Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler played an aggressive partnership after the Tea break, turning the course of the innings. From 122/4, they put on a counter-attacking stand to take England to a score of 258/4 from 85.4 overs before umpires called the day to a close because of insufficient light.
Both players were under pressure to deliver in the third test after underwhelming performances so far in this series. Buttler, in particular, is feeling the heat from Ben Foakes for the wicketkeeper position and a first half-century in tests since September justified the selectors’ backing of the limited-overs specialist.
The umpires are seeing having a word with the players in the middle of Jofra Archer's over. And another day has been brought to a close due to bad light. At stumps, West Indies are 137/6 after 47.1 overs, with some quick runs being added by the middle and lower order. West Indies trail by 232 runs, but the big question, with weather predicted to play an ally for West Indies, is if the visitors can knock off the 33 runs required to stave off the follow-on.
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50 runs have been added in the last 10 overs for the loss of 1 wicket. If the West Indies are indeed close to capitulating in the 3rd Test, their approach wouldn't give you any indication. It is vital for them that they reach the follow-on mark, will be interesting to see if they change their approach once that is crossed. Runs coming in ones and twos between this pair now as well. Some good rythm in this resistance. WI 136/6 after 47 overs
Holder and Dowrich are both pouncing on the loose balls to send them away to the fence. Holder punished Jofra Archer with a hat-trick of fours in the 44th over. And then Dowrich pounced on a short ball from Woakes to wheel it away for another four. The runs are coming fast in this partnership. 22 off 15 balls. WI 132/6, 36 runs away from follow-on mark
Chris Woakes removes Blackwood. Full and moving late. Blackwood goes for a drive and misses the movement. Bowled! West Indies have now lost all their specialist batsmen, with a follow-on looking more and more imminent. Shane Dowrich comes in at 8 and starts off with a four to extra cover. All happening in this crucial session! WI 114/6 after 43 overs
Drinks taken at the halfway point of the third session. England are all over West Indies on Day 2, but some quick runs have been added in this current partnership. 29 runs from 34 balls, with two boundaries coming through extras. Blackwood has looked fluent but England have been looking to pepper him with short stuff. Holder has looked resilient as always. WI 102/5 after 40 overs
Blackwood finds the fence twice in Archer's next over as the bowler again strays in his line. Wide of off stump and Blackwood obliges in crashing it for four. The last ball is a perfect on drive as Archer bowls on Blackwood's pads. West Indies cross 100. Woakes has come on from the other end. West Indies 69 runs away from staving off the follow-on. With weather being a possible ally in the remaining days of this Test, it is vital that the visitors get to that mark and make England bat again. WI 101/5 after 38 overs
Three boundaries have come in the last few balls. One a bye, one weathered by Holder's shoulder to run away for four leg byes and the last one a confident flick to the leg side. 8 runs come off Archer's over, who has lacked the control of Broad and Anderson so far. WI 86/5 after 36 overs
Chase is caught plumb LBW. He goes for 9. WI lose their fifth and sink into a gaping hole. Stuart Broad gets his second wicket. Holder strides out at 7. The visitors still 96 runs away from staving off the follow-on. WI 73/5
Archer replaces Anderson in what is the first change in the bowling attack in the session. And a fountain of runs (under the circumstances) are scored in that over. Chase gets three runs after running a wide ball on the leg side to fine leg. No boundaries still in the session, but 6 runs come in the over. WI 73/4 after 34 overs
James Anderson is lording proceedings after Tea. Bowling from the James Anderson end, he has conceded 2 runs of his 4 overs in this spell and has taken 2 wickets. The score is moving very very slowly for the West Indies. The need of the moment for Chase and Blackwood is just to hang in there, hope that this storm passes. And maybe hope for the skies overhead to actually open up. Seems nothing but rain can save West Indies at this point. WI 62/4 after 30 overs
Torturous times for the West Indies team. They have given an admirable display of themselves all through this series, but the quandary they find themselves in now is exactly what many had predicted they would find themselves in. It's all threatening to come apart now. Blackwood gets the first runs for the visitors of the session a good 15 minutes after resumption. And there is an LBW Review against Blackwood the very next ball. He survives, though. Would have been missing the stumps. WI 61/4 after 28 overs
Anderson strikes in the first over of the session! Brooks is caught behind. He goes for 4. West Indies are in big danger of falling apart at the seams. 59/4, trail by a massive 310 runs. And that brings Blackwood out.Both batsmen now on 0. England on top of this game.
The last session of Day 2 is underway. Can West Indies find a partnership to steady their ship? Brooks and Chase, both solid batsmen, in the middle as play resumes.
