Ben Stokes gives England hope but West Indies hold upper hand

England captain Ben Stokes rallied his side with four wickets on day three of the first #raisethebat Test but the West Indies were still able to leave the field with an enviable 99-run lead.
The tourists established a first-innings gap of 114 as they produced a disciplined total of 318 at the Ageas Bowl, but their advantage might easily have been even larger had Stokes not summoned four for 49, his best figures in two years.
He shouldered the burden after Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, selected ahead of Stuart Broad for their superior pace, turned in a combined return of one for 135, despite the latter’s fierce speed.
1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ Test wickets for @benstokes38! 🦁
Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/ldtEXLDT8V#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/ags39ezyP0
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 10, 2020
Stokes, who appeared to be struggling with soreness as he worked through his decisive final spell, accounted for top-scorers Kraigg Brathwaite (65) and Shane Dowrich (61) as well as his fellow all-rounder and rival skipper Jason Holder.
While he was unable to match the latter’s previous efforts with a five-wicket haul, his dismissal of Alzarri Joseph did bring his Test tally to 150.
James Anderson was also in credit with three for 62, while spinner Dom Bess chimed in with two wickets. Their efforts still left the hosts in a hole at change over, with openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley making 15 for nought in a trying 40 minutes before stumps.
The West Indies began on 57 for one and, in the best overhead batting conditions yet, got the better of the first session by adding 102 for two wickets.

The first hour was slow and steady, containing just two boundaries and one aborted celebration for the fielding side – when Archer won an lbw against Shai Hope only for replays to show a no-ball.
Hope fell immediately after drinks, and without adding to his score of 16, as he drove hard at Bess and edged to Stokes.
Brathwaite progressed more comfortably, converting his overnight 20 into both the first fifty of the match and his own first since July 2018. His hopes of progressing towards three figures ended at Stokes’ hand, rapped high on the knee roll but deep enough in his crease for the umpire Richard Kettleborough to raise the finger.
Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase picked up the run-rate nicely before lunch but saw the brakes applied by Anderson and Bess when the afternoon’s play got under way.
Smooooooth Operator… Well done Shane Dowrich👏🏾👏🏾 bring up his tenth Test half-century#WIReady #ENGvWI #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/3K5hOBCnZF
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 10, 2020
In the ninth over of mounting pressure Brooks wafted the bat at Anderson and was on his way for 39 as Jos Buttler gathered the catch. It did not take long to exhaust Jermaine Blackwood’s notoriously small reserves of patience, the recalled number six hacking Bess to mid-off to make it 186 for five.
A lead now seemed certain but a flurry of wickets could still make it a slight one. Instead, Chase and Dowrich put on the biggest stand of the match, 81.
The pair adopted contrasting styles, Chase shelving his aggressive instincts to dig out 47 in 141 balls, while Dowrich signalled his intentions early by getting after Bess.
Add in a couple of half-volleys from under-performing Archer and he was well on the way to fifty. In so doing, the wicketkeeper scrubbed the memory of making 24 runs in six innings on these shores three years ago.

Anderson’s enduring accuracy eventually earned an lbw against the dogged Chase, but without a big effort from Stokes the last session might still have slipped through England’s fingers.
First he evened the score with opposite number Holder, who had dismissed him on day two. The 6ft 7in Bajan managed to get underneath a short ball but merely helped it on its way to Archer. Despite struggling with soreness Stokes kept pounding in, toppling Joseph’s stumps then strangling Dowrich down the leg-side.
It seemed like he was set to complete his fifth five-for, but it was Durham team-mate Wood, who routinely cleared 90mph without joy, who castled last man Shannon Gabriel.
Gabriel and Kemar Roach asked plenty of difficult questions of Burns and Sibley and on another day might have picked up at least a wicket apiece. Instead the 10 overs proved fruitless to set up an intriguing fourth day.
Latest
-
News
Jack Leach enjoying life in ‘extremely positive’ England set-up
Leach’s first 10-wicket Test match haul and half-centuries from Ollie Pope and Joe Root have left England on course for a 3-0 series win.
-
News
Hashim Amla and Ben Geddes hit hundreds as Surrey take control against Kent
The pair produced a third-wicket stand of 213 after the hosts were asked to bat.
-
News
England on course for New Zealand series whitewash after Jack Leach career-best
Spinner Leach took 10 wickets in a Test match for the first time.
-
News
New-look England set for ‘exciting time’ as they gear up for South Africa Test
The absence of Katherine Brunt and Anya Shrubsole has opened the door for new faces to make their mark.
-
News
England set 296 for series sweep as Jack Leach claims first 10-wicket Test haul
Leach finished with second-innings figures of five for 66 as New Zealand were bowled out for 326.
-
England
England thwarted by Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell again at Headingley
England drew a blank over the course of two difficult hours on Sunday.
-
News
Ben Foakes replaced by Sam Billings at Headingley after positive Covid-19 test
Foakes did not take the field on the third afternoon against New Zealand after complaining of back pain.
-
England
Jamie Overton happy to entertain on rollercoaster England Test debut
The pace bowler fell three runs short of a remarkable century at Headingley.
-
England
England have Headingley buzzing again as late burst rocks New Zealand
The tourists will resume on Sunday 137 runs ahead with five wickets down.
-
England
Jamie Overton falls just short of debut century for England in tight third Test
Overton was caught behind for 97 in the morning session.