Stuart Broad stars with bat and ball as England take control of West Indies series decider

Broad stuns the West Indies with stunning batting display in day two of the third Test
Getty Images for ECB
Matt Davies26 July 2020

A phenomenal Stuart Broad performance with bat and ball saw England take full control in a topsy-turvy second day of their series decider against the West Indies at Old Trafford.

The veteran - who missed out on the first Test at the Ageas Bowl - proved his undoubted quality with an electric 62 with the bat, before taking two wickets as the Windies finished on 137 for six after England set them a competitive target of 369.

The West Indies started the morning in ferocious style with Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach blasting through England's middle to lower order, taking four wickets in as many overs as Ollie Pope failed to add a single run to his terrific haul of 91 on the opening day.

It was the Surrey man who fell first after the ball nicked off his pad and onto the stumps following a swing and a miss, with Roach then bringing up his 200th Test wicket as Chris Woakes sent a bottom edge crashing into the stumps for just a single run.

Jos Buttler somewhat defied the critics as he battled to an important 67, but was joined by Jofra Archer as their pair saw identical edges fall comfortably into the grateful hands of captain Jason Holder at second slip.

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The momentum well and truly shifted after the introduction of Broad, who battered the Windies attack from pillar to post, hitting 50 in just 33 balls for the third quickest half-century in England Test history. Dom Bess and James Anderson fell shortly after his eventual dismissal, with England all out for 369 at lunch.

Broad continued where he left off after the break, the visitors losing a wicket for just one run. And it was Carlos Brathwaite - Windies' most reliable batsman - who fell victim to a wicked delivery as he edged to Joe Root at slip.

England rotated their prolific quartet of Broad, Anderson, Woakes and Archer, and it was the latter who dismissed John Campbell with a delivery of pure quality. The batsman failed to cope with Archer's variation in length and speed, diverting a nasty short ball to Rory Burns at gulley.

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Anderson, who was rested for England's win at Old Trafford last time out, then took two wickets either side of the tea break. A full delivery nipping away from off stump forced Shai Hope into the edge, before Sharmarh Brooks feathered it inside straight to Buttler.

Broad then grabbed his second and final wicket of the day, trapping Roston Chase on his crease for lbw, with no review needed, before Woakes bowled Jermaine Blackwood clean through the gate for his first of the innings.

After the visitors really looked to take the game to England in the morning session, England bounced back with consecutive dominant spells.

The umpire brought an end to play due to bad light, with the day immediately called to a close. England head into the third day with the Windies trailing by 232 with four wickets remaining, while the away side need another 33 to avoid the follow-on.

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