England is in a dominant position as they seek a series sweep against the West Indies, finishing day two of the third Test at Edgbaston with a 61-run lead, putting the tourists at 33-2 in their second innings. Jamie Smith delivered an impressive performance, scoring 95 and falling just five runs shy of his maiden Test century, while Joe Root contributed with a solid 87, amassing over 12,000 Test runs to surpass Brian Lara on the all-time run-scorers list.
After conceding 282 runs in their first innings, England quickly found themselves in trouble at 54-5 on the second morning, with Ollie Pope (10) and Harry Brook (2) dismissed cheaply. However, Root and captain Ben Stokes (54) steadied the ship, combining for a century partnership leading up to lunch. Smith’s aggressive 95 off 109 balls, alongside Chris Woakes’ quickfire 62, propelled England to a total of 376, establishing a 94-run first-innings lead.
Score Summary:
- West Indies: 282 all out in 75.1 overs (Gus Atkinson 4-67, Chris Woakes 3-69, Mark Wood 2-52; Kraigg Brathwaite 61, Jason Holder 59, Joshua Da Silva 49)
- England: 376 all out in 75.4 overs (Jamie Smith 95, Joe Root 87, Chris Woakes 62, Ben Stokes 54; Alzarri Joseph 4-122, Jayden Seales 3-79)
- West Indies: 33-2 in 14 overs (Chris Woakes 1-8, Gus Atkinson 1-16; Mikyle Louis 18 not out)
England’s advantage grew further in the closing overs as Woakes dismissed West Indies captain Brathwaite for a duck, while Gus Atkinson accounted for Kirk McKenzie (8), who has struggled throughout the series with an average of just 5.5.
Earlier in the match, Root reached the significant milestone of 12,000 Test runs in what was his 63rd fifty, moving ahead of West Indies legend Brian Lara in the rankings. Root, however, survived a potential early dismissal when he narrowly escaped an lbw call from Jayden Seales, and went on to become a leading scorer as he and Stokes turned the tides for England.
Despite losing Stokes early in the second session, Smith maintained the momentum, hitting a six off Alzarri Joseph with his eighth ball, showcasing an aggressive approach. He and Woakes put together a thrilling century partnership just ahead of a rain delay that allowed England to establish a sizeable lead.
Woakes quickly got to work with the ball, dismissing Brathwaite with a precise delivery, and Atkinson almost took a wicket with his first ball, creating pressure on the West Indies batsmen. Throughout, Mikyle Louis played tentatively, surviving a few scares as West Indies ended the day at 33-2.
Following the match, Smith expressed disappointment at falling short of a hundred but remained proud of his performance: “Always gutted when you’re five runs away [from a hundred] but I’m pretty proud of the way I’ve played. We built some nice partnerships and to be 54-5 and end up with a healthy lead, we’re happy with that.”
On a significant note, Edgbaston turned ‘Blue for Bob’ on day two of the Test to raise awareness for prostate cancer, following the legacy of the late England fast bowler Bob Willis, who passed away from the disease in 2019. Prostate cancer is the leading male cancer in the UK, with alarming statistics indicating that one in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetime, rising to one in four for Black men.
Credit: Sky Sports
