MANCHESTER: The West Indies removed the England top order with both Joe Root and Ben Stokes going cheaply and had their hosts 131 for four wickets at tea on the opening day of the third and final Test at Old Trafford.

The hosts were in strife with fast bowler Kemar Roach having removed second-Test century-makers Dom Sibley and Stokes on his way to fine figures of 2 wickets for 28 runs from 12.4 overs, while an instinctive slip catch accounted for the wicket of Rory Burns, who scored 57.

Ollie Pope (24 not out) and Jos Buttler, who has two runs to his name, were unbeaten after the second session on Friday as the West Indies were looking to get among the lower order after England sacrificed a batsman in their line up to include an extra seamer after injury to Stokes.

England’s talisman — now behind only Australia’s Steve Smith and India captain Virat Kohli in the ICC’s Test batting rankings — looked uncomfortable at the crease as he struggled with a quadriceps strain, picked up during his second Test heroics, and made only 20 runs.

He was cleverly set up by Roach, who after two bouncers produced a perfect in-swinging delivery to strike down the stumps as England slumped to 92-3.

Skipper Root was the second wicket to fall after being caught short as England attempted a quick single and dismissed for 17 runs.

Burns and Root had put on 46 runs for the second wicket before Burns set off for a quick run after steering spinner Rakheem Cornwall towards third man. Roston Chase fielded quickly and hit the stumps with direct throw, catching the scrambling Root short of the crease, to the delight of the fielding team.

Burns proved the steady presence after England were put into bat by the tourists and lost Sibley to just the sixth ball of the day, trapped leg before wicket without scoring.

Burns brought up his half century in 126 balls with just three boundaries but then cut a spinning delivery from Chase to Cornwall at first slip, who took a reflex one-handed catch to an aghast reaction from his team-mates.

Pope and Buttler are the last recognised batsmen for England. Buttler’s place in the team was the subject of much speculation in recent weeks after poor returns with the bat.

England dropped number three batsman Zak Crawley and left-arm paceman Sam Curran, with their places taken by express quick Jofra Archer and veteran spearhead James Anderson.

Captain Joe Root was promoted to number three, with Stokes moving up to four.

The West Indies had a scare when Shannon Gabriel limped off midway through his fourth over but he came back on, a relier for the tourists given they had just three specialist quick bowlers.

West Indies won the first Test in Southampton by four wickets but England took the second at Old Trafford by 113 runs.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

R.J. Burns c Cornwall b Chase 57

D.P. Sibley lbw b Roach 0

J.E. Root run out 18

B.A. Stokes b Roach 20

O.J. Pope not out 24

J.C. Buttler not out 2

EXTRAS (B-9, LB-2) 11

TOTAL (for four wkts, 53 overs) 131

FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-47, 3-92, 4-122

TO BAT: C.R. Woakes, D.M. Bess, J.C. Archer, S.C.J. Broad, J.M. Anderson.

BOWLING (to-date): Roach 12.4-1-28-2; Gabriel 13.2-3-22-0; Holder 12-3-25-0; Cornwall 13-2-44-0; Chase 2-1-1-1.

WEST INDIES: K.C. Brathwaite, J.D. Campbell, S.D. Hope, S.S.J. Brooks, R.L. Chase, J. Blackwood, S.O. Dowrich, J.O. Holder, R.R.S. Cornwall, K.A.J. Roach, S.T. Gabriel.

UMPIRES: R.A. Kettleborough (England) and M.J. Gough (England).

TV UMPIRE: R.K. Illingworth (England).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2020