AN unbroken 75-run fifth-wicket partnership between Jason Holder and Nkrumah Bonner left the first Test match between West Indies and England in the balance at the close of day two at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, on Wednesday.
West Indies closed on 202/4 in their first innings, trailing England by 109 runs.
Holder ended on 43 not out off 104 deliveries and Bonner is unbeaten on 34 off 103 balls.
The Windies pair battled at the crease after England took control of the contest in the second session.
Before England’s dominance in session two, Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell put on 83 runs for the first wicket in less than 20 overs.
After Campbell fell for 35, Brathwaite chased a wide delivery and found Craig Overton at gully to give fast bowler Mark Wood the wicket.
Brathwaite scored 55 off 70 balls with seven fours and one six.
Shamarh Brooks was then caught by England captain Joe Root at first slip to give Ben Stokes the wicket.
At tea, it was 127/4 as Chris Woakes got into the action for England. Overton took another catch fielding at gully as Jermaine Blackwood was sent packing for 11.
A determined partnership from Holder and Bonner, along with two brief rain delays in the final session, helped West Indies avoid any further loss.
Stokes (1/20), Wood (1/24), Woakes (1/54) and Overton (1/58) took one wicket apiece for England.
Earlier on day two, West Indies fast bowlers Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph grabbed two wickets each as England were dismissed for 311 after resuming the day on 268/6.
After rain halted play early in the first session, England progressed to 285 when Seales struck twice in one over.
He first removed Woakes for 28 as the right-hander failed to cope with a bouncer and could only manage to glove the ball to wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva.
Seales snatched another wicket when Bonner took a sharp catch fielding at short leg to dismiss Overton for duck.
Joseph, who was not among the wickets on day one, removed Wood for one and Jonny Bairstow for 140 to wrap up the England first innings.
Bairstow faced 259 balls and struck 21 fours. Ben Foakes was the second-best batsman with 42.
Seales was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 4/79 and the trio of Jason Holder (2/24), Joseph (2/70) and Kemar Roach (2/86) all bagged two wickets.
SUMMARISED SCORES
ENGLAND 311 – Jonny Bairstow 140, Ben Foakes 42, Ben Stokes 36; Jayden Seales 4/79, Jason Holder 2/24, Alzarri Joseph 2/70, Kemar Roach 2/86 vs WEST INDIES 202/4 – Kraigg Brathwaite 55, Jason Holder 43 not out, John Campbell 35; B Stokes 1/20
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