Root leads England’s fightback against West Indies
England captain Joe Root scored an unbeaten 45 to rally his side against West Indies on the third day of the second Test at Headingley. The home side were 171 for three which gave them a lead of two runs.
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The West Indies could have had a tighter grip on the contest had Root not been dropped on 10 by Kyle Hope. For the second time in the match, the England captain got a reprieve, after he was dropped on eight in the first innings en route to 59.
The day began with the West Indies resuming their innings on 329 for five. Centurion Shai Hope didn’t trouble the scorers as he was dismissed without adding to his overnight score of 147 runs.
Shane Dowrich was soon dismissed for a duck before Jermaine Blackwood and team captain Jason Holder added a crucial 75 runs for the eighth wicket to help take their side reach 400 runs. The West Indies’ innings eventually folded up for 427 runs giving them a lead of 169 runs.
England pace bowler James Anderson claimed five wickets for 76 runs is now a mere three wickets away from becoming the first England bowler to take 500 in Tests.
England started their second innings steadily as Alastair Cook and Mark Stoneman put up 58 runs for the first wicket. However, Holder was again in the thick of action with the ball as he took the crucial wicket of Cook and later removed Tom Westley.
Shannon Gabriel dismissed Mark Stoneman who scored his maiden 50 reducing England then 94 for three. Root and Malan took the score to 171 for three with an unbeaten partnership of 77 runs for the fourth wicket.
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