Harry Brook’s unbeaten 71 helped put England in the driving seat as they built a commanding second-innings lead on a see-saw third day of the second Test at Trent Bridge.
Chris Woakes made early inroads with the new ball as the morning session got under way, finishing with figures of 4-84, but Joshua Da Silva’s unbeaten 82 and a last-wicket stand of 71 between him and Shamar Joseph helped West Indies into a 41-run first-innings lead.
England then lost Zak Crawley soon after lunch as they began their second innings, but Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope combined for another century partnership which took England to 116-1 at the tea break.
The pair were dismissed in quick succession by Alzarri Joseph after tea, but Brook and Joe Root came together for an unbeaten fourth-wicket stand to help the hosts reach 248-3 at the close for an overnight lead of 207 runs.
Woakes strikes, but Da Silva helps secure lead
It was a positive start to the morning for West Indies as Jason Holder’s four at the end of the first over of the day brought up a 50 partnership between him and Da Silva, but that joy was short-lived as Woakes especially thrived in the cloudy conditions.
The Warwickshire seamer got the breakthrough in the 87th over of the innings as he cramped up Holder (27) and got an edge which carried to give England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith the simplest of catches.
Gus Atkinson claimed his second wicket of the innings three overs later as he tempted new batter Kevin Sinclair into a drive which caught the toe-end of the bat and was sliced to Brook to see him depart for four.
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Chris Woakes demonstrated his brilliant bowling with two wickets in two balls against the West Indies
Alzarri Joseph was then dropped by Ben Stokes from a leading edge off Atkinson, but he only managed 10 before becoming the first of two wickets in two deliveries for Woakes in the 98th over as he edged the ball to Smith.
Jayden Seales being bowled for a golden duck left Woakes with a chance of a maiden Test hat-trick, although he could not complete it and tailender Shamar Joseph dug in with Da Silva as the pair proved difficult to dislodge.
Wicketkeeper Da Silva brought his fifth Test half-century up in style with a six over backwards point from an unorthodox shot in the 102nd over and took his side past 400 with another over the head of deep third man Crawley off Mark Wood two overs later.
Even last batter in Shamar Joseph got in on the act, pulling a six which shattered some roof tiles on the Larwood and Voce Stand building, before Wood finally earned a scalp in the match by having Joseph caught by Atkinson for a spirited 33 from 27 balls as the tourists were all out for 457.
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Shamar Joseph hit a massive six, sending broken tiles onto fans
Crucial partnerships build England’s lead
Beginning their second innings after lunch, England once again lost opener Crawley in the early stages – this time for three after he was the victim of an unfortunate run-out backing up when Seales deflected a shot from Duckett onto the stumps.
The left-hander and Pope soon shrugged off that though and, as they had done on day one, set about building another century partnership, with Duckett passing 50 for the second time in this match, albeit in a relatively slower-paced 55 balls compared to his first-innings onslaught.
Pope matched that milestone two overs after play resumed following a short rain delay, but a change of ball in the 26th over after the old one had gone out of shape was followed by the right-hander being caught off Alzarri Joseph by gully fielder Sinclair for 51.
Joseph had Duckett back in the pavilion for 76 two overs later when he was trapped lbw with a fuller delivery, the England batter failing to overturn the on-field call via DRS, but Yorkshire pair Brook and Root pushed on for an impressive stand of their own.
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Zak Crawley was out in spectacular fashion after Jayden Seales’ fingertips diverted Ben Duckett’s drive onto the stumps
Brook went on to reach the half-century mark for the ninth time in 23 Test innings in typical style, crashing the ball through mid-off to the boundary for four in the 47th over, and he and Root (37no) will resume their partnership of 108 on day four as England aim to build a defendable total.
Broad: England in position where only focus will be winning
Former England bowler and Sky Sports Cricket expert Stuart Broad: “England certainly won the last hour and a half with Brook and Root playing so beautifully and they have put themselves in a position where they will only be focused on winning this game.
“It’s not the sort of pitch where you are going to bowl a team out in 25 overs – you are going to need a chunk of time.
“I think this was a missed opportunity for West Indies today, that’s how I feel. Coming out after lunch and getting the luck of Crawley being run out backing up, to then not capitalise and use the conditions as well as they could have done, they will be disappointed.”
England’s Test series vs West Indies
Watch day four of the second Test between England and West Indies, from Trent Bridge in Nottingham, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Sunday (first ball to be bowled at 11am).
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