England eyeing up a double-quick victory
ENGLAND went on the offensive at Edgbaston yesterday as they attempted to secure a double-quick victory over the West Indies
Joe Root took the fast-track option as he enforced the follow-on after James Anderson helped England hustle the tourists out for a first-innings 168.
West Indies trailed by a massive 346 runs, despite the memorable and lone defiance of Jermaine Blackwood (79no), as Anderson blew away their top order in the first Investec Test at Edgbaston.
They therefore found themselves batting again less than mid-way through day three of this country’s inaugural floodlit Test, with dwindling hope of avoiding a 1-0 deficit with two to play.
West Indies endured a miserable start, either side of a half-hour break for a heavy shower after just one delivery had initially been bowled, and only Blackwood’s counter- attacking halfcentury saved major embarrassment.
The tourists lost both overnight batsmen after resuming on 44 for one, for the addition of just three runs in 11 deliveries, with Anderson (three for 34) to the fore in a spell of 4-3-6-2.
First, England’s all-time leading wickettaker got one to bounce alarmingly on Kyle Hope for a simple catch at gully.
Then, after Stuart Broad failed to overturn an lbw decision in his favour against Kieran Powell, the left-hander tried to scamper a single to mid-on, only to be run out when Anderson swooped to deliver a swift direct hit.
Roston Chase and Shai Hope were brought together without a run between them, and the former was unable to get off the mark before inside-edging a good one from Anderson on to his leg-bail on the back-foot defence.
It took seven overs before West Indies had the day’s first boundary, Blackwood’s convincing force past cover off Anderson bringing up the team 50, and almost instantly at the other end Hope got off the mark with a four off the 16th ball he faced with a controlled edge wide of the slips.
Toby Roland-Jones replaced Anderson from the City End and Blackwood promptly drove his first ball for four past mid-on as 21 runs came in the space of three overs.
The counter-attack briefly continued in a spirited fifth-wicket stand of 42 until Hope inside-edged an attempted drive on to his stumps – the first of two quick successes for Roland-Jones, who then had Shane Dowrich lbw playing across another full-length ball.
Ben Stokes decided to go short at Blackwood, and hit him on the helmet, but could not stop the diminutive middle-order batsman completing an entertaining 49-ball 50 which contained seven boundaries.
Captain Jason Holder tried to join in, but his attempts to get after Mooen Ali resulted ultimately in just a thin edge behind, detected only when Jonny Bairstow called for DRS after Marais Erasmus had initially ruled not out.
Broad returned for one over before lunch and needed only five deliveries before bowling Kemar Roach through the gate, but the final act of note in a hectic session was Blackwood’s – up the pitch to Moeen to smash the first six of the match back over the off-spinner’s head.
There was time too, in only six overs after lunch, for him to launch Broad for an outrageous maximum over long-on, but West Indies’ first innings was up when Miguel Cummins was last out thanks to Tom Westley’s direct hit from midwicket as his senior partner tried to farm the strike.