ENG vs WI | Edgy England end Day 1 on top courtesy of dynamite Duckett, perilous Pope and wasteful Windies

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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England capitalized on the opportunity to bat first on a sunny Day 1 at Trent Bridge by putting up 416 runs in the first innings. Ollie Pope's persistent 121 and Ben Duckett's explosive 71 paved the way for the hosts' exploits while the visitors were left rueing several missed chances.

Brief score: ENG 416 (88.3) [Pope 121(167), Duckett 71(59); Alzarri 15.3-1-98-3] lead WI by 416 runs at Stumps on Day 1

After Kraigg Brathwaite chose to bowl first on a batting paradise in Nottingham, Alzarri Joseph immediately zipped up doubts over the decision by scalping the in-form Zak Crawley for a duck on the third ball of the match. However, things quickly went downhill for the visitors courtesy of some expansive shotmaking from Ben Duckett. The southpaw got off the mark with four boundaries on the trot, contributing heavily to a 28-run two-over spell from Jayden Seales, and alongwith Ollie Pope brought up the quickest-ever team fifty in a Test match off just 26 deliveries. Duckett soon after registered his own half-century from 32 balls en route to a century partnership at a little under run-a-ball before finally departing in the 19th over. The Windies could have also added Pope to their tally at the stroke of Lunch, batting on 46 at the time, were it not for a dropped catch at gully with the score reading 134/2.

Nevertheless, the Windies began the second session with much more control and discipline, culminating in three relatively quiet overs. Joe Root consequently decided to break the shackles but could only manage a half-hearted pull to mid-on where Alzarri held onto a simple catch after a tumble. The wicket did little to disrupt the hosts' momentum though as Harry Brook came out all guns blazing, aided by the Windies dropping both incumbent batters in a short interval. Brook crunched five quick boundaries and a maximum but as was the case with his fellow Yorkshireman, tamely fell victim after a series of quiet overs for a 36-run cameo. Pope, meanwhile, converted his start into a sixth Test ton and skipper Ben Stokes patiently held off the other end to go into Tea well-poised at 259/4.

With Shamar Joseph off the field in the final session, the Caribbean outfit had a mountain to climb and Stokes compounded the misery by going on a charge early after Tea. However, just as momentum was building, Pope misjudged the length of an Alzarri ball in the channel and edged it to first slip. Regardless, Stokes prodded on to get a fifty after a 10-inning drought but failed to make it into three figures after holing out on 69 on the back of a sustained spell of tight bowling. Jamie Smith followed suit soon after in similar fashion after a measured 36, offering Windies the opportunity to fold the tail with the old ball. However, a couple more missed chances allowed Chris Woakes and Mark Wood to drag England past 400 with a 38-run stand before the side tumbled out for 416 in the last scheduled over of the day.

Bowled out

Above 400

On first day

Signature celebration

Position of power

Chances not missed

Not good enough

Weak test side

Firewords

Throwing away

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