England set West Indies 312 to win 2nd Test

England set the West Indies a target of 312 from 85 overs to win the second Test at Old Trafford yesterday after Ben Stokes made a rapid run haul on the fifth and final morning.

Stokes, promoted to open the innings in a quest for quick runs, made 78 not out off 57 balls, including four fours and three sixes, to take England to 129 for three declared in their second innings.

That followed the star all-rounder’s 176 in England’s first innings 469 for nine declared.

England resumed on their overnight 37 for two with Stokes 16 not out and Captain Joe Root unbeaten on eight.
West Indies Captain Jason Holder, knowing what England wanted to do, spread the field and far wide but Stokes still took 14 runs off the first over of the day bowled by Kemar Roach.
The left-handed batsman smashed the fast bowler’s fourth ball past a static long-off for four and next ball took the fielder out of the equation with a huge drive over his head for six.

Stokes, promoted to open the innings in a quest for quick runs, made 78 not out off 57 balls, including four fours and three sixes, to take England to 129 for three declared in their second innings.

Next over, Stokes should have been out for 29 when the star all-rounder slogged Shannon Gabriel to deep extra cover only for John Campbell, coming from the boundary, to drop a routine catch.
Stokes punished the West Indies with a 36-ball fifty which he completed with a six off Gabriel that cleared the towering Holder at long-off.

Root was then run out as he tried to get Stokes back on strike and England’s Vice-Captain continued his assault by powerfully driving Holder for six before elegantly gliding him to four down to third man off successive balls.
Holder was warned for deliberately bowling down the leg-side in a bid to stem the flow of runs by umpire Richard Illingworth and the official subsequently called him for wides when he again strayed outside the batsman’s pads. With England having scored 92 runs off 11 overs, Root declared to give his side the option of another new ball at 80 overs if the West Indies were still batting at that point.

If the West Indies, who won the first Test at Southampton by four wickets, avoid defeat they will retain the Wisden Trophy following a 2-1 series victory over England in the Caribbean last year.

-AFP