The second session ends and it has been completely dominated by England. Three important wickets of the two openers and Shai Hope, taken by Broad, Archer, and Anderson. Although Campbell (32) and Hope (17) tried to reignite their innings after suffering an early setback, England never actually released the pressure. The visitors still trail by 310 runs. WI are 59/3 after 25 overs.
And there's another one! James Anderson nabs the important wicket of Shai Hope (17) with a peach of a ball. The seam pointed in and the ball angled in as well, so Hope had to play but the ball shapes away late, squaring up Hope and taking the outside edge. Buttler does the rest. Roston Chase joins Shamarh Brooks in the middle. WI are 58/3 after 23.2 overs.
England have a breathrough! Jofra Archer is back in the bowling attack and he is back in the wickets as he dismisses the settled John Campbell with an unplayable delivery. Short ball, nicked and taken by Rory Burns. The batsman leaves on 32. WI are 44/2.
Ever since Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes came into the attack, the floodgates have somewhat opened for West Indies. While John Campbell (31*) punished Woakes with a pull shot, Hope (6*) hit Archer behind the slip cordon. WI are 43/1 after 15 overs.
And there's the first boundary of the innings for West Indies! Campbell (23*), who has looked confident with the bat so far, smacks Anderson through cover-point on his backfoot. He follows it up in the next over against Broad too, as he hit another four through deep-extra cover. Hope (2*) is still taking in slow on the other side. Meanwhile, Archer is warming up. WI are 26/1 after 10 overs.
The 71-year-old England bowling pair has started well in the second session keeping Hope (1*) on the backfoot. Campbell (10*) has got the majority of the runs but it has all been between the wickets. A boundary is still awaited. WI are 12/1 after 6 overs.
As he is with the bat, he is with the ball. Stuart Broad strikes early as he removes Brathwaite with a brilliant delivery which is then caught by Joe Root. The batsman goes back to the pavilion on 1. Shai Hope comes on. WI are 1/1.
Brathwaite and Campbell walk out to the middle to begin the Windies first innings. James Anderson opens England's attack. And Brathwaite sees out the first over without incident. Takes a single off the last ball to set the ball rolling for the visitors.
What a treat Broad has served up today so far. Interesting to see if Root throws him the new ball (given the kind of fire in his belly right now) or if he is rested after that incredible batting effort. WI innings to begin in another 15 minutes or so.
READ | Broad proves a point, hits third fastest Test fifty for England
England all out for 369 at lunch on the second day of the third Test. Anderson is caught in the slips, Holder accounting for the last wicket. What an oscillating morning session we have had on Day 2. Lunch will now be taken, with West Indies to start their first innings after a 40-minute Lunch break.
20 minutes have been added to the first session as West Indies look to finish this England 1st innings. How the morning started would have gotten them off to a buoyant mood, but the Stuart Broad cameo has changed this Test again. What a topsy turvy series this has been! And James Anderson is following Broad's suit, getting some fortunate runs. ENG 364/9 after 111 overs
Stuart Broad is out! An end to an unbelievably entertaining batting innings. 62 runs off 45 balls. With 9 fours and one six. Roston Chase does the trick wiith the first ball of the 108th over. West Indies heave a sigh of relief. But the damage has been done! Stuart Broad, take a bow! ENG 356/9, with Anderson joining Bess for the last wicket.
This is the third fastest Test 50 by an Englishman ever in Test cricket. Broad's highest score since his solitary Test 100 in 2010 has been 65, which he scored in 2013. And he is keeping going in this innings, rocks back and crashes the ball off Cornwall now. This partnership now worth 70 runs, with 58 of thos having come off Broad's bat. Utter madness! ENG 356/8 after 107
West Indies bring some spin into the equation to see if this can unsettle Broad. Bess, at the other end, is content to let Broad take the initiative of scoring. Broad, continuing to find runs at will, is nearing his 50 in rapid pace. This will be his first 50 in 3 years. Another 15-20 runs and this will be his highest score in 10 years of Test cricket. What wonders a wounded ego can do! West Indies happy to see Bess on strike, Broad is too hot to handle at the moment. ENG 342/8 after 104 overs
Four, four again! Broad has taken a special liking to Holder's length. Stuart Broad, once known for being a handy lower order bat, is turning the clock back with this batting cameo. He is on 39 now, with ENG 327/8 after 100 overs. The last time Broad reached a Test 50 was in 2017. Of course, he has a Test 100 too, but we need to go back 10 years for that. Since then, Broad has become a more conventional tail-ender. Today, however, it seems he is channeling all his frustration at having been dropped for the 1st Test -- but with the bat in hand!
