BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Dan Lawrence perished to the penultimate delivery of the day with three figures in touching distance but Joe Root’s 25th Test century bruised West Indies and ensured England dominated the opening day of the second Test here yesterday.
England were marching imperiously to the close courtesy of Lawrence’s flamboyance, the aggressive right-hander stroking exquisite back-to-back off-side boundaries off seamer Jason Holder in the day’s final over with the second new ball.
He became a victim of his ambition, however, punching the fifth ball of the over into captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s lap at cover to fall for a career-best 91, and agonizingly miss out on a maiden Test century as England closed on 244 for three.
There was no such anguish for Root, the 31-year-old ending the day on a magnificent unbeaten 119 – his second hundred in as many Tests following his 109 last week in Antigua and his fifth hundred against West Indies.
Root was the linchpin of England’s innings, putting on a superb 164 for the third wicket with Lawrence as England controlled the second and third sessions, much to the delight of their boisterous travelling supporters at a buzzing Kensington Oval.
All told, Root has faced 246 deliveries in a shade under six hours and counted a dozen fours, while Lawrence struck 13 fours and a six in an innings lasting 150 balls in three hours at the crease.
Opener Alex Lees made a painstaking 30 from 138 balls in just over three hours but lasted long enough to post 76 for the second wicket with Root.
“Obviously you’re taking a risk when you take the second new ball and for it to pay off with that wicket just before close of play was very, very important so we’re happy with that,” said assistant coach Roddy Estwick.
“It’s been a tough old day of Test cricket but we stuck with it, we stayed as disciplined as possible. Hopefully tomorrow we can continue to make that new ball count.”
Presented with another slow surface with little in it for the seamers, England recovered from an early setback to control proceedings.
Zak Crawley, a century-maker in the first Test, succumbed in the morning’s fourth over without scoring, nicking behind to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva after playing indecisively at an away-swinger from 20-year-old seamer Jayden Seales, with four runs on the board.
That was the home side’s last taste of success for the session, England crawling to lunch on 47 for one, before increasing the tempo after the break.
Unbeaten on 31 at the interval, Root was let off in the fourth over after the resumption when he had added only three, Da Silva grassing a low leg-side catch off veteran seamer Kemar Roach.
West Indies were made to pay dearly for that indiscretion as Root raised his half-century in the first over after the first drinks break, to be unbeaten on 80 at tea, before raising his hundred 40 minutes after the break with a pulled single behind square off Seales.
Never really oozing confidence, Lees eventually played back to left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul also in the first over after drinks, and was lbw, but his demise paved the way for Lawrence who quickly steamed his way to a hasty 26 off 38 balls at the break. The last session was all England’s and though West Indies bowlers remained disciplined, Root and Lawrence cashed in on the benign surface.
West Indies again had only themselves to blame as they muffed an opportunity to rid themselves of Lawrence on 72, Alzarri Joseph putting down a sharp chance at slip off Seales, with a wicket desperately needed.
