Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope proved a thorn in England’s flesh as the West Indies lost just one wicket on the fourth morning of the second Test at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The visitors reached 118 for two at lunch, with Brathwaite unbeaten on 41 and Hope on 25. The two had scored three hundreds between them when West Indies defeated England by five wickets in the second Test at Headingley three years ago.
It was a frustrating morning for England, 1-0 down after a four-wicket loss in last week's first Test at Southampton. After the third day was washed out, play resumed Sunday in bright sunshine with the West Indies 32-1.
Nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph, who might have been lbw to Sam Curran had England reviewed on Friday, should have been dismissed for 16 when he edged Chris Woakes. But Ben Stokes, at third slip, dropped the catch after Zak Crawley, moving across from second slip, obscured his view.
Off-spinner Dom Bess, however, succeeded where England's quicks had failed when, with just his second ball of the day, he had Joseph caught by Ollie Pope at short leg for 32 with a sharply turning delivery.
In walked Hope, whose two Test hundreds were made at Headingley in 2017, cover drove Curran for two fours. England wasted a review after Brathwaite, on 24, was rightly given not out following a caught-behind appeal off Woakes.
Applying saliva
The International Cricket Counil (ICC) has imposed a ban on using saliva to shine the ball, but new rule seemed to have skipped Dom Sibley’s mind as the England opener used saliva on the ball.
After Chris Woakes had bowled the 41st over of the West Indies innings, umpire Michael Gough was quick to notice what Sibley had done with the ball and pulled out a sanitised tissue to clean it on both sides.
According to the new rules, the bowling team will get a warning if saliva is used to shine the ball. If the team attempts the same more than twice, it will be given a five-run penalty.