This has been a run-a-ball partnership so far. Given that rain is forecast for much of the remaining duration of this match, this partnership, and especially this blitzkrieg from Broad, is absolutely invaluable. He is batting at a strike rate close to 200 now. There has been a touch of fortune about some of his runs, but some of the other shots he has played have been utterly convincing. Been a while since we have seen a batting innings of such conviction from Broad. Broad on 30 off 20 balls. ENG on 318/8 after 99 overs
Stuart Broad, finding the fence at will, is proving to be a bothersome No.10. Holder brings himself on after Gabriel and Roach fail to find luck in getting him out. And Broad gets 3 boundaries in Holder's over. Frustration for Holder and for West Indies. Lucky to have an edge roll away the first time, but the next two are genuine shots. 13 runs in that over! ENG 315/8 after 98 overs
Stuart Broad and Dom Bess are digging in, attempting to bring some order into the morning's proceedings. Roach and Gabriel's fire being staved off for the moment as this 9th wicket pair are adding some quick runs. 20 runs off 20 balls this partnership now. Broad has hit one four and one six in his short innings so far. ENG 300/8 after 96 overs
England batsmen are looking frightened before Windies bowlers' effectiveness and pace. Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach have claimed two wickets each this morning leaving England batting line up in tatters. Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer could score only 18 runs. England are now 283/8
Kemar Roach leaves not room for Archer as he's out caught behind by Jason Holder. Another edge and Holder doesn't err! England lose their eighth wicket. Archer went for 3 (6), England lost their 8th wicket for 280.
Shannon Gabriel is on fire as he also got Jos Buttler's wicket. Caught by Jason Holder. Edged and gone! Sharp catch from the West Indies captain. Buttler went for 67(142). ENG 272/7
Kemar Roach also hit the bull's eye and the new man Chris Woakes is bowled. 200th wicket for the Windies bowler. Two quick falls for England. England 267/6
Shannon Gabriel finally claimed in-form Ollie Pope's wicket.He is bowled. A pay full ball, keeps coming in and Pope plays all around it while trying to flick it away. Gets beaten comprehensively on the inside edge. The ball hits the pad and deflectes onto the sticks. Ollie's gone for 91(150). No run added to his overnight score. England 263/5
Batting ahead of his overnight score of 91, 22-year-old Ollie Pope must be aiming for his second Test ton in his 11th Test for England. He had made his Test debut against India in 2018 at Lord's.
But Manchester has no rain as of now, so it's time for the second day to begin. Shannon Gabriel restarts the proceedings with the ball and he is up against Jos Buttler who is on 56*. Two balls and no runs. Kemar Roach takes the ball from Gabriel and his over ends as a maiden. ENG are 258/4 after 87 overs.
The skies in Manchester are a bit gloomy now, but play is currently scheduled to start on time.
Pope scored an unbeaten 91 on the opening day at Old Trafford, which was more than double the 43 runs he had amassed over four innings during the first two Tests of the series. 'It’s really a nice feeling because I missed out in the first two games. Hopefully, I can go on and get a big one but you’ve got to try and stay as level headed as you can as a batter because there are as many bad days as there are good days. I didn’t feel great for my first 50 runs, I had a little bit of luck after edging one. Luck is involved sometimes and you’ve got to make the most of your chances when they do come around,' he said.
"He batted supremely well, welding discipline to technique and temperament, which he showed to get through several tricky periods in the day. He enjoyed slices of luck; edges eluded the fielders, catches fell short of the fielders, marginal lbws were turned down… But he didn’t let the close call clutter him." | READ MORE |
Manchester's weather will be a factor on the second day though as rain could play a spoilsport. There are chances of scattered showers but it might not ruin the entire day’s play. Humidity is said to be 83 percent.
Ollie Pope scored an unbeaten 91 and Jos Buttler contributed a half-century as England took advantage of a tired West Indies attack to move to 258/4 on Friday. West Indies won the toss and chose to field first, and despite keeping a tight rein through the first two sessions at Old Trafford, they leaked runs after tea. Apart from Pope and Buttler, Rory Burns also contributed 57 runs before being caught at first slip by an instinctive grab from Rakheem Cornwall, one of the highlights of the day for the West Indies.
Hello and welcome to the live commentary of the second day of the third and final Test between England and West Indies! It's going to be another eight hours of shocks and elation as England will restart the day on 258/4 with Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler in the middle. Can West Indies strike back and make the hosts crumble before a healthy total? Or will England again go on to score a 400+ total? Stay tuned to find out!