England beat West Indies in 2nd Test to level series

MANCHESTER: England beat West Indies by 113 runs after Ben Stokes produced a masterclass inning in the second Test at Old Trafford on Monday.

West Indies, set a nominal 312 to win, were bowled out for 198 on the fifth and final day as England levelled the three-match series at 1-1.

Ben Stokes made 176 in England’s first-innings 469-9 declared and 78 not out on Monday that set up another declaration by captain Joe Root.

Stokes capped a dominant individual display as he also took two key wickets Monday after Stuart Broad’s early treble helped reduce the West Indies to 37-4.

Shamarh Brooks (62) and Jermaine Blackwood (55) kept England at bay during a fifth-wicket stand of exactly 100.

Stokes proved a partnership breaker when his short ball had Blackwood, who made a match-clinching 95 in West Indies’ four-wicket win in the first Test at Southampton and was caught by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler.

From then on, it always looked likely England would finish the job, despite having no spectators to roar them on in this behind-closed-doors campaign.

Stokes played down his contribution, telling the BBC: “Everyone has put their hands up and contributed to a great win.”

England’s plans for this match were thrown into disarray when fast bowler Jofra Archer was omitted for breaching the bio-secure rules governing a series that marks international cricket’s return from the coronavirus lockdown.

READ MORE: West Indies beat England by 4 wickets in first Test

England won despite the whole of Saturday’s third day being washed out. Recalled paceman Stuart Broad struck just five balls into the West Indies second innings on Monday when he had John Campbell caught behind.

Broad finished with 3-42 having rocked the West Indies in their first innings with a burst of three wickets in 14 balls.

Chris Woakes then had Kraigg Brathwaite lbw and Broad clipped the top of Shai Hope’s off stump. Brooks’ fine innings ended when he was plumb lbw to left-arm quick Sam Curran.

Earlier, Stokes took England to 129-3 declared in their second innings in a quest to get quick runs. He produced another brilliantly judged batting display as England scored 92 runs in 11 overs on Monday.

Stokes should have been out for 29 when he slogged Shannon Gabriel to deep extra cover only for Campbell to drop a routine catch.

Stokes, England’s captain in Root’s absence for the first Test, went to fifty with a six off Gabriel that cleared the towering Holder at long-off. The series finale starts on Friday at Old Trafford.