Ollie Pope rode his luck to a hundred as England ended the first day of the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge on Thursday in a commanding position at 416 all out.
Both sides had reason to feel frustrated, with the West Indies dropping four catches – Pope was reprieved twice – and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva missing a stumping, while several England batsmen gave their wickets away.
Ben Duckett launched the innings with a rapid 71, after fellow opener Zak Crawley fell for a duck, with England racing to 50 in a mere 4.2 overs – the quickest a side have reached that total in a Test match.
It was all very much in the spirit of ‘Bazball’, the nickname for England’s aggressive style of Test cricket under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Yet for all his advocacy of such a bold approach, few England cricketers are better at playing a match situation than Stokes, who on Thursday made a measured 69 off 108 balls.
But with West Indies missing paceman Shamar Joseph who broke down in the last over before tea and the attack seemingly at his mercy, Stokes holed out off Kavem Hodge to give the part-time spinner a first Test wicket.
Jamie Smith, fresh from a dashing 70 on debut during England’s crushing innings and 114-run win in the first Test at Lord’s last week, also donated his wicket to Hodge.
Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair returned sound figures of 2-73 in 22 overs despite only being called into a previously announced team on Thursday morning after Gudakesh Motie dropped out with illness.
West Indies delayed taking the new ball until England were 397-8 off 86 overs.
Off the very next delivery Chris Woakes glanced Alzarri Joseph for a four that took England past 400.
West Indies did bowl England out when Alzarri Joseph (3-98 in 15.3 overs) had last man Shoaib Bashir caught in