Pope century gives England upper hand on Windies

Jul 19, 2024 Sports

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BBC Sport – Ollie Pope’s sparkling century led England to 416 on a hectic first day of the second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge.

Number-three Pope arrived with the hosts 0-1 and caressed 121, adding 105 for the second wicket with Ben Duckett, who scored rapidly in the first hour.

Opener Duckett may have to leave this match if his partner goes into labour and batted like a man in a hurry, hitting the first four legal deliveries he faced for four. He was threatening England’s fastest century in Test cricket before he was dismissed for 71 from 59 balls.

Pope took advantage of being dropped on 46 and 54 to reach three figures from 143 balls, before captain Ben Stokes made a welcome 69.

The skipper was one of a number of England batters who found a way to get out, particularly to off-spinner Kevin Sinclair and left-armer Kavem Hodge.

In a chaotic end to the day, England lost their last five wickets for 74 runs, West Indies took their tally of drops to four and Mark Wood survived a stumping chance off Hodge.

Wood and Chris Woakes took England past 400, before the latter and Shoaib Bashir fell in successive overs, Bashir to the final ball of the day.

England, 1-0 up and with the chance to win the series, are in a strong position, but one that could have been stronger.

England take initiative on action-packed day

There was enough action and incident on a sun-soaked first day in Nottingham to fill an entire Test.

It marked the start of a new England era, this is their first home Test without James Anderson and Stuart Broad since 2012. Anderson is part of the England staff and Broad was honoured by the Pavilion End of his old home ground being renamed after him.

Trent Bridge is where Bazball was born with the thrilling run chase against New Zealand in 2022. When the Windies won the toss, they gave England the chance to score quickly in beautiful conditions, albeit if Stokes said was undecided over what he would have chosen.

The tourists’ decision looked a good one as Zak Crawley was out to the third ball of the match, but apart from Sinclair’s somersault to celebrate his removal of Harry Brook – Sinclair is playing in place of the ill Gudakesh Motie – it was mainly downhill for West Indies from that point.

The visitors’ pace bowling was wayward, their catching wasteful and ground-fielding sloppy, while Shamar Joseph again struggled with a left-leg injury. England had their share of poor moments, most glaringly the shots to get out by Joe Root and Brook, the latter who had also been dropped by Alick Athanaze.

In between was some glorious strokeplay, not England going at full throttle, instead skilfully taking advantage of West Indian generosity, small boundaries and a lightning outfield.

It was breathless stuff and terrific entertainment as England gained the platform for their new-look attack to examine the fragile West Indian batting on Friday.

Pope cashes in after drops

Pope’s 57 in the first Test ended a run of eight England innings without a half-century, going back to his epic 196 that helped defeat India in Hyderabad in January. Arriving in the first over after Crawley edged Alzarri Joseph to a diving Athanaze at third slip, Pope punched the third ball he faced through mid-on for four.

For some time, Pope was in the shadow of Duckett, who was on course to beat Gilbert Jessop’s 122-year-old record for the fastest England Test ton, made off 76 balls. Playing sweet cover-drives, Duckett reached 50 from 32 balls, only to be frustrated by his poke to second slip off Shamar Joseph.

Pope’s moments of fortune came either side of lunch. Gully Athanaze could not hold a powerful cut off the bowling of Jayden Seales, then Jason Holder put down a straightforward chance at second slip off Shamar Joseph.

Reprieved, Pope favoured the leg side. His 83rd run was his first in front of square on the off side.

The England vice-captain pulled Seales for four to reach his second Test hundred on this ground and sixth overall, all made against different opponents. It was his fifth since being promoted to number three, the most by an England batter in that position since Jonathan Trott.

When Pope gave a third chance, edging a drive at Alzarri Joseph, first-slip Hodge finally clung on.

Stokes joins in to end torrid run

For as much as this was a very good day for England, it could have been better. Only Crawley was undone by good bowling and even the trio that passed fifty will feel like they left runs out there.

Still, these were welcome runs for Stokes. For all of the attention on the captain’s return to bowling, he had registered five successive single-figure scores in Tests.

Whereas Duckett started rapidly and slowed, Stokes began with patience before accelerating. The skipper had only six from his first 22 deliveries, then scored more quickly as West Indies tested him against the short ball. Stokes’ next 44 runs came from 49 balls as he reached 50 from 71.

Stokes had a century at his mercy but picked out deep mid-wicket to give Hodge his first Test wicket and begin the frantic finish to the day. Jamie Smith’s cameo of 36 ended when he hit Hodge to mid-off, then Gus Atkinson edged Sinclair to slip.

Wood had one when he missed Hodge, only for Joshua da Silva to fluff the stumping, and two when he slashed Sinclair to point, where Mikyle Louis dropped the catch.

Woakes, in his 50th Test, played nicely for 37 before West Indies belatedly took the second new ball. Woakes edged Seales and Bashir edged Alzarri Joseph, Holder taking both catches at second slip.

Scores: England 416 (Pope 121, Duckett 71, Stokes 69, A. Joseph 3-98) vs West Indies.

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• Ben Duckett, century, England, Kevin Sinclair, Ollie Pope

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