GROS ISLET, St Lucia, CMC – England have taken complete control of the third Test against the West Indies at the end of the second day’s play, thanks mainly to the bowling exploits of speedster Mark Wood and spinner Moeen Ali.
On a day which saw 16 wickets falling, England was able to establish a healthy first innings lead of 123 runs, which they duly stretched to 142 having reached 19-0 in their second innings.
The home side had initially wrestled the momentum away from England in the opening session, with Kemar Roach grabbing four quick wickets to help bowl England out for 277 after they had resumed on 231 for four.
But Wood grabbed his first five wicket haul in Tests and Ali snagged four wickets to rout the Windies for 154 and give England a sizeable lead.
It was a pathetic batting display from the West Indies, with only John Campbell and Shane Dowrich putting up any resistance. Skipper Kragg Brathwaite along with fellow opener Campbell gave the West Indies a good foundation on which to build during a 57-run opening stand.
However, once they fell within two balls of each other, the Windies’ middle order collapsed.
Brathwaite’s struggle against the off spin of Ali continued when he tried to hit him out of the ground but only got it as far as Jimmy Anderson stationed on the boundary to be out for 12.
The next ball Ali then trapped Campbell leg before wicket for 41 to leave the score 57 for two. Campbell asked for a review of the decision but was soon on his way after replays showed the ball crashing into leg stump.
Wood also captured two wickets in successive balls. First Shai Hope steered him into
Rory Burns’ hands at gully after scoring only one run and then Roston Chase followed in almost identical fashion, as the Windies slipped to 59 for four.
England then had more success just before tea, with Wood enticing Shimron Hetmyer into an edge which Joe Root held in slips on his second attempt.
Seemingly reenergized, Wood returned after the break to claim the wicket of Darren Bravo for six, as England tightened their grip on proceedings with the score 79 for six.
In fact, had it not been for a 41-run partnership between Dowrich and Roach for the eighth wicket things could have been much worse for the Windies.
The pair frustrated the opposing bowlers for close to half an hour while scoring at almost four runs an over.
Once Stuart Broad was reintroduced to the attack he accounted for the wicket of Dowrich for 38 and then took a spectacular catch running back from mid-off to effect the dismissal of Alzarri Joseph and give Ali his fourth wicket.
Wood then brought proceedings to an end by clean bowling Gabriel, picking up his fifth wicket in the process.
He ended with five for 41, while Ali took four for 36.
Burns and Keaton Jennings then navigated ten overs without much alarm.
Roach had earlier ended with four for 48, as England lost their last six wickets for 46 runs.
