England increase their lead in the second innings- England vs West Indies, Test 2, Day 4
Day three saw Old Trafford baked in sunshine. The West Indies’ batsman Brathwaite and night watchmen Alzari Joseph walked to the crease hoping to bat a long period of time and work towards a draw.
The pair started well, scoring steadily off the bowling of Broad and Woakes. Neither Woakes nor Broad consistently threatened either batsman, they beat the edge of the bats couple of times but never looked like taking a wicket.
Spinner Dom Bess was then brought onto bowl by captain Joe Root and made an immediate impact. He took the wicket of Joseph. Pope took a brilliant one-handed catch. The night watchmen who was playing fluidly throughout the morning was dismissed for 32.
The West Indies continued to bat well and controlled, picking of bad balls from the England bowlers. They reached lunch with Joseph the only wicket to fall. The visitors finished the morning session on 118-2.
Soon after lunch the second wicket of the day fell. Curran caught the outside edge of Hope which was caught by Buttler. Hope fell for 25.
Stuart Broad nearly got another in the next over. An lbw shout given not out by the umpire was reviewed by the hosts, but the decision remained not out due to the impact was umpires call.
The West Indies batsman continued to frustrate England throughout the afternoon session. Brathwaite was the star performer of the afternoon, creating multiple 50-run partnerships and getting 75 himself. His innings soon came to end when Stokes bowled a short delivery which hit high off the bat. The ball ballooned into air with Stokes taking the catch.
England got the breakthrough they needed, but the West Indies were steadily approaching the follow-on total. Consequently, weakening any chance of a positive result for either side.
The West Indies continued to frustrate England throughout the evening session. England took the new ball once it was available and looked immediately more threatening. Stuart abroad was constantly beating the outside and inside edge of the bat. England through the new ball began to apply pressure on the West Indian batsman at the crease.
Broad got his first wicket of the Test with his second over with the new ball. Broad trapped Brooks on the crease and the West Indian was out lbw for 68.
Broad soon got his second, a beautiful delivery saw the bales flying off and Jermaine Blackwood being bowled for 0. The new ball allowed England to apply pressure the West Indian lineup and to get into the West Indian ranks.
Broad was in the midst of his magic spells. He claimed his third wicket when the ball crashed into Dowrich’s pads and he was given out lbw for 0.
The fantastic spell from Stuart Broad allowed England to accelerate the game and take it under their control.
West Indies captain Jason Holder soon departed after he edged a ball from Woakes. He edged ball to first slip with the catch being taken by England captain Joe Root.
The West Indies soon passed the follow-on mark. Something that England would have hoped to enforce. The follow on would have given England the best chance of getting a positive result.
Woakes struck again, Chase was hit on the pads right in front of the stumps. England wisely reviewed the decision, the reviewed showed that the ball was crashing into the stumps.
The Warwickshire man, Woakes, finished off the West Indies batting line-up when the Warwickshire bowler clean bowled Gabriel for 0.
England headed into their second innings with a lead of 182.
England needed to score as many runs as they could in order to increase the lead and then place the West Indies into bat. England changed their batting order with Buttler and Stokes opening with the aim of increasing the England lead.
Buttler fell early for 0. He slashed at a wide ball and played onto his own stumps.
Crawley and Stokes looked to play their shots and took the quick ones and twos that were available. Together they took the run rate above three.
However, Crawley fell for 11 after he took a big swing and his middle stump was removed. Roach bowled Crawley who was looking to accelerate the run rate and England’s lead.
Root and Stokes continued in the same fashion taking any runs available. Both were sharp and quick between the wickets taking ones and two. The West Indies did well to restrict the boundaries. Root and Stokes added 37 to England’s total and ended the day 37-2. England finished the day with a lead of 219.
England will look to score quickly in the first couple of overs on the fifth day. They will have to enter a One-Day mindset in order to vastly increase the lead. The quicker England increases their lead, the more overs they will give themselves to bowl out the visitors.
England Captain Joe Root will have judge whether the lead England have is enough and will also have to leave enough time for his bowlers to bowl the West Indies out. This will be a great test of Root’s captaincy.
If the hosts get their calculations wrong and they fail to win the Test, then they cannot win the series. This Test is a must win if England they were to make the final Test a decider.
