West Indies build lead through Dowrich and Brathwaite but Stokes wickets keep England in First Test

Dowrich scored a useful 61 before being caught behind off Stokes
POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Will Macpherson10 July 2020

About halfway through the afternoon session on the third day of the first Test of the summer, England’s coach Chris Silverwood could be seen chatting to the National Selector Ed Smith. With just 280 people at the Ageas Bowl, they were not hard for the Sky cameras to locate.

The pair already had a lot to discuss. Their team are in a corner; if just one of the remaining six sessions is poor, they will surely go one down in the series. They are 99 behind, with all 10 second innings wickets remaining. A belting game lies in store, but it will be a good one for England to win.

The game seems advanced enough to conclude that they were wrong to leave out Stuart Broad. They have undoubtedly missed Joe Root’s runs more, but Broad’s control might have been of more use than the greater pace of Mark Wood or Jofra Archer. They were wicketless until Wood bowled last man Shannon Gabriel, while the two senior men, Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes, combined for seven for 111. Stokes put in another mighty, record-breaking shift.

That Broad gave an emotive interview before play was wonderful for TV viewers – it was compulsive viewing – but probably not that helpful for the management. Not only was it a reminder of the pedigree of cricketer they have left out, but it revealed they have some delicate management to conduct and another tricky selection decision for the next Test.

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The West Indies’ dominant position has been built on performing the basics so much better than England.

With the ball, it was the basics of an extremely disciplined line and length that allowed them to take nine of England’s 10 first innings wickets bowled, lbw or caught behind. None of England’s bowlers, not even the terrific Anderson, showed as much control; they have a great crop of bowling talent spanning generations, but – not for the first time – tourists have had to remind them how to bowl in England. The West Indies got their bowling right before the game started, finding a lovely blend.

And with the bat, the West Indies were more patient, judging the location of their off-stump that much better. They built partnerships well too; in a low-scoring game, they managed five of more than 30 in their first innings to England’s two. Sure, conditions for batting were easier on day three but a) England chose to bat on day one, and b) the West Indies had worked hard on the second evening, losing just one wicket in almost 20 overs that allowed them to make hay while the sun shone on Friday.

It was the experienced men in a youthful top order that stood up. Kraigg Brathwaite was an obdurate pest for his 65, and when he was out Roston Chase was a barnacle for his 48. Chase put on the biggest partnership of the match so far with Shane Dowrich, who played a dashing hand before being the penultimate man out. Dowrich made 61, which is more than twice as many runs as he managed in six innings on the 2017 tour of England. He is an improved player since then, and part of a dangerous lower middle order.

Strong support came from Shai Hope, who survived the first hour with Brathwaite, and Shamarh Brooks. Hope was given out lbw off a Jofra Archer no ball, but did not make England pay, falling caught at slip off Dom Bess. The spinner later dismissed the slogging Jermaine Blackwood too and provided pretty good control, although Dowrich got after him a little.

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All this on a day that brought another outstanding performance from their new captain. Stokes took the best figures, four for 49, by an England captain since Bob Willis in 1983 and also ticked past 150 Test wickets. He is just the sixth man to combine that achievement with 4000 runs, and gets there just a game slower than the quickest to the dual milestone after one Garfield Sobers.

It was vintage Stokes, chiselling his wickets out, mainly through will but with no little skill too. He seemed to particularly enjoy dismissing Jason Holder cheaply, with so much being made of the battle of the skippers, despite them being such different all-rounders.

Anderson bowled nicely too, despite the lack of lateral movement. Neither were Archer, who attempted to channel Holder’s control, or Wood particularly poor. The latter averaged a tick shy of 90mph, which is very swift indeed. It just might not quite be what the doctor ordered in this game.

West Indies carried a lead of 114 into the second innings, handing Rory Burns and Dom Sibley 41 horrible minutes to survive. They did their job with aplomb to get England’s fightback underway. There is a long way to go and, as so often, so much rests with Stokes.

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