News Sports Cricket 2nd Test