England close in on WI clean sweep

BIRMINGHAM:

England were left eyeing a whitewash of the West Indies despite a defiant fifty from Kavem Hodge in the third Test at Edgbaston on Sunday.

The West Indies were 151-5 in their second innings at lunch on the third day, with Hodge 52 not out after opener Mikyle Louis had made his maiden Test fifty earlier in the day.

But that left the West Indies just 57 runs ahead, with England already 2-0 up in a three-match series.

West Indies resumed on 33-2, still 61 runs behind an England first-innings 376, where Jamie Smith fell agonisinly short of a maiden Test century in making 95 while further fifties from Joe Root (87), Chris Woakes (62) and skipper Ben Stokes (54) helped the hosts recover from a collapse to 54-5.

Louis, 18 not out overnight after being dropped on nine by Stokes, and Alick Athanaze (five not out) walked out beneath a sunny blue sky, with a placid pitch also offering the prospect of good batting conditions.

Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and express quick Mark Wood opened the bowling after the pair had teamed up to good effect during England’s 241-run win in the second Test at Trent Bridge.

Wood almost had Athanaze out for seven when a flashing drive flew through Harry Brook’s hands at third slip.

But the left-hander’s reprieve was short-lived, with Athanaze lbw for 12 to the 20-year-old Bashir -- who took 5-41 in the second innings at Trent Bridge -- after missing a sweep.

Nevertheless, the West Indies were 96-3 at drinks, having avoided the embarrassment of a second innings defeat in three Tests following an innings and 114-run loss in the series opener at Lord’s.

Louis, who only made his debut in that match, completed a maiden Test fifty in style when he slog-swept Bashir for six to reach the landmark in 85 balls, also including four fours.

And the 23-year-old cleared the ropes again when he drove Bashir over long-off for another six.

Louis, however, fell soon afterwards when paceman Stokes drew him into edging a full-length ball to Zak Crawley at second slip.

It was the end of a stand of 72, with Louis out of 57.

Hodge, who made his maiden Test century at Trent Bridge, went to fifty in just 56 balls, including seven fours.

But new batsman Jason Holder was dropped by Crawley in the slips on 12 only to be dismissed for that same score when lbw to a full-length delivery from fast bowler Gus Atkinson.

Earlier, England found themselves in trouble at 54-5 early on the second day of the third Test but managed to score 376 in response to the West Indies’ first-innings total of 282, with wicketkeeper Smith dismissed for 95. By stumps, the West Indies were 33-2 in their second innings, trailing by 61 runs, with England already leading the three-match series 2-0.

England’s hopes of gaining a first-innings lead seemed bleak after losing Ollie Pope and Harry Brook cheaply. However, former and current captains Joe Root (87) and Ben Stokes (54) turned the situation around with a sixth-wicket partnership of 115. Smith, playing in only his third Test, further punished the West Indies’ bowlers, forming a crucial 106-run stand for the eighth wicket with Chris Woakes, who scored 62 on his home ground.

England resumed their innings at 38-3, with the West Indies indebted to Jason Holder (59) and Joshua Da Silva (49) for their first-innings efforts. Root survived an lbw appeal from Jayden Seales, with the West Indies choosing not to review the not-out decision, though replays showed the ball would have hit leg stump.

Root then surpassed Brian Lara’s career tally of 11,953 runs, moving into seventh place among Test cricket’s all-time leading run-scorers.

At lunch, England were 157-5, with Root on 58 not out and Stokes on 48. Stokes soon became Alzarri Joseph’s 100th Test wicket when he was caught by a leaping Brathwaite.