Manchester: Dom Sibley and Ben Stokes restored some calm for England after a rocky start to the second test on and off the field on Thursday, putting on an unbeaten 126-run partnership to lead the team to 207-3 against West Indies on Day 1.
England were 81-3 on a decent batting track after losing the toss and then two batsmen in two balls to Roston Chase’s easy offbreaks. Sibley, a right-hand opener content with just sticking around with his cautious style, was joined by Stokes midway through the second session and they plotted their way through 50.4 overs to the close at Old Trafford. Sibley was on 86 not out — his second-highest test score in just his eighth match — and Stokes was unbeaten on 59.
Leading 1-0 in the three-match series after a win in Southampton last week, the West Indies never quite lost control on the opening day’s play as they began their bid to clinch a first series in England in 32 years. But their pacemen weren’t as threatening in gloomy conditions in Manchester as they were at the Rose Bowl a few days ago, with only Alzarri Joseph taking a wicket among them. It was a big one, too, as he enticed a drive from returning England captain Joe Root, who was caught in the slips for 23. The radar of fellow fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, man of the match in Southampton with nine wickets, was off all day. He had to abort his run-up on his first intended ball of the innings, bowled a wide with the second, then went for four wides in the very same over. Gabriel went off injured at the end of the morning session and never looked right after returning to the field, with another of his deliveries going so wide it stung the fingers of captain Jason Holder at second slip. It was left to Chase to take a double, and they were in successive balls.Sibley, who plods along with a pragmatic style that sees him creep across his stumps when the bowler takes aim, frustrated the Windies in his 253-ball knock.
Brief Scores: England 207/3 (Dom Sibley 86, Ben Stokes 59; Roston Chase 2/53) (AP)
