CAVE HILL, Barbados, CMC – Jonny Bairstow and Rory Burns found form ahead of next week’s first Test, hitting half-centuries on the opening day of the second two-day match against CWI President’s XI here yesterday.
The charismatic Bairstow narrowly missed out on a hundred with 98 while opener Burns carved out 68 as the tourists, opting for first knock, were dismissed at the close for 379 in their first innings.
Adil Rashid, batting at number 10, chipped in with 48 while Sam Curran got 47 and Chris Woakes, 43. Left-arm seamer Raymon Reifer (3-39) and part-time off-spinner John Campbell (3-58) picked up three wickets apiece on a day of toil for the hosts at the 3W’s Oval here on the outskirts of the city.
Keaton Jennings failed for the second time this week when he perished lbw to Reifer for seven in the morning’s seventh over but Bairstow and Burns took command for England in a 118-run, second wicket stand.
Bairstow’s knock was a breezy one, coming from just 112 balls and including 10 fours while Burns struck nine fours in 89 balls at the crease.
They took England to lunch at 137 for one but Burns departed in the fourth over following the resumption, stumped off off-spinner Bryan Charles.
Jos Buttler helped add 33 for the third wicket with Bairstow before falling to a catch at the wicket off Reifer at 181 and Bairstow was removed by Reifer with 16 runs added, as England lost four wickets for 47 runs to slip to 228 for six, in the second over after tea.
But Curran and then Woakes and Rashid then propped up the lower order. Curran faced 64 deliveries and counted five fours, adding 30 for the seventh wicket with Ben Foakes (22) before combining with Woakes to put on a further 45 for the eighth wicket.
Woakes and Rashid inflicted more pain on the President’s XI, playing with abandon in adding 73 for the ninth wicket.
