West Indies were 114 for three, replying to England’s first innings total of 507 for nine declared, at lunch on the third day of the second Test on Friday at Kensington Oval.
At the interval, Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was not out on 44 and his deputy Jermaine Blackwood was not out on seven, after the Caribbean side continued from their overnight total of 71 for one.
West Indies were set back early when Barbados Pride batsman Shamarh Brooks added only eight to his overnight score before he was caught at point off left-arm spinner Jacck Leach from a mistimed cut in the eighth over of the day, ending 69-run stand for the second wicket with Brathwaite.
Nkrumah Bonner, a century-maker in the first Test of the series, came to the crease and with Brathwaite carried the Caribbean side past 100 before he was adjudged lbw to Ben Stokes for nine, playing back and across, a decision from umpire Nigel Duguid that was upheld after he reviewed.
Blackwood was also fortunate with a couple of lbw appeals before the interval.
He was yet to score when a delivery keeping low pinned him in front, but umpire Duguid ruled not out and England decided not to review, and subsequent ball-tracking TV technology suggested the delivery was going to hit the middle of leg-stump.
Five overs later, Blackwood, on four, looked a goner when debutant pacer Saqib Mahmood struck him on the toe with a in-swinging yorker, but England reviewed, and ball-tracker revealed that he was struck outside the line of the off-stump.
Leach, Stokes and debutant pacer Matthew Fisher have all taken one wicket for the visitors.
The Windies have not lost a Test to the English in nearly two decades at Kensington Oval, and they have lost only twice – in 1994 and 2004 – in the history of Tests between the two sides at this ground.
The first of three Tests in this series ended in a draw this past Saturday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and the final Test will be played from March 24 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.
Summarised scores:
ENGLAND 507 for nine declared (Joe Root 153, Ben Stokes 120, Dan Lawrence 91, Chris Woakes 41, Ben Foakes 33, Alex Lees 30, Jonny Bairstow 20; Veerasammy Permaul 3-126, Kemar Roach 2-68).
WEST INDIES 114 for three (Kraigg Brathwaite 44 not out, Shamarh Brooks 39).
(AR)