The West Indies pace attack has been a force to be reckoned with in the second Test against England, currently underway at Edgbaston. After setting a modest target of 282 runs, the Caribbean side launched a blistering assault on the English batting lineup. The English openers didn’t last long as the West Indian pacers ripped through their top order.
Jayden Seales was particularly lethal, claiming three quick wickets and putting England on the back foot. Shamar Joseph, while not as prolific in terms of wickets, bowled a tight line and length, building pressure from the other end.
One of the highlights of the morning was Joseph’s dismissal of Ollie Pope. A short, wide delivery outside off stump tempted Pope into a drive, but the ball took a thick edge onto the stumps, leaving the batsman stunned and the English dressing room in shock. With Pope gone for a mere 10 runs, England found themselves reeling at 51 for four.
๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ณ๐๐น ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฟ! ๐คฉ
Joseph sent Pope and his middle stump packing as WI continued their good work with the ball on Day 2๏ธโฃ! ๐ฅ
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โ FanCode (@FanCode) July 27, 2024
The collapse continued as Harry Brook followed Pope back to the pavilion shortly after, leaving England in desperate need of a partnership. Joe Root and Ben Stokes steadied the ship with a crucial stand, weathering the early storm and rebuilding the innings. Stokes departed for 54, but Root, in typically imperious form, has continued to pile on the runs.
The master batsman has surpassed the legendary Brian Lara’s Test run tally, cementing his place among the all-time greats. A century in the previous match has brought him tantalizingly close to equaling Alastair Cook’s record for most Test centuries for England. With each run, Root edges closer to this historic milestone, and if he can maintain his current form, it’s only a matter of time before he joins Cook at the pinnacle of English Test batting.
