(CMC) – Wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva underlined a sterling West Indies fightback with a fifth Test fifty to earn his side a slim first innings lead, but England got half-centuries from Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, and Ollie Pope to regain control of the second Test at Trent Bridge yesterday.
Resuming the third morning on 351 for five, the West Indies recovered from a slide to post 457 all out at lunch of an extended session and emerge with a precious first innings lead of 41.
They were slumping at 386 for nine after four wickets tumbled for 31 runs, but the 26-year-old Da Silva stroked a composed unbeaten 82 to repair the damage in an enterprising 71-run last wicket stand with Shamar Joseph, who made a cavalier 33 from 27 balls.
England replied strongly; however, Ben Duckett (76), Harry Brook (71 not out), and Ollie Pope (51) all got half-centuries as the hosts closed on 248 for three in their second innings – a lead of 201 heading into Sunday’s penultimate day.
“I think it was a tremendous job. We got a 70-run partnership for the last wicket, we got a lead – a 40-plus lead – so that was good to see,” Da Silva told reporters afterwards.
“It wasn’t meant to be for the hundred today. I’ll probably say I would’ve loved it, but it wasn’t to be.” He continued: “Tomorrow is the most important day of this match. Whatever happens in the morning is going to set it up for the rest of the Test,” Da Silva told reporters afterwards.
“For us, it’s how many wickets we can get quickly, how much we can restrict them to, and get what they’re going to set us to get the total in the end.”
West Indies threatened to squander their gains from the previous evening when they lost wickets steadily, seamer Chris Woakes scything through the lower order with four for 84.
All-rounder Jason Holder perished in the third over after adding only four to his overnight 23, feathering an edge behind off Woakes, and Kevin Sinclair followed three overs later for four, edging a drive at Gus Atkinson (2-107) high to Brook at gully.
Woakes then removed Alzarri Joseph (10) and Jayden Seales without scoring in successive deliveries to leave the innings tottering before Da
Silva and Shamar Joseph combined to frustrate the hosts.
Da Silva, unbeaten at the start on 32, faced 122 balls in just under three hours and belted 10 fours and three sixes, the first of which – an audacious carve over cover off speedster Mark Wood – brought up the right-hander’s half-century.
The left-handed Joseph entertained with five fours and two sixes – both audacious pulls in one over from Atkinson – and played with gay abandon until chipping Wood to mid on to signal the end of the innings.
Bowling a second time, the West Indies removed Zak Crawley cheaply for three in the second over, owing largely to a stroke of luck, when a drive from Duckett clipped Seales’s fingers on the follow-through and broke the stumps with the right-hander’s bat in the air.
On eight for one, England rebuilt courtesy of two partnerships. First Duckett, who faced 92 balls and counted 11 fours, posted 119 for the second wicket with first innings century-maker Pope, who struck half-dozen fours in a 67-ball knock.
The partnership left England well placed on 116 for one at tea, but the hosts were set back twice on resumption when Alzarri Joseph (2-58) struck two key blows – removing Pope in the fourth over to a low catch by Sinclair at gully and then hitting Duckett plumb in front with a yorker.
Any hopes of further inroads were then dashed, however, as Brook punched eight fours in a 78-ball knock to inspire an unbroken 108-run, fourth wicket partnership with former captain Joe Root (37 not out).
