MANCHESTER: England were left needing five wickets for victory in Monday’s final session on day five of the second Test at Old Trafford to level the series as a determined West Indies dug in to finish at 137-5 at the tea interval.

West Indies, who were set a stiff target of 312 to win the game with 85 overs remaining in the day, lost both their opening batsmen early and were reduced to 25-3 by lunch as Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes ripped through the top-order.

But Shamarh Brooks and Jermaine Blackwood frustrated England and both hit half centuries to build a 100-run partnership before Ben Stokes struck at the stroke of tea with a short ball to have Blackwood caught behind for 55.

A minimum of 42.2 overs remain in the day with the new ball also due at the 80-over mark.

Broad picked up three wickets, removing opener John Campbell who was caught behind in the first over while Shai Hope walked back to the pavilion after seeing a delivery seam off the pitch and strike the top of his off stump.

Chris Woakes picked up the key wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite who had scored 75 in the first innings, with the opener dismissed for 12 when the ball sneaked past his defence and rapped him on the pads for a simple leg before wicket decision.

Roston Chase, who also scored a half century in the first innings, was dismissed by Broad for six before Brooks and Blackwood steadied the innings.

Earlier, England resumed on their overnight score of 37-2 and Stokes got straight into the action, looking to cart the West Indies bowlers all around the empty stadium to bring up his half century in only 36 balls.

Skipper Joe Root also scored a quick-fire 22 and was run out as he sacrificed himself to get Stokes back on strike. First-innings centurion Stokes was unbeaten on 78 off 57 deliveries, which included three sixes, when England declared at 119-3.

Late on Sunday, West Indies were all out for 287 as the visitors collapsed in the final session, losing six wickets to the new ball to give England a 182-run lead.

Half centuries from Brathwaite (75) and Brooks had guided West Indies to 227-4 at tea before Broad and Woakes cleaned up the tail with three wickets each.

Brooks was the first to fall when Broad trapped him leg before wicket for 68 and the England pacer struck again in his next over to castle Blackwood for a duck.

Broad continued to make the new ball sing in his following over to trap Shane Dowrich leg before for a duck and the West Indies wicket-keeper also cost his team a review as Hawk Eye confirmed umpire Michael Gough’s decision.

Woakes then got into the act to dismiss West Indies skipper Jason Holder, who edged the ball to Root in the slips, reducing the visitors to 260-8 to give England hopes of enforcing the follow-on.

But a half century from Chase (51) ensured England would bat again before his resistance came to an end when Woakes rapped him on the pads.

Umpire Gough initially turned down the appeal but the decision was overturned upon review. Woakes then picked up the last wicket of Shannon Gabriel, out bowled for the third duck in the innings.

England had declared their first innings on day two on 469 for nine, on the back of centuries from Ben Stokes (176) and opener Dom Sibley (120).

West Indies have a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series, which is being played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic, after winning the first Test in Southampton.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings) 469-9 declared (B.A. Stokes 176, D.P. Sibley 120, J.C. Buttler 40; R.L. Chase 5-172). WEST INDIES (1st Innings, overnight 32-1 from Friday): K.C. Brathwaite c and b Stokes 75 J.D. Campbell lbw b Curran 12 A.S. Joseph c Pope b Bess 32 S.D. Hope c Buttler b Curran 25 S.S.J. Brooks lbw b Broad 68 R.L. Chase lbw b Woakes 51 J. Blackwood b Broad 0 S.O. Dowrich lbw b Broad 0 J.O. Holder c Root b Woakes 2 K.A.J. Roach not out 5 S.T. Gabriel b Woakes 0 EXTRAS (B-1, LB-12, W-2, NB-2) 17 TOTAL (all out, 99 overs) 287 FALL OF WKTS: 1-16, 2-70, 3-123, 4-199, 5-242, 6-248, 7-252, 8-260, 9-287. BOWLING: Broad 23-7-66-3 (2w); Woakes 21-10-42-3; Curran 20-4-70-2; Bess 21-3-67-1; Root 1-1-0-0; Stokes 13-3-29-1 (2nb). ENGLAND (2nd Innings, overnight 37-2): B.A. Stokes not out 78 J.C. Buttler b Roach 0 Z. Crawley b Roach 11 J.E. Root run out 22 O.J. Pope not out 12 EXTRAS (B-1, LB-1, W-3, NB-1) 6 TOTAL (for three wkts decl, 19 overs) 129 FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-17, 3-90. BOWLING: Roach 6-0-37-2 (1w); Gabriel 7-0-43-0 (1nb); Holder 4-0-33-0 (1w); Joseph 2-0-14-0. WEST INDIES (2nd Innings): J.D. Campbell c Buttler b Broad 4 K.C. Brathwaite lbw b Woakes 12 S.D. Hope b Broad 7 S.S.J. Brooks not out 52 R.L. Chase lbw b Broad 6 J. Blackwood c Buttler b Stokes 55 EXTRAS (LB-1) 1 TOTAL (for five wkts, 42.4 overs) 137 FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-19, 23, 4-37, 5-137. BOWLING: (to-date): Broad 10-3-25-3; Woakes 11-1-26-1; Curran 4-1-22-0; Bess 10-1-43-0; Stokes 7.4-1-20-1.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2020