BARBADOS: England pace bowler Matt Fisher collected a wicket with his second ball on debut as the visitors turned the screws on West Indies in the second Test in Barbados on Thursday. West Indies were 71 for one at stumps in their first innings on day two at Kensington Oval, 436 runs behind England, for whom Joe Root (153) and Ben Stokes (120) made contrasting centuries. England might be a little disappointed to make only one breakthrough, but have probably taken any chance of defeat out of the equation on a pitch that while not exactly a minefield at least is offering some help to the bowlers. “The wicket changed towards the back end of our innings,” said Stokes. “We’ve seen a few balls spin and bounce by Leachy (Jack Leach) and the seamers thought they were in the game, a lot more than (in the first test in) Antigua anyway.” After nearly two hot days in the field, West Indies captain and opener Kraigg Brathwaite displayed good discipline to survive until stumps, unbeaten on 28. Shamarh Brooks survived a couple of poor shots to be 31 not out.
Fisher received a harsh initiation to the Test arena when his first ball was worked by left-hander John Campbell through gully for four. But the 24-year-old put his next delivery into the corridor of uncertainty outside off stump. A better player might have left the ball alone, but Campbell, who averages barely 23 at the highest level, dangled his bat, the ball clipping the bottom edge and carrying to the keeper. Fisher was mobbed by his team mates, but that was the only joy England had before the close.
They thought they had a second wicket when Brathwaite was adjudged lbw to Jack Leach, but the decision was overturned when a review showed an outside edge. England’s other newcomer, Saqib Mahmood, had to wait until the 17th over to be brought into the attack. Earlier, England exerted an iron grip on the game, declaring at 507 for nine shortly after tea. Captain Root was his usual stylish self in top-scoring, his 153 from 316 balls his 12th highest test score, before falling lbw to Kemar Roach.
Eleventh century: Stokes brought up his 11th Test century shortly after lunch, off 114 balls, his third quickest ton after taking 85 deliveries against New Zealand in 2015 and 105 against South Africa in 2016. He bludgeoned his 120 off 128 balls, including six sixes and 11 fours, before holing out at long-off. The all-rounder had carefully seen off the new ball before cutting loose and switching into his best Twenty20-style to smash spinner Veerasammy Permaul and pace bowler Alzarri Joseph out of the attack. Stokes advanced from 23 to 89 in 37 balls. England later lost several quick wickets going for runs before the declaration.