Dominic Sibley dug deep to hold one end up but Alzarri Joseph built on from Roston Chase’s early inroads by sending skipper Joe Root back in the hut as England are 207/3 at the end of the opening day of the second Test at Old Trafford on Thursday.
After off-spinner Chase (2/24) reduced the hosts to 29/2 either side of the lunch break, opener Sibley and Root—back leading the side after missing the first Test— shared a 53-run stand for the third wicket.
But fast bowler Joseph ended Root’s 23 run vigil off 49 deliveries with a classic outswinger that grazed the right-hander’s bat and flew to his counterpart Jason Holder at slipShortly after the second session began, Zak Crawley was sent back for a golden duck by Chase who had the young No.3 batsman caught at leg slip by Holder. Having removed Burns in the last ball before lunch, Chase was on a hat-trick but missed the landmark. Root and Sibley then steadied the ship before the former departed with Stokes joining Sibley and both trying to negotiate Joseph and Holder’s fiery little spell where the ball moved sideways under overcast conditions.
Brief Scores: England: 207/3 (Sibley 86 batting, Stokes 69 batting; Chase 2/53) vs West Indies.