Bravo grit leaves West Indies in driving seat

NORTH SOUND, Antigua and Barbuda: A tenacious half-century from Darren Bravo led West Indies to a handy lead against England on day three of their second Test here on Saturday.Bravo withstood difficult batting conditions and some searching England bowling, particularly from Stuart Broad on the second day, to bring up his 50 off 215 deliveries late in the morning session on day three.On his next ball, however, Bravo succumbed to a stumping by stand-in wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow off the bowling of Moeen Ali, with West Indies 119 runs ahead in their first innings.By lunch, England openers Rory Burns and Joe Denly had reduced the deficit by nine after surviving a short, hostile spell from the West Indies quicks.West Indies were rewarded for patient, intelligent and at times fortunate batting as they frustrated England’s bowlers and, while the tourists claimed vital wickets to have them all out before lunch, their lead should prove more than useful on a pitch that continues to behave unpredictably.Jason Holder, a danger man after his unbeaten double-century in the first Test, only managed 22 before James Anderson had him caught behind by Bairstow, again taking the gloves in place of Ben Foakes who was hit on the hand while batting on the first day.The dismissal brought Alzarri Joseph to the crease amid a long ovation from spectators and with players from both sides wearing black armbands following the death of Joseph’s mother, Sharon, before play resumed for the day.Joseph made 7 before he was out edging to Burns at third slip as Ben Stokes came into the bowling attack with immediate effect. Before that, Anderson and Stokes had combined to dismiss Kemar Roach cheaply, Stokes taking a good overhead catch at second slip.Score BoardWest Indies won tossEngland 1st Innings 187 all out (M Ali 60; Roach 4-30)West Indies 1st InningsK C Brathwaite c Jennings (sub) b Ali 49J D Campbell c Buttler b Stokes 47S D Hope c Bairstow b Broad 44D M Bravo st Bairstow b Ali 50R L Chase b Broad 4S O Hetmyer c Anderson b Ali 21†S O Dowrich c Buttler b Broad 31*J O Holder c Bairstow b Anderson 22K A J Roach c Stokes b Anderson 6A S Joseph c Burns b Stokes 7S T Gabriel not out 1Extras (b 8, lb 13, nb 2, w 1) 24Total (all out; 131 overs) 306Fall: 1-70, 2-133, 3-151, 4-155, 5-186, 6-236, 7-281, 8-289, 9-298, 10-306Bowling: Anderson 29-5-73-2; Broad 36-16-53-3 (w 1); Stokes 27-8-58-2 (nb 1); Curran 13-0- 38-0 (nb 1); Ali 25-4-62-3; Denly 1-0-1-0England 2nd InningsR J Burns not out 4J L Denly not out 0Extras (w 1) 1Total (0 wickets; 4 overs) 9Yet to bat: J M Bairstow, *J E Root, B A Stokes, J C Buttler, M M Ali, †B T Foakes , S M Curran, S C J Broad, J M AndersonBowling: Roach 2-0-7-0 (w 1); Gabriel 2-0-2-0Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand). TV Umpires: Rod Tucker (Australia). Match Referee: Jeff Crowe (New Zealand)

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