England vs West Indies 2020, 2nd Test, Day 2: Report - West Indies On The Receiving End After Twin Centuries From Ben Stokes And Dom Sibley

England continued their march of keeping themselves alive in the fight to reclaim the Wisden Trophy against the West Indies. On the second day at the Old Trafford, Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley continued from where they left off. The duo, which rescued England from another potential collapse with a 126-run stand on the opening day in Manchster, batted almost till tea on the subsequent.

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The West Indian bowlers endured a highly challenging day on the field with a tiny stroke of luck going their way. On plenty of occasions, Jason Holder opted for reviews merely out of desperation even as the case for a wicket was not strong enough. Sibley was stuck in the 90s for a long time, but refused to throw it away after a mighty vigil. In the 106th over, he punched down the ground when he was a couple short of a second Test hundred. It came in 312 deliveries, perhaps the fifth-slowest in English history.

With Stokes motoring on quickly now, five overs later, the vice-captain got to his tenth hundred too. It came off a reverse sweep off Roston Chase, the pick of the bowlers for the tourists. Stokes also became the fourth England batsman to score ten Test tons while batting at number five or below, joining the elite class of Ian Bell, Graham Thorpe, and Ian Botham. Four overs later, the southpaw collected his second six of his innings.

Joseph, who accounted for Root on day one, was mowed by Stokes, handsomely and effortlessly lofting him over long-on. With Joseph walking off the field due to right elbow pain, England helped themselves to 300 through yet another reverse sweep from Stokes.
It had to be Chase’s golden arm that once again did the trick when Sibley danced down the track, chipping it to mid-wicket where Kemar Roach took a running grab. He departed for 120 on his 372nd ball, ending a gargantuan stand of 260.

A tough chance arose in the 129th over when Stokes played an awkward uppercut off a bouncer from Shannon Gabriel. However, despite best efforts from Shai Hope at gully, he could not cling on. Four overs later, Ollie Pope misjudged a full ball that struck him on the pad right in front of the stumps. After consultation with Stokes at the other end, he walked off for 7.

Jos Buttler and Dom Bess prevent an England collapse:

Jos Buttler, who was giving one of his final auditions for a Tests, survived a testing spell leading through to tea. In the third over after tea, Buttler treated Chase’s off-spin with disdain, carting him for three boundaries. Things took a turn in West Indies’ favour as Roach claimed two successive wickets in the next over, which happened to be his first two in the series as well. Roach accounted for Stokes, for a marathon knock of 176 and Chris Woakes, the second batsman to depart for a golden duck.

Buttler meandered with the tail, picking the ones and twos as England looked like it may finish with a below-par total. At 40, Buttler looked to clear the boundary but picked the man on the leg-side. Sam Curran departed in the next, handing Chase his 5th wicket; however, Dom Bess’ pyrotechnics allowed the hosts to declare at 469, giving West Indies some nervous overs before the close.

Sam Curran strikes to make it England’s day:

Stuart Broad aimed to David Warneresuqe-stuff to John Campbell, opening the bowling from round the wicket. Broad looked to have made an inroad in the fifth delivery of the first over itself; however, Campbell survived as England judiciously did not challenge. While Broad kept threatening the batsmen, Woakes kept bowling a lot shorter.

Hence, it forced Root to bring in Curran, who removed Campbell in the fourth ball itself, this time after challenging the decision. Trailing by 437 runs, the English bowlers will have a massive job tomorrow and with forecast of showers, the pressure is on them even as the runs are enough on the board.

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