A Test match that was fascinatingly poised after England and West Indies’ first innings has probably edged in favour of the home side.
England turned a 41-run deficit at lunch on day three into a 207-run lead by stumps, with cricketing nous from Ben Stokes’ team – a refined version of Bazball – and wayward bowling from Kraigg Brathwaite’s men helping the hosts to 248-3 under cloudy skies at Trent Bridge.
After Zak Crawley was run out backing up in the second over of England’s second dig, there was a chance for West Indies to pounce. A chance Sky Sports Cricket pundit Stuart Broad feels they squandered.
“I think this was a missed opportunity for West Indies,” said the former England quick.
“Getting the luck of Crawley being run out the way he was, to then not capitalise and use the conditions as well as they could have done, they will be disappointed.
West Indies had England under pressure – but let it slip
“There were too many soft deliveries, easy boundaries, particularly to Ollie Pope when he first came in. He got some width and some leg-side deliveries.
“If they had controlled the rate and then got a couple of wickets, England were still behind the game. But Pope and Ben Duckett got the scoreboard moving and the pressure had gone.”
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Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett, who scored 51 and 76 respectively, were dismissed in quick succession at Trent Bridge as West Indies struck twice after a ball change
Duckett and Pope shared their second century stand of the match, with Duckett making 76 and Pope 51 in an alliance of 119 from 143 deliveries, before they were dismissed in quick succession by Alzarri Joseph following a ball change.
Broad said: “Duckett and Pope played some great cricket shots and they score at a good rate as they can hit good balls for four. When you have players that can do that, you can’t gift them easy fours.
“You want to give them nothing, so they have to create something. We have seen that Pope is busy and if you tie him down he dances down the wicket and that’s when you might create a chance.
“After tea, West Indies came up with a clear, solid plan for half an hour – went to Duckett’s outside edge, used 7-2 fields. But Test cricket is a long game and you can’t be good for 45 minutes, it has to be hour after hour after hour.”
Joe Root (pictured) and Harry Brook have added an unbroken 108 for England’s fourth wicket
‘Root and Brook showed cricket brains’
Once Duckett and Pope’s century partnership was snapped, Joe Root and Harry Brook stitched another in fading light, largely parking the uber-aggressive batting, save for the odd swipe from Brook.
“There was a bit in that pitch with the overhead conditions, enough for the ball to nip around more than it had done on days one and two,” said Broad.
“It was not as easy a pitch to come out and take the game to the bowlers so Brook and Root, players with good cricket brains, picked their areas and style of shots they were comfortable scoring with.
Brook will resume on day four on 71 not out
“Brook attacks the short ball a lot, opens up the off-side to dink over third man, while he can also pull the ball hard through midwicket and square leg.
“There is a great understanding there having played together for Yorkshire, they run well between the wickets. England certainly won the last hour and a half with Brook and Root playing so beautifully.”
Broad’s fellow pundit Michael Atherton added: “In this series I think we have seen a slightly more mature approach from England. They are still rattling along at a rapid rate for Test cricket – almost five an over – but it hasn’t felt as chaotic.
“They have been criticised in the past for their gung-ho approach, as well as their gung-ho words. Here they have been aggressive and on the front foot, but not reckless and they are in a decent position.”
England will need time to bowl West Indies out
So what will be England’s play on day four?
Captain Ben Stokes is still to bat for England in the second innings and is due in at No 6
Broad added: “They will be aware the Trent Bridge pitch doesn’t deteriorate hugely. 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 don’t think they will dangle the carrot of 320, 330 to West Indies – they will want to be up at 370, 380. But the way England bat that could happen quickly.
“I would imagine England will want to bowl 60 overs.”
Watch day four of the second Test between England and West Indies, from Trent Bridge, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15am on Sunday (first ball at 11am).
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