Duckett, Pope build up England’s lead against West Indies

By AFP

July 21, 2024

Englands Ollie Pope celebrates reaching his century during their second Test match against West at Indies Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham, Britain on July 18, 2024. — Reuters — England's Ollie Pope celebrates reaching his century during their second Test match against West at Indies Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham, Britain on July 18, 2024. — Reuters

NOTTINGHAM, United Kingdom: Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope proved a thorn in the side of the West Indies again as England started to regain the initiative in the second Test on Saturday.

England were 116-1 in their second innings at tea on the third day at Trent Bridge, a lead of 75 runs.

Duckett was 61 not out -- his second fifty of the match on his Nottinghamshire home ground -- with Pope, whose 121 was the cornerstone of England´s first-innings 416, unbeaten on 48.

The pair had so far shared an undefeated stand of 108 in 20 overs after Zak Crawley, out for a duck in the first innings, was unluckily run out for three when Jayden Seales deflected a Duckett drive onto the bowler´s end stumps.

England opened their second innings 41 runs behind after being frustrated by a rapid last-wicket stand of 71 between Joshua Da Silva (82 not out) and Shamar Joseph (33) that took the West Indies to 457.

It was the first time the West Indies had made 450 in a Test innings for nearly a decade.

But Pope underlined England´s determination to wrestle back the momentum with three fours off successive Seales deliveries.

Left-hander Duckett was also in fine touch, lashing Seales through the covers and sweeping off-spinner Kevin Sinclair for three fours in a row on his way to a 55-ball 50.

Even so, the West Indies´ performance was all the more creditable given they had been dismissed for just 121 and 136 during an innings and 114-run defeat by England at Lord´s.

That left them 1-0 down in this three-match series.

West Indies resumed on 351-5, 65 runs behind, after Kavem Hodge (120) and Alick Athanaze (82) shared a stand of 175 that revived them from 84-3.

England, in their first home Test since 2012 without retired duo James Anderson or Stuart Broad -- who between them took 1,308 wickets at this level -- struggled on a hot day on Friday.

But an overcast Saturday morning promised to aid England´s pacemen, armed with the new ball, as Jason Holder (23 not out) and Da Silva (32 not out) looked to narrow the deficit.

Holder was out for 27, caught behind off Woakes, before the Warwickshire paceman dismissed Alzarri Joseph and Seales with successive deliveries before Shamar Joseph survived the hat-trick.

Score Board

West Indies won the toss

England 1st Innings 416

West Indies 1st Innings

Brathwaite (c) c Pope b Atkinson 48

Louis c Brook b Shoaib Bashir 21

McKenzie c Stokes b Bashir 11

Athanaze c Brook b Stokes 82

Hodge lbw b Woakes 120

Holder c Smith b Woakes 27

Da Silva not out 82

Sinclair c Brook b Atkinson 4