Gritty Gary Ballance tips the balance in England's favour
A FINE century by Gary Ballance set up an England declaration – and gave West Indies the stiff task of saving this first Test.
Gary Ballance plays a sweep shot on his way to a century
The hosts were set a monumental 438 for victory after England declared on 333-7 before tea. To give some idea of the task, only four teams have scored more than 400 in the fourth innings to win a Test, with West Indies’ 418-7 to beat Australia in Antigua in 2003 topping the list.
Stuart Broad had some early joy when he removed the first innings century-maker Kraigg Brathwaite in the second over for five before Darren Bravo fell to a brilliant slip catch by Chris Jordan off Joe Root for 32 late in the day.
Devon Smith escaped when he edged through first slip – skipper Alastair Cook having missed a trick by not posting two slips – before finishing on 59 not out. Marlon Samuels was two not out as West Indies closed on 98-2, requiring another 340 runs for an unlikely victory.
Test wickets are more valuable than any other in cricket and never given away more reluctantly than when a team are digging in to save a match on a flat pitch, as the West Indies are now attempting to do. It is a task which should be beyond them but England will take nothing for granted given the precarious state of their luck at the moment.
Yesterday was once again England’s day with the middle order expertly marshalled by Ballance. The Zimbabwean-born batsman posted his fourth Test century in scoring 122, as England managed to string together a succession of partnerships to repair the damage done by the failure of openers Cook and Jonathan Trott on Wednesday night.
Having resumed on an overnight 44 in company with Root, Ballance shared a stand of 114 with England’s most consistent performer to take them to 166-4.
He then kept up the same urgent rhythm with Ben Stokes – putting on 60 for the fifth wicket – and Jos Buttler, with whom he added 55 for the sixth, as the tourists stretched their lead.
Battering the offside ropes like a tropical storm, Ballance reached the fourth hundred of a nine-match Test career in 233 balls. He eventually reached just a little too far, this time for a slog sweep off Sulieman Benn.
Despite Ballance’s exit there was still time for Buttler and Jordan to post another half-century stand as England increased their lead to 437.
When Jordan replicated the Ballance dismissal, Cook seized the obvious moment to bring in his men.
Cook has never been seen as a positive captain but knowing full well how difficult wickets would be to come by – the four that England gave up yesterday were all donated in a spirit of attack – his declaration was timely.
It may have given him a nervous night given the hitting power in the West Indies line-up, the overs left in the game and England’s recent record when faced with crunch situations.
Stuart Broad celebrates after taking the wicket of Denesh Ramdin
But if his bowlers fail him having given them 437 to defend, the recriminations will stretch not only to Grenada and the second Test but back to the English summer.
Broad had provided the perfect start as West Indies began their reply with five overs to go before tea. Broad picked up where he left off in the first innings with a short-pitched assault, this time against Brathwaite, that delivered an early success.
The pointed celebration gesturing to bowling coach Ottis Gibson on the England balcony after the young opener had fended to Root at short leg, showed the benefit of poaching a recent opposition coach a month before a series as much as a well-executed plan.
Another ploy to bowl at Smith before and after tea with the finger spin of James Tredwell – he has looked uncomfortable against the turning ball before – did not bear fruit.
Indeed, the West Indies showed considerable determination with Smith and his partner Bravo putting together a confidence-boosting partnership before the Root-Jordan combination struck.
James Anderson had nothing to show for his efforts and still needs two victims to overtake Sir Ian Botham and set a new mark as England’s greatest wicket-taker.
Smith eventually reached his sixth Test 50 from 111 balls. With only one Test hundred to his name in a 12-year international career, he will look to double that tally today and stifle England’s victory charge.