LONDON: Gudakesh Motie had a morning to remember as he dismissed England captain Ben Stokes and Joe Root but the hosts still piled on the runs against the West Indies at Lord’s on Thursday. England were 293-6 at lunch on the second day of the first Test, a lead of 172 runs.
Root fell shortly before the interval for 68 when bowled by a classic delivery from Motie after the left-arm spinner had also removed Stokes for just four on his way to figures of 2-25 in nine overs. Earlier, Harry Brook gave his wicket away for exactly 50 following a fourth-wicket stand of 94 with Root.
England resumed on 189-3, already 68 runs ahead, after fast bowler Gus Atkinson had marked his Test debut with a spectacular return of 7-45 as West Indies collapsed to 121 all out in the first innings of this three-match series.
In the process the 26-year-old Surrey quickly eclipsed James Anderson in what is the record-breaking paceman’s 188th and last Test before his England retirement. Root was 15 not out and Brook 25 not out, the Yorkshire duo walking out Thursday in sunny conditions ideal for batting.
With the ball not deviating greatly in the air or off the pitch, it was all the more important for the West Indies’ pace attack to maintain an accurate line and length. England, however, scored briskly, with star batsman Root cover-driving Jayden Seales for a textbook four and Brook commandingly hooking Shamar Joseph for six.
Brook’s quickfire 55-ball fifty was the 25-year-old’s 12th score of 50 or more in his 13 Tests. But Brook top-edged a simple catch to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva after trying to hook an Alzarri Joseph bouncer from outside off stump, with England now 244-4.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite eventually brought on Motie for the 15th over of the day and the sixth ball of his spell spun sharply past Stokes’ inside edge bat as the left-handed batsman tried to hit legside before crashing into the stumps.
Root also fell to Motie, bowled by a delivery that spun past the right-hander’s outside edge to end a 114-ball innings including seven fours. Thursday was also ‘Red for Ruth Day’ at Lord’s—a fundraising drive for a cancer charity established in memory of Ruth Strauss, the late wife of former England captain Andrew Strauss. — AFP