On an exciting third day at Trent Bridge, the tourists had taken a tiny lead in the first innings thanks to the West Indies’ valiant lower-order resistance. However, half-centuries to three of their top five players helped England regain control of the second Test.
Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, who contributed significantly to England’s first innings, hit back with two fifties. After Zak Crawley was out of the game barely 10 balls into the second innings, the hosts were able to maintain their lead, surpassing the West Indies by 86 runs thanks to a 119-run partnership for the second wicket.
West Indies were frustrated after losing fifty to Harry Brook in another century stand for England, which was for 108 runs so far with Joe Root. On the third day, Brook was undefeated at 71 and Root was 37 not out at stumps.
Crawley scored three runs in the second inning after being out for a duck in the first, and then he freaked out the non-striker. Crawley was backing up, bat still in the air, when the stumps snapped.
Ben Duckett drove hard back towards the bowler Jayden Seales, who threw out a hand on his follow through, and the ball bounced off his fingers.
In addition to his blistering 71 in the first innings, Duckett reached his second fifty of the game in 55 balls with three sweeps off successive deliveries in front of square off Kevin Sinclair, top-edged through fine leg, and finally behind square.
Around the scheduled resumption, a very little rain shower passed through, adding to the day’s increasing cloud cover. Pope, who scored the highest for England in the first innings with 121, reached his fifty runs very quickly after the break with a single off Alzarri Joseph. However, the bowler instantly replaced the malformed ball and tricked Pope into a drive, which went for an outside edge that was caught by Sinclair at gully.
After Duckett failed to reverse a simple DRS dismissal, Alzarri Joseph trapped him leg before wicket with a toe-crusher of an inswinging yorker, and England moved from 127 for 1 to 140 for 3.
But Brook and Root brought everything back to balance. After being struck by a delivery that nibbled back from Alzarri Joseph, Brook managed to move within one boundary of his half-century by pulling the next ball for four through midwicket. He arrived at the boundary by blasting the first ball of Joseph’s subsequent over to the boundary through wide long-off.
With back-to-back fours through the cordon off Seales, who was visibly enraged at the end of the over, Brook elevated the century partnership. There was every reason for Brook and Root to appear happy as they walked off the pitch following the subsequent over.
Earlier, Shamar Joseph’s powerful cameo at No. 11 and Joshua Da Silva’s unwavering half-century put the West Indies ahead. Shamar Joseph was dismissed for 33 off 27 balls on the last delivery of a prolonged opening session, leaving Da Silva unbroken at 82 having added fifty runs to his overnight total. Together, they amassed 71 runs off 78 balls for the tenth wicket.
With three wickets for the day, including two in as many balls, Chris Woakes led England’s bowling attack with lots of swing, finishing with 4 for 84.
After losing the first innings at Lord’s, West Indies would have been ecstatic with their improved batting performance, which was spearheaded by a century from Kavem Hodge and an innings-winning 82 from Alick Athanaze on the second day. But, they could be upset with their inability to capitalise after receiving more motivation with Crawley’s ejection.
Under much cloudier conditions on Saturday morning, Woakes broke through with just 15 deliveries after England bowled just one over with the second new ball on Friday evening. Jason Holder prodded at one outside off stump and was caught behind. Pope’s shy at the stumps from short cover went wide, giving Sinclair a chance to reach the finish line, but Brook’s quick reflexes at the gully off Gus Atkinson saw to it quickly.
On 7, Ben Stokes ran in from cover to dismiss Alzarri Joseph off the bowling of Chris Atkinson. However, Woakes took two wickets in two balls when he had Joseph chase a wide ball outside off stump and feather behind to Jamie Smith before bowling Seales for a first-ball duck.
After taking it leisurely for the opening ninety minutes of the day, Shamar Joseph brought up his fifty with great force, using Mark Wood’s pace to nudge the ball over the fence at deep extra cover. Joseph survived the hat-trick ball to support Da Silva.
West Indies passed 400 after Da Silva hit another six off Wood over deep third. Shamar Joseph then levelled the score with England’s first-inning 416 after hitting Atkinson for six in front of square. He then threaded four through fine leg to take 16 off the over, sending shattered roof tiles raining down on onlookers seated in the seats below at backward square leg.
After hitting three straight fours and then a heave over long-on for six, his third maximum of the innings, Da Silva amassed eighteen runs off one Joe Root over.
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Shamar Joseph sent a leading edge high to mid-on, and Atkinson caught the catch. Wood, who had left the pitch late on day two because to cramps following a quick four-over spell in the morning and ten more overs of intense, fast work, finally got the wicket that had escaped him.
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