Bridgetown, Barbados: Defiant, unbeaten half-centuries from Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood took West Indies through the afternoon session unscathed as the home side advanced to 196 for three in reply to England’s first innings total of 507 for nine declared at tea on the third day of the second Test at Kensington Oval on Friday.
Brathwaite was at his most obdurate in reaching 79 at the interval in more than five hours at the crease in which he had faced 242 deliveries and stroked eight fours.
Blackwood’s sixth boundary just before tea took him to exactly 50 off 116 balls, the usually attacking right-hander battling his own tendency for the extravagant to support his captain in a partnership that had put on 95 runs for the fourth wicket.
England has been left to rue a decision by captain Joe Root not to review a decision by umpire Joel Wilson in the morning session when he adjudged Blackwood not out to an lbw appeal off Ben Stokes before the West Indies vice-captain had scored.
Television replays showed the ball would have hit leg-stump.
Stokes was again in the thick of the action earlier as England plucked out two wickets in the pre-lunch session.
After the talismanic all-rounder’s entertaining 120 stole the spotlight on day two, Stokes claimed the important wicket of Nkrumah Bonner in the morning following the success by left-arm spinner Jack Leach who accounted for Brathwaite’s overnight partner Shamarh Brooks.
Starting the day at 71 for one, Brathwaite lost his fellow Barbadian after half-hour’s play when Brooks, on 39, top-edged an attempted cut and Chris Woakes held the catch at backward point.
Bonner, “Man of the Match” in the first Test when his patient first innings hundred and defiant second innings contribution ensured a draw in Antigua, fell to Stokes for just nine, adjudged leg-before.
Despite the early reprieve and his continuing challenges coping with late in swing from the England seamers, Blackwood fought on into the afternoon and his effort with Brathwaite frustrated the visitors to such an extent that the visitors took the second new ball as soon as it became due just before the end of the afternoon session.
