Eng v WI : Root, Smith , Woakes shines as Eng dominate Windies on day2 of 3rd test

 

England is in a favorable position in the third Test against the West Indies. Despite a poor batting performance on the first day, they managed to recover on the second day. By the end of the second day, England had a lead of 61 runs over the West Indies. Joe Root and Jamie Smith played well for England. In their second innings, the West Indies were at 33 for 2.

On the first day of the third Test, England bowled out the West Indies for 282 runs, but their own innings started poorly. They lost three wickets early and were under pressure the next morning, losing five wickets for just 54 runs. The West Indies bowlers were on fire as Pope and Brook got knocked over cheaply & in quick succession . 

Joe Root and Ben Stokes then rescued the team from that precarious position. They added 115 runs for the sixth wicket, playing aggressively. Stokes was dismissed in the 36th over after scoring a free flowing  54 runs off 69 balls with five boundaries. Root followed after scoring a sublime 87 runs off 124 balls, playing more cautiously compared to his teammates.

However, England's fight did not end there. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith also played well in this match, narrowly missing a century. He partnered with Chris Woakes for the eighth wicket, adding 106 runs. Smith scored an imperious 95 runs off 109 balls that included breathtaking shots , while Woakes scored a glorious 62 runs off 78 balls that included free flowing shots . The rest of the team couldn’t contribute significantly, and England's first innings ended at 376 runs.

In response, the West Indies lost their captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, in the first over of their second innings to Woakes. Kirk McKenzie was also dismissed when the team's score was 22.