West Indies were 351 for five, replying to England’s first innings total of 507 for nine declared, at lunch on the rain-marred fourth day of the second Test on Saturday at Kensington Oval.
At the interval, Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was not out on 145 and former captain Jason Holder, his Wanderers and Barbados Pride teammate, was not out on 12, after rain delayed the start of play by 15 minutes.
Brathwaite, being watched by his mum, Vicky for the the first time in his international career, has so far batted 10 hours and 15 minutes, faced 444 balls, and struck 16 boundaries in his monumental innings.
Holder will have fond memories of his double hundred against England in the corresponding Test three years ago and got together with Brathwaite to bat through almost an hour before the interval.
Starting the day on 288 for four, West Indies condemned the English to another hard toil, choosing discretion over adventure to put themselves on a match-saving trajectory.
West Indies lost only night-watchman Alzarri Joseph caught at square cover off Ben Stokes for 19, when he cut a short, wide ball from the pacer. He added 52 for the fifth wicket with Brathwate.
Stokes has been England most successful bowler taking 2-51 from 24 overs, but left-arm spinner Jack Leach has been their most hardworking sending down 60 overs in which he has taken 1-107.
The Windies have not lost a Test to the English in nearly two decades at Kensington Oval, and they have lost only twice – in 1994 and 2004 – in the history of Tests between the two sides at this ground.
The first of three Tests in this series ended in a draw this past Saturday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and the final Test will be played from March 24 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.
Summarised scores:
ENGLAND 507 for nine declared (Joe Root 153, Ben Stokes 120, Dan Lawrence 91, Chris Woakes 41, Ben Foakes 33, Alex Lees 30, Jonny Bairstow 20; Veerasammy Permaul 3-126, Kemar Roach 2-68).
WEST INDIES 351 for five (Kraigg Brathwaite 145 not out, Jermaine Blackwood 102, Shamarh Brooks 39, Alzarri Joseph 19, Jason Holder 12 not out; Ben Stokes 2-51).
(AR)
