ENG vs WI | Old Trafford Day 2 Talking Points - West Indies too 'hope' ful on Campbell and England’s swanky ol’ Broadway

ByAakash Sivasubramaniam, SportsCafe Editor

07/25/2020

While Jos Buttler and Ollie Pope were sent back early on Day 2, a fantabulous half-century from Stuart Broad propelled the home side to a big total of 369 following their first innings. On the other end, pacer trio of Archer, Broad and Anderson reduced Windies to 137/6 after Day 2.

Brief scores: West Indies 137/6 off 47.1 overs (John Campbell 32 and Stuart Broad 2/17) trail England 369 by 232 runs.

Windies pacers’ indifferent start on Day two

On Day 1 of the third and decider Test, the overcast conditions with initial help from the pitch favoured the pacers big-time. Kemar Roach rightly used the conditions in his favour with a nipper to dismiss Dominic Sibley. However, after that until Roach’s dismissal of Ben Stokes, the pitch stayed true to the conditions in Manchester. On Day 2, it was expected to be a better wicket to bat on, with Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler well-settled at the crease.

But that was just on paper, as the ball started finally uttering a few words against the determined Pope-Buttler. In particular, Shannon Gabriel looked a completely different man sometimes even like a beast with his performance in the early hours of the second day. Pope, who was batting on 91, struggled to cope with the swing with the tall pacer even inducing an edge which was dropped by Rahkeem Cornwall. Gabriel once again accounted for Buttler as Roach tallied over 200 Test wickets by dismissing Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer. According to CricViz, Windies pacers found 30% more seam movement on Day 2 in comparison to Day 1 after they pushed their lengths further full.

With the match edging towards the bowlers against the English batsman, Stuart Broad stepped up and peppered the ball across the boundary for a 45-ball 62 cameo, which was the fastest half-century by an Englishman since 2000 in Test cricket. Suddenly out of nowhere, Broad’s attacking shots alongside Dominic Bess’ sturdy batting propelled England’s scoring rate, with Windies bowlers looking clueless.

England’s swanky Broadway

England were mithered when Jofra Archer edged one to the slip fielder as the score read 280/8. In the presence of Dom Bess joined the experienced Stuart Broad, whose bat has done no real talking since he was hit right left and centre by Varun Aaron in 2014. But it's 2020 and as unpredictable as it gets, the southpaw kicked his innings off in sublime fashion fending off a short delivery.

He was gaggin’ for runs and with the entire world convinced that he was no longer an all-rounder, Broad decided to pull his Salfords up. In a fettling fashion, he carried on with his batting display where he cracked some to the boundaries and fended off the others. More importantly, he put on a show alongside Dom Bess for the ninth wicket, as they put on 76 runs frustrating the Windies pace attack. On top of that, he continued his sparkling start with a 50 off just 33 deliveries, becoming the fastest Englishman to get to that double-figure mark since 2000.

By the time he walked back for a well-made 62 off 45 deliveries with nine boundaries and one six, Windies looked tired both physically and mentally after they were highly charged up when he walked in to bat. He was not done visibly as he continued his stunning display with the ball as well. In the second over of the visitors’ innings, he nipped one outside the right-hander’s off stumps straight into Root’s hands at first slip. After being left out of the squad in Southampton, England’s swanky ‘Broad’ way was back in business at home.

West Indies too 'hope' ful on Campbell

Ahead of the third Test, it was more or less sure that either of John Campbell or Shai Hope would miss out from a spot in the playing XI. However, like West Indies’ absurd decision in the series thus far, both of them continued to hold on to a spot without much wry with Joshua da Silva still waiting for his chance in the series. The form of Hope and Campbell has clearly left the management unimpressed, with just 109 runs between them in the four innings. Whilst a single innings from Jermaine Blackwood yielded 95 runs, showcasing the crumbling Windies batting lineup. So when Hope and Campbell were named in the playing XI, they finally had to prove their worth for the third consecutive time in the series or be left out for a long time.

Campbell started off on a bright note, putting aside the challenge of facing Archer, Broad and Anderson early on in the innings. However, after a brief period of time, his technique started to crumble away like a biscuit soaked in a cup of tea. Hanging on the last straw, he poked a short-ball straight to the hands of Rory Burns as he walked back for a score of 32 off 50 deliveries. Now, the focus was certainly on Shai Hope in a rather hopeful manner. Just like four times previously in the series, he failed yet again as he poked a brilliant delivery from Anderson to the keeper. The strange tactics finally crumpling up and there is no respite now.