West Indies’ treble strike rocks England in third Test
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom (AFP)— Jason Holder produced a fine all-round display as the West Indies took three late wickets, including both England openers with successive deliveries, in a stirring fightback on Friday’s opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston.
Holder’s 59 helped turn the West Indies’ 115-5 into a total of 282 all out as they looked to restore some pride, having already lost this three-match series at 2-0 down.
And the towering all-rounder then held two fine slip catches as England slumped to 38-3 at stumps, a deficit of 244 runs.
Zak Crawley fell for eight when he edged a loose drive off fast bowler Jayden Seales, with Holder holding a sharp chance to his left at second slip.
England were now 29-1 off four overs exactly and next ball Crawley’s opening partner, Ben Duckett, played on to Alzarri Joseph.
England had sent in Mark Wood as a nightwatchman after Crawley’s exit but he fell for a duck when edging Seales low to Holder.
Seales had figures of 2-19 in four overs at the close, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root — who both made hundreds in England’s 241-run win in the second Test at Trent Bridge — set to resume on Saturday.
Earlier, West Indies were well-placed 76-0 after captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss beneath blue skies on a good batting pitch.
But they then suffered yet another of the collapses that had been their undoing in the first two Tests as five wickets fell either side of lunch.