First Rothesay Test (Day 2 of 5), Lord’s:
West Indies: 121 (Atkinson 7-45) & 79-6 (Anderson 2-11)
England: 371 (Crawley 76, Smith 70, Root 68; Seales 4-77)
West Indies Trail by 171 Runs
James Anderson took two crucial wickets in his final international innings, positioning England for a significant win against West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s.
Opening the attack for the last time in his illustrious career, Anderson bowled West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and later had Alick Athanaze caught behind. With captain Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson each taking two wickets, including Jason Holder off the final ball of the day, West Indies were left struggling at 79-6, trailing by 171 runs.
Despite bowling England out for 371, West Indies are paying the price for their first-day collapse at 121.
England’s wicketkeeper, Jamie Smith, shone on his Test debut with a composed 70. Joe Root added a graceful 68, and Harry Brook scored 50, though none of the top-order capitalized fully on the favorable batting conditions.
The day was relatively low-key after the opening day’s ceremony for Anderson and Gus Atkinson’s seven-wicket haul. Lord’s was painted red for the Ruth Strauss Foundation, and after an uneventful morning, Smith enlivened England’s innings with some late fireworks.
England began the day at 189-3, with West Indies initially struggling but improving as the day progressed. England lost their last seven wickets for 127 runs, highlighted by Mikyle Louis’s spectacular run-out of Shoaib Bashir.
West Indies began their second innings after tea, reaching 37-4 and facing the possibility of a two-day Test finish. Athanaze, Holder, and Joshua da Silva did enough to extend the match to a third day, but England remains poised for victory.
Smith’s Potential Shines
Jamie Smith, taking over from Ben Foakes, showcased his batting prowess, particularly when left with the tail. Nearing his 24th birthday, Smith validated England’s decision to select him.
Brook played well before falling to an Alzarri Joseph bouncer, and Stokes’s poor shot resulted in another single-figure score. Smith found a rhythm with Root, and after Chris Woakes and Atkinson fell to the second new ball, he hit Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales for sixes, eventually being caught at deep square leg by Kirk McKenzie.
Anderson’s Farewell
Emerging at number 11, Anderson received a standing ovation and led the players off without facing a ball. His unbeaten nought was his 114th not-out in Test cricket, a record unlikely to be broken.
Anderson’s opening spell was masterful, including bowling Brathwaite and setting the tone for England’s attack. Woakes gave way to Stokes, who quickly took his 200th Test wicket by pinning McKenzie leg-before.
Atkinson continued his strong performance, and Anderson added to his tally by having Athanaze caught behind. Holder’s resistance ended with Atkinson’s delivery, leaving West Indies reeling.
England’s Ruthless Performance, West Indies Struggle – Analysis
Ex-England captain Michael Vaughan commented on England’s ruthless display and praised debutants Atkinson and Smith for their contributions. He expressed sadness at West Indies’ poor batting performance against a top-quality bowling attack, noting the challenge posed by the pitch but highlighting that it wasn’t insurmountable.
Credit: BBC Sport
