England vs West Indies: Jamie Smith earns hosts large lead earlier than late wickets strengthen push for collection sweep

England are in a commanding place as they eye a collection sweep of the West Indies at Edgbaston, closing day two of the third Take a look at 61 runs forward, with the vacationers 33-2 of their second innings.

In reply to the West Indies’ first-innings 282, Jamie Smith led the way in which in England’s complete of 376 earlier than falling 5 agonising runs in need of a maiden Take a look at hundred.

The house facet had initially appeared in all types of bother at 54-5 after Ollie Pope (10) and Harry Brook (2) each fell cheaply on the second morning.

However Joe Root (87) and skipper Ben Stokes (54) first recovered the innings with a century stand by way of to lunch, earlier than Smith hammered 95 off 109 balls and Chris Woakes added a 62-run flourish to safe a 94-run lead.

England’s dominance was solely strengthened additional with two fast wickets within the closing hour’s play as Woakes (1-8) accounted for West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite (0) within the very first over, whereas Kirk McKenzie (8) then fell to Gus Atkinson (1-16) to wrap a depressing collection wherein he has averaged 5.5.

Root survives early scare to achieve 12,000 Take a look at runs

Earlier, Root handed 12,000 Take a look at runs on his solution to a 63rd Take a look at fifty, leapfrogging West Indies legend Brian Lara into seventh among the many all-time main run-scorers within the format.

But he ought to have been gone within the second over of the day, for simply three, with replays exhibiting he would have been given out had the vacationers reviewed an lbw enchantment from Jayden Seales.

Shamar Joseph (2-63) eliminated Pope seven balls later, chopping onto his stumps, and Seales (3-79) as a substitute earned reward for a probing opening spell by choosing up Brook caught behind in his subsequent over.

However regardless of the early breakthroughs, to go together with the three prized out the earlier night, run-scoring nonetheless got here far too straightforward for England, with Root specifically shortly into his stride to benefit from his earlier reprieve, racing to a 68-ball fifty.

Stokes was quickly stepping on the accelerator too, slog-sweeping Gudakesh Motie into the Hollies Stand for six because the partnership ticked previous the 100 mark on the stroke of lunch.

It is why the England captain reduce a very pissed off determine when giving his wicket away – caught on the hook at sq. leg – within the third over again after the interval, having simply notched his half century. Alzarri Joseph (4-122), claiming his one hundredth Take a look at wicket, was more than pleased to just accept the reward.

Smith and Woakes press house England’s dominance

Smith ensured England did not cede the momentum, with the attacking keeper-batsman boshing Alzarri into the stands for six off simply his eleventh ball to sign his intent.

He and Root added an extra 62 for the seventh wicket, till Motie (1-61) acquired one to maintain low and skid by way of to lastly see the again of Root lbw.

Smith too fell foul to a grubber from Shamar that knocked again his off stump, however not earlier than he and Woakes placed on a scintillating century partnership both facet of a rain-extended tea break that secured England a sizeable lead towards an more and more weary wanting West Indies outfit.

Woakes introduced up a 65-ball fifty, whereas Atkinson (21) twice despatched Alzarri into the stands earlier than perishing when trying the hat-trick, ending the innings.

Woakes swiftly set about his work with ball in hand, bowling Brathwaite for a duck with a devastating supply that angled in and straightened sufficient to beat the sting and flatten off stump.

Atkinson then nearly had a wicket first ball with an enormous lbw shout towards Mikyle Louis (18no), and the opener continued to reside a charmed life by way of to the shut – he almost chopped on to Woakes, was dropped on 9 by Stokes at mid-off and survived on ‘umpire’s name’ to a toe-crushing Mark Wooden yorker that was despatched to DRS.

England had been a minimum of rewarded with a second wicket as McKenzie nicked off to Atkinson, with the West Indies in any other case nervously nudging their solution to 33-2 by stumps.

Smith ‘gutted’ to overlook out on maiden hundred

England’s Jamie Smith, talking to Sky Sports activities after his 95 off 109 balls:

“At all times gutted while you’re 5 runs away [from a hundred] however I am fairly pleased with the way in which I’ve performed there.

“I’ve been out in the nineties before and it’ll happen again. I’ll be taking it on next time as well.

“We constructed some good partnerships and to be 54-5 and find yourself with a wholesome lead, we’re proud of that

“Today, from when I went out there, I was going to be ultra aggressive. I felt like I missed out at Trent Bridge.

“The setting helps that… although we misplaced just a few wickets, everybody was upbeat and optimistic and also you’re all the time seeking to go on the market and placed on a present.”

Edgbaston turns ‘Blue for Bob’ to lift consciousness of prostate most cancers

Edgbaston turned ‘Blue for Bob’ on day two of the third Take a look at in help of the Bob Willis Fund, arrange within the former England quick bowler’s title after he died from prostate most cancers in 2019.

Prostate most cancers is the main male most cancers within the UK, with one in eight males set to be recognized with the illness of their lifetime and people figures shortening to 1 in 4 for Black males.

To donate £20 to the Bob Willis Fund, textual content TWENTY to 70843.

Watch day three of the third Take a look at between England and West Indies, from Edgbaston in Birmingham, reside on Sky Sports activities Cricket from 10.15am on Sunday (first ball to be bowled at 11am).

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