Half a century of three batsmen in the West Indies saved their successors and forced England to strike again in Manchester on the evening of the fourth day.
Three Batsmen (Brathwaite, Brooks, Chase shine)
England would have started the day hoping for at least an early wicket, with the night watchman Alzarri Joseph at the crease next to Kraigg Brathwaite.
England vs West Indies 2nd Test Day 4 Highlights
But the couple increased the total overnight stay by 38 and extended their partnership to 54 before the introduction of Dom Bess proved Joseph’s fall.
Kemar Roach has another one 💥
— ICC (@ICC) July 19, 2020
Zak Crawley's middle stump is sent cartwheeling and England are two down.#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/eP2sazksxM
Shai Hope stayed close until lunch, and the third Wicket partnership passed shortly after the break fifty before Hope made a cookie cutter from Sam Curran to the Wicket Keeper.
The innings’ largest partnership followed when Brathwaite and Brooks added 76 runs together in 22.3 overs. England was forced to take a bowling short approach with a packed box on the leg side, which Ben Stokes eventually rewarded as a leading edge from Brathwaite on 76th provided easy recovery.
Brooks was accompanied by Roston Chase, and the pair saw the Windies until the second new ball. Stuart Broad indicted the hard new ball and removed Brooks, Blackwood and Dowrich in successive overs to keep England with a chance to succeed enforce.
A trio of half-centuries for the Windies ensured they wouldn't have to follow-on and left England up against it to force a win on the final day.#ENGvWI REPORT 👇 https://t.co/WHETpZthC8 pic.twitter.com/0Pq66Kdxnj
— ICC (@ICC) July 19, 2020
Woakes added Jason Holder’s wicket to the new ball, visitors were 10 runs away from getting England hit again, but Chase benefited from a Curran over to calm the mind of the West Indies. Chase managed to get an eighth test fifty before Woakes overtook the innings with a pair of wickets in the 99th and left England with a 182 lead in the first innings.
In search of fast runs, Stokes and Jos Buttler were sent out to open instead of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley. However, Buttler retired in the first game without scoring, gave Kemar Roach his first wicket and dampened England’s ambitions. Zak Crawley in third place scored 11 before Roach uprooted his middle stump.
Captain Joe Root calmed the situation, stayed with Stokes up to the stumps, and added 20 runs in just under four overs. England ended the day by 219 to maintain their hopes of a series win.
