SOUTHAMPTON: England were bowled out for 313 in their second innings at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday, setting the West Indies a victory target of 200 on the final day of the first test.
Hosts England resumed their innings at 284-8 – a lead of 170 – with tail-enders Jofra Archer and Mark Wood at the crease but the overnight pair failed to offer much resistance.
Wood was the first to be dismissed, edging paceman Shannon Gabriel to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich as England were reduced to 303-9.
Archer, who had taken England past the 300-run mark with a cracking cover drive off skipper Jason Holder, became Gabriel’s fifth victim of the innings as he edged a short-pitched ball to the keeper when on 23.
Gabriel finished with figures of 5-75 – his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests – while Roston Chase and Alzarri Joseph picked up two wickets apiece.
The Test is the first international cricket match after a 117-day absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The three-match series is being played without fans in a “bio-secure environment” with daily health checks, home umpires and a ban on shining the ball with saliva.
The second and third tests will both be held in Manchester. – Reuters
