[ad_1]
Zak Crawley’s undefeated second Take a look at century and a composed, unbeaten 84 by skipper Joe Root pushed England in the direction of security at 217 for one of their second innings on a rain-shortened fourth day of the primary Take a look at on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday. Having trailed by 64 runs at the beginning of the innings, the vacationers ended the day forward by 153 and with 9 wickets in hand. They might entertain the considered attempting to power victory on the ultimate day though the benign nature of the pitch suggests a tame draw is nearly inevitable.
Crawley’s 117 not out on the high of the order was an innings of simple high quality although, regardless of the situations.
Upright and stylish, the right-hander’s first three-figure Take a look at knock for nearly two years got here off precisely 200 deliveries and was adorned by 16 fours.
His second-wicket partnership with Root has thus far realised 193 runs with the captain trying fully relaxed with out being ultra-aggressive.
He appears destined so as to add to his tally of 23 Take a look at a whole lot by way of an innings that has thus far occupied 158 deliveries wherein he stroked six boundaries.
“Root’s bought such a relaxed head,” stated Crawley.
“He was telling me to only maintain concentrating as a result of they have been bowling very well at occasions. He’s such a relaxed particular person and I took lots from him through the course of the day.”
However the character of the pitch and expectation of a last-day stalemate, Crawley stays hopeful of some sudden drama.
“It is undoubtedly nonetheless a great wicket. It hasn’t damaged up as a lot as we thought it will,” he acknowledged.
“However we’re nonetheless hoping it should break up fairly a bit tomorrow and provides us a great probability of bowling them out.”
When Crawley misplaced opening associate Alex Lees cheaply to Kemar Roach earlier than lunch for the second time within the match, the vacationers would have been decidedly uncomfortable, given the top-order frailties which have been uncovered within the first innings.
Placid pitch
Roach thought he had eliminated Crawley for a duck previous to Lees’ demise as umpire Gregory Brathwaite dominated the opener leg-before to a full-length supply.
Nevertheless the batsman instantly reviewed the choice and was vindicated with tv replays displaying the ball lacking the stumps by a ways.
Whether or not or not the newcomer Lees will get one other alternative within the second Take a look at in Barbados in 5 days’ time stays to be seen however the left-hander actually appeared to have apparent technical deficiencies, particularly to Roach’s line of assault.
Root’s arrival although modified the complexion of the innings from certainly one of vulnerability to rising assurance.
Nothing typified the placid enjoying floor greater than Roach, who is often a pointy fast-medium at his greatest, asking wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva to face as much as the stumps throughout a spell in mid-afternoon when the batsmen have been advancing down the pitch to him.
Even Nkrumah Bonner was given a possibility to toss up a couple of of his part-time wrist-spinners simply earlier than a ultimate heavy bathe put paid the prospects of any extra play within the final session of the day.
Saved within the discipline all day on a turgid third day by the West Indies who superior their first innings by 171 runs off 90.1 overs, England wanted simply three deliveries to assert the ultimate wicket on the fourth morning.
Final man Jayden Seales was trapped leg-before by Jack Leach, giving the left-arm spinner his second wicket of the innings after 43.3 overs of toil.
Promoted
West Indies’ first innings whole of 375 represented a superb restoration from the discomfort of 127 for 4 on the second afternoon and was due primarily to a affected person second Take a look at century from Bonner, who occupied the crease for over 9 hours in accumulating 123 earlier than he was the ninth wicket to fall late on the third day.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Matters talked about on this article
[ad_2]
Source link
