling with match figures of 37-13-76-5.
During the match, Woakes reached 500 first-class wickets (502 at 25.53) in West Indies’ first innings and 100 in Test matches (100 at 30.10) in the second. He achieved the latter milestone in just his 34th Test – Stokes and Andrew Flintoff each reached it in their 43rd.
“Woakesy bowled superbly and took some key wickets in both innings,” Sibley said. “It was great to see the big fella get to 100 Test wickets and 500 first class. They are fantastic achievements.”