England vs West Indies 2020, 2nd Test, Day 4: Report - England Hit Back But Test Steers Towards A Draw

England fought back valiantly but the second Test at the Old Trafford looks well poised to head for a draw with one day to play. England’s chances of keeping their hopes alive of regaining the Wisden Trophy hit significantly after the third day entirely got washed out. Hence, the hosts need to make the West Indies bat twice a day, which they were unable to, thanks to dogged half-centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, and Roston Chase.

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West Indies began the day as nightwatchman Alzarri Jospeh played some classy shots, enabling them to add 57 runs within the first hour. Joseph and Kraigg Brathwaite also survived some close shaves as Ben Stokes dropped a straightforward chance at slips off the former’s bat. The fast bowler sustained once more as Crawley could get nowhere near the ball again, flying for a boundary. But Roston Chase’s counterpart Dom Bess made the breakthrough, accounting for the nightwatchman for a crucial 32.

Shai Hope played some flamboyant shots on both sides off the wicket and seemed like he on his way to make his best since Headingley 2017. The 53-run stand between Hope and Brathwaite ended as Sam Curran took his second through an off-cutter, removing Hope for 25. But the 76-run partnership between Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks was the bedrock of the visitors’ innings.

The English bowlers kept pitching the short-pitched deliveries down the leg side, making the West Indian batsmen uncomfortable. On one of the occasions, Brooks nicked one behind which Buttler missed to grab marginally. The over next to Hope’s departure, Brathwaite got to his second fifty of the series and the one in which Stuart Broad gave two boundaries.

Shamarh Brooks’ speciality was his defense technique and supple wrists. Ben Stokes’ indefatigably kept threatening the batsmen and was finally rewarded when Brathwaite edged a return catch off a short-pitched delivery for 75. By tea, West Indies needed only 43 to avoid the follow-on.

West Indies plummet as England take the new-ball:

Four overs after tea as and when the new ball became available, Joe Root decided to take it. And three overs after the tea break, Broad trapped Shamarh Brooks LBW stone dead for 68. After his heroics in Southampton, Jermaine Blackwood perished without opening his account as the second victim of Broad. And so did Shane Dowrich in the 87th over as Broad’s third scalp as the visitors were still 18 shy of escaping to bat again.

Chris Woakes got his first as Jason Holder became the eighth to fall in the 90th over, steering to Root at slips. The West Indies slid to 260-8 from 242-4. At the other end, Roston Chase witnessed the carnage but dragged his side past 269 with the tailenders. Woakes, with two in the 99th over, ended their resistance at 287. With 182 ahead, England decided to send in Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes to add some quick runs. However, Kemar Roach accounted for Buttler and Crawley, leaving the home side forward by 219 runs.

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