West Indies
v England, 3rd Test, Day 2: Series in the Balance
September 8th 2017
England’s strange Test summer has taken another
turn. For a significant part of the day it seemed possible that the West Indies
score of 123 could yet give them a first innings lead. At 63-5 it was far from impossible
that England might be rolled for under 120. At 119-6 and 134-8 it seemed that the
first innings lead might be a very small one but, in a low-scoring match, even
a lead of 20 could be vital.
The tactics at that point though were odd. With
batting a lottery and the obvious thing to do being to get back out and bowl
and exploit the conditions, the tail, with its big-sitting batsmen, appeared to
be happy to poke around. Moeen tentative in his brief innings. Broad, painfully
aware that he would not get many in his own half, managed just 3 from his first
14 balls. Roland-Jones 6 from his first 11. Even if the days of his 169 against
Pakistan and frequent Test 50s are long gone, never to return, he is still a
clean hitter when the mood takes him and can change momentum with a quick 30.
Toblerone has become a powerful hitter down the order for Middlesex who is
developing the ability to hit a quick 50 (he has 1x100 and 8x50 in First Class
cricket and is creeping up the batting order as his batting becomes more consistent).
Then, the chip changed and, for a few minutes the destination of the match
changed: 11 from an over by Gabriel, 6 from Roach’s next over, 5 from Holder,
before nine dot balls inevitably led to the fall of Roland-Jones. In came
Anderson and the leather flew briefly and gloriously, overs going for 12, 8 and
8, including a couple of sixes. Sixty added for the last two wickets in 11
overs and suddenly the lead was 71 when, not long before, England would have given grateful thanks for a lead of 21.
When the West Indies started their innings, batting was still not offering any job security. At 21-2, with batting still looking uncomfortable
in murky light and many overs, plus the potential extra half hour to come, you
could even dream of a two-day finish. It did not happen because Powell and Shai
Hope put in some solid batting in a crisis, as they had in the first innings.
Powell did not reach the Close, but by then the West Indies were effectively at
parity and Chase and Hope could see the side through to the Close. You can see how much the West Indian side has grown during the series.
West Indies start what is now, effectively, a
one-innings match at 22-3. The difference is that today is expected to be a day
for batting. If they can see through the first hour it could be a long day for
the bowlers and England could face a really testing target on Day 4. If, in
contrast, England can take an early wicket the match may finish quickly.
Other factors that add intrigue? Broad has problems
with his heel again and may struggle to bowl many overs or to bowl flat out.
And Anderson, now in the 500 Club, has received two warnings for running on the
pitch. Were Anderson to be removed from the attack for a third transgression,
England’s attack would be severely stretched, with Moeen suffering another end
of series crisis of confidence and form. However, the key bowler for England
today may just be Roland-Jones, who has a knack of taking vital wickets just
when they are most needed.
The match and the series are in the balance with,
maybe, England just slightly ahead. England though will not want to have to
rely on Stoneman, Westley and Malan to win the game for them. If Cook and Root
fall cheaply, panic reigns and right now, there is not too much faith in the
rest of the top order being able to cope with a panic.
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