Message Board Archives

A patient batting effort saw Windies claim a crucial 85-run first-innings lead over England at stumps on Day 2 of the second Test in Antigua. Even though England, and Stuart Broad in particular, created some chances and some half-chances, sloppy fielding meant most of them were put down, adding to the team's woes.

Kraigg Brathwaite was the common denominator in both the half-century stands that set up Windies for the first-innings lead. He extended his partnership with fellow opener John Campbell to 70 and later added 63 runs for the second-wicket stand with Shai Hope. England's brief resurgence in the hour after the Lunch, led by Moeen Ali and Broad, was nipped in the bud with another half-century partnership on either side of the second new ball, this time between the in-form Shane Dowrich and a determined Darren Bravo, as Windies snatched control back.

If the 21 fruitless overs on the opening day weren't enough, openers Brathwaite and Campbell continued exactly from where they'd signed off last evening to add to England, Broad and James Anderson's frustration. A dramatic first hour in the morning saw Campbell surviving a caught behind decision upon review when it had deflected off his elbow, and then getting another reprieve as Jos Buttler made a hash of a sitter in third slip. All for his luck to eventually run out when three shy of what would have been his maiden half-century.

The battle between the Windies opener and Broad resumed on the second morning with the English pacer managing to trouble the left-hander more than a couple of times. Campbell, however, chose only the bad balls to collect his runs and reset his individual best score to 47 before edging first-change bowler Ben Stokes to Buttler, again, at second slip.

read more at cricbuzz