Manchester Test: West Indies avoid follow-on, England increase lead to 219 on day 4
Jul 19, 2020
Manchester [UK], July 20 : West Indies on Sunday managed to avoid the follow-on in the second Test of the three-match series against England.
The visitors were bowled out for 287 in the first innings on day four, giving England a lead of 182 runs. Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes took three wickets each for the hosts.
In the second innings, England sent out Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes to open the batting.
Buttler (0) was sent back to the pavilion by Kemar Roach in the first over of the innings as he dragged the ball onto the stumps.
Four overs later, Roach clean bowled Zak Crawley (11), reducing England to 17/2. Joe Root then joined Stokes in the middle and the duo ensured England did not lose more wickets before the close of play.
England ended the day at 37/2 in the second innings, 219 ahead of West Indies.
Earlier, resuming day four at 32/1, overnight batters Kraigg Brathwaite and Alzarri Joseph added runs at a brisk pace for the West Indies.
However, the introduction of spinner Dom Bess ended the innings of Joseph (32) as he was sent back to the pavilion in the 25th over, reducing West Indies to 70/2.
Shai Hope then joined Brathwaite in the middle and the duo ensured that the visitors did not lose any more wickets before the lunch break, taking the total to 118/2.
As play resumed after the lunch break, Sam Curran provided the much-needed breakthrough to England as he dismissed Hope (25), ending the 53-run stand between Brathwaite and Hope.
Shamarh Brooks then joined Brathwaite in the middle and the duo revived the innings for the visitors, putting up a stand of 76 runs.
However, Stokes who has made a habit of making things happen, once again provided England with the much-needed breakthrough as he sent Brathwaite (75) back to the pavilion, reducing West Indies to 199/4.
Brooks and Roston Chase then ensured that the visitors did not lose any more wickets before the tea break and the side went into interval at 227/4.
In a span of 25 runs, Broad provided three key breakthroughs for England as he dismissed Brooks (68), Jermaine Blackwood (0) and Shane Dowrich (0), with the West Indies' score at 252/7, still, 18 runs away from the follow-on target.
Woakes also dismissed skipper Jason Holder (2), but Chase and Kemar Roach ensured that the visitors avoided the follow-on.
Chase (51) went on to register a half-century, but was sent back to the pavilion after achieving the feat. Woakes had the right-hander adjudged leg-before wicket.
West Indies was eventually bowled out for 287 in the first innings, giving England a lead of 182 runs.
England posted 469/9 in the first innings.
