WEST INDIES pacer Jayden Seales grabbed figures of four for 77 on day two of the first Test against England at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London on Julky 10. However, the mood in the squad was one of frustration as the regional team are already facing a heavy innings defeat heading into the third day’s play as they are reeling on 79 for six in the second innings and need a further 171 runs to make England bat a second time.
On day one, the Windies were rolled over for just 121, with England closing the day’s play on 189 for three as they raced out to a 68-run lead. The hosts drove home their advantage on day two as they posted a healthy first-innings total of 371, with five batsmen registering half-centuries. Boasting a massive first-innings lead of 250 runs, the English bowlers then went to work in the day’s final session with six crucial scalps to leave the West Indies in an unenviable position as they edge towards a catastrophic loss. “I don’t think we were as consistent as we wanted to be throughout the entire day. We had partnerships and spells where we were exactly where we wanted to be,” Seales told the press, at the close of play on Thursday.
“It’s pretty frustrating to look up at the scoreboard and see the position we’re in now. Probably, if we had batted better on the first day, we may not have been in this position. But, that’s all in the past and we just have to move forward with it.”
After debutant Gus Atkinson stole the show with a remarkable spell of seven for 45 on day one, it was the turn of his Surrey teammate and fellow debutant Jamie Smith to light up day two with an innings of 70 from 119 balls. Batting at number seven, Smith displayed measured aggression batting with the tail, and his effort added to the fifties scored by Zak Crawley (76), Ollie Pope (57), Joe Root (68) and Harry Brook (50).
[caption id="attachment_1095727" align="alignnone" width="1024"] West Indies’ Jayden Seales bowls on day two of the first Test against England at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London, on July 11. - via AP[/caption]
The 23-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman had the Lord’s crowd eating out of his hands with two shots in particular, a pair of ferocious sixes into the on-side off Seales and seamer Shamar Joseph, who struggled during the day with tightness in his left hamstring – being forced to leave the field on numerous occasions. “That battle with Jamie was good. He played his shots, just like any young batsman coming through England’s setup right now. It was a good challenge for all of us, and well played to Jamie,” Seales said. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (two for 41) produced two gems to clean bowl the set Root and the dangerous English captain Ben Stokes (four), and the visitors were also buzzing after their debutant Mikyle Louis effected a brilliant direct run out to see the back of Shoaib Bashir near the end of England’s innings.
Seales said the latter celebration prevented the West Indies from forming a guard of honour for English seamer James Anderson, who’s playing the 188th and final Test match
