Smith lifts England to big lead over West Indies

LONDON: Jamie Smith made a fluent 70 on debut to lift England to 371 all out and a 250-run lead over West Indies at tea on the second day of the first test at Lord’s on Thursday.

Joe Root scored 68 and Harry Brook a breezy 50 as the hosts took advantage of good batting conditions to seize control of the match. Resuming after lunch on 293-6, the 23-year-old Smith shared a 52-run partnership with Chris Woakes who was caught at square leg off Jayden Seales for 23.

Fast bowler Gus Atkinson, who took seven West Indies first-innings wickets on his debut, fell first ball to Jason Holder and Smith went on the attack, hitting two big sixes and eight fours in the sunshine to underline his potential. Shoaib Bashir was run out by a brilliant throw from Mikyle Louis and Smith became Seales’ fourth victim when he holed out to Kirk McKenzie on the mid-wicket boundary. James Anderson did not face a ball in his 188th and final test after receiving another warm ovation from the crowd as he walked out to the crease.

In the morning session, Brook batted with attacking intent and reached his 12th fifty in 13 tests before getting in a tangle over a short ball from Alzarri Joseph and skying a catch to wicketkeeper Joshua de Silva.

Ben Stokes was bowled by Gudakesh Motie for four with a ball that span sharply and struck the England captain’s middle stump. Root eased to his 62nd test fifty and looked completely untroubled until just before lunch when Motie produced another fine turning delivery to bowl him.

England dismissed

West Indies for 121 on the first day.

England won the toss

West Indies 1st Innings 121

England 1st Innings

Crawley b Seales 76

Duckett c Da Silva b Seales 3

Pope lbw b Holder 57

Root b Motie 68

Brook c Da Silva b A Joseph 50

Stokes b Motie 4

Smith c McKenzie b Seales 70

Woakes c Louis b Seales 23

Atkinson c Da Silva b Holder 0

Bashir run out (Louis) 0

Anderson not out 0

Extras: (b4, lb11, nb5) 20

Total: (all out, 90 overs) 371

Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-123, 3-153, 4-244, 5-254, 6-287, 7-339, 8-342, 9-367, 10-371

Bowling: A Joseph 18-1-106-1; Seales 20-5-77-4; S Joseph 15.4-1-68-0; Holder 18-2-58-2; Motie 16-3-41-2; Brathwaite 2.2-0-6-0

Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS), Nitin Menon (IND)