St. George’s (Grenada): West Indies scratched out a first-innings lead of 28 runs against England on day two of their series-deciding third test in Grenada.
Joshua da Silva anchored West Indies’ recovery from 128-7 in reply to England’s opening 204.
The wicketkeeper became the first batter in the test to a half-century as he reached stumps on 54 not out and his side 232-8 when bad light ended play four overs early.
Da Silva played the anchor role superbly, first with allounder Kyle Mayers, then with fast bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Kemar Roach, who was 25 not out.
Da Silva and Roach had an unbroken partnership of 55 from 17.1 overs, including six overs facing the new ball.
England’s last-wicket stand of 90 on Thursday looked even more monumental as West Indies stuttered in its reply on the lively pitch. But, if anything, West Indies’ tail was more impressive.
Mayers hit 25 runs in a 33-run stand with Da Silva just before tea, their team’s best partnership since the first hour. But when Mayers was Ben Stokes’ second wicket, England appeared to have undermined West Indies’ fightback just as it was igniting.
But Da Silva and Joseph put on 49 together, Joseph leading them with 28.
Roach arrived with West Indies still needing 27 more runs to tie England.
He and Da Silva were up to it.
They earned West Indies the lead less than two overs before the new ball, then two overs into the new ball Da Silva got his fourth test fifty, after patiently handling 143 balls.
The fifty stand followed and about two overs later stumps were pulled for bad light.
Da Silva walked in when West Indies was in trouble at 95-6.
England wasted the new ball at the start of the day and West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell had no problems in the first hour.
But they and Shamarh Brooks were gone by lunch, as the softened ball was more to England’s liking.
Brathwaite and Brooks were trapped and Campbell, not long after being struck on his helmet by Craig Overton, was out to the same bowler after an England review revealed he gloved one down the leg side.
After lunch, Bonner survived being given out thanks to a review but the damage was minimal. He was out for 4 to Chris Woakes, who was then gifted a second wicket by Jason Holder for a duck.
That doubled the series tally of wickets for Woakes, who has been criticized for his lack of penetration with the new ball in the absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.
Woakes even got a third wicket when he trapped Jermaine Blackwood. Overton and Stokes also had two each.
