Wisden Trophy Test Series
West Indies Vs England Third Test Played at Emirates Stadium, Old Trafford Manchester
(24-28 July 2020 )
Brief Scorecard at Stumps Day One:
England 258/4 (OJ Pope 91*, RJ Burns 57, JC Buttler56*, KAJ Roach 2/56, RL Chase 1/24)
West Indies Won The Toss and Put England To Bat
The first day of the series decider test match of the ongoing Wisden Trophy now being played at Emirates stadium, Old Trafford, Manchester once again unveiled the glorious uncertainty of cricket.
West Indies bowlers dominated session one and two in bowling friendly condition with sky under cloud cover. Balls were swinging and seaming prodigiously. Balls were beating the bat umpteenth time but not taking the edge or dropping short. England put to bat was at one stage 122/4 with main stays like Root, Stokes, Burns and Sibley back in the pavilion by tea. The last two recognized batsmen OJ Pope and JC Buttler with their backs to the wall batted doggedly and survived the day producing unbeaten 136 runs fifth wicket partnership. If first and the second session belonged to the tourists, the final session definitely went to England. Pope is 9 runs away of what will be his second test century and Buttler possibly saved his position in the side with a timely unbeaten 56 . England at stumps at 258/4 has recovered well from a position of uncertainty to a state of assurance. Any score of 350 plus in the first innings will put them in command.
The decision for putting England to bat by West Indies Captain Jason Holder under over cast condition might have some justifications. But given the state of the series and relative strengths of the two teams that decision had already come under serious scrutiny. Three tests are now being played back to back within very short space of time. Even the home team rotated their pace bowlers. Anderson, Wood were rested after the first test, Broad and Waokes were seating out in the first test. Archer was omitted from the second test for violations of Bio Security Protocol induced from Pandemic. English pacers are relatively fresh. West Indian pacers Shanon Gabriel, Khemar Roach and Jason Holder are on constant duty. Test cricket takes enormous energy and stretches pace bowlers to their limit. Winning the toss and batting first would have given West Indies bowlers at least a days additional time to rest their muscles. Moreover, West Indies included an additional spinner Rakheem Corwall for the test. Chase and Cornwall would have loved bowling on day four or five on wearing Old Trafford Wicket.
Anyway West Indies bowled superbly in the first and the second session pushing England back to the wall. But at the first session Gabriel limped off the ground. Off course he returned after a while but never looked comfortable on the day. Roach and Holder moved the ball in the air and off the seam constantly teasing English batsmen. Sibley the centurion of the previous test was trapped for naught by Roach with a sharp in dipper. Root and Burns were beaten time and time again till bewildered Root ran himself out. Scoring 17. At lunch England were 66/2. Burns and Stokes started the post lunch session. West Indies kept pressing on. The hero of the previous test Stokes was severely tested by all three West Indian pacers till Roach again prised him out bowling a series of short balls and then befooling with a full delivery swinging late to disturb his furniture. Losing Stokes at 92 England was in a spot of bother. They are batsman short in the test to cover Stokes who is not fit to bowl. The situation became still more critical when Chase had well settled Burns caught well in the slip by man mountain Cornwall for 56. Pope and Buttler were the last recognized pair. This pair weathered the storm, grinded and grafted. Any wicket at that stage would have exposed England’s late middle order and the tail. However, resolute defense and cultured stroke play produced unfinished 136 runs between Pope and Buttler for the fifth wicket taking England to reasonable safety at 258/4 by stumps.
West Indies will need striking early on day two and restricting England to below 350. Weather may not be that good tomorrow and day three as well. So West Indies batsmen may also have to bat under bowling friendly condition and also will have to bat last.
All is not yet lost. Cricket as we know changes hue at every session. But it appears that Toss will be the event of the series when it ends. In the first test Stokes won and his decision was criticized for them losing the test. Holder off course made wrong decision of putting England to bat in the second test. His decision yesterday was criticized even by Michael Holding.
BDST: 1210 HRS, JUL 25, 2020
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