A last-wicket partnership of 52 lifted the West Indies to 299 all out in their first innings on the stroke of tea on the rain-affected second day of the second Test against England last night.
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Devendra Bishoo (30) and Shannon Gabriel (20) got their Test-best scores in lifting the home side from 247 for nine after Marlon Samuels’ dismissal for a determined 103 triggered a lower-order collapse as the tourists’ seamers made effective use of the second new ball.
Stuart Broad led the English effort, taking four for 61, while James Anderson and Chris Jordan claimed two wickets each. It was left to Moeen Ali to end the West Indies innings, trapping Bishoo leg-before to set the stage for what could be an intriguing final session of the day.
Persistent morning showers restricted the pre-lunch session to just 40 minutes play and when the action eventually resumed in mid-afternoon, Samuels reached his seventh Test hundred with his 14th boundary off 226 deliveries.
CONGRATS! Marlon Samuels 100 in his 100th Test innings pic.twitter.com/4s0BKWdtLd
— westindies (@westindies) April 22, 2015
However the 34-year-old seemed to lose concentration reaching the treasured landmark in his 100th Test innings. He missed a big drive at the next delivery from Anderson before edging the following one to Ian Bell for 103. His effort in a 94-run sixth-wicket partnership with Denesh Ramdin appeared to be in vain with the West Indies losing four wickets for 24 runs.
Ramdin, the captain, fell to a catch at the wicket off Broad for 31. He added the scalp of Jason Holder, who perished in a similar manner in a rush of attacking strokeplay. When Broad had Kemar Roach caught by Joe Root at slip from an inside-edge off his pads, a swift end to the innings seemed inevitable.
Nobody expected much from Bishoo or Gabriel but the pair played a perfect game for their side, swinging the bat with impunity. Among the expected mis-hits there were some genuinely fine strokes, Bishoo hitting four boundaries and Gabriel hammering Broad for six. Moeen ended their party by trapping Bishoo leg before, but not before the last-wicket duo had reached their fifty stand.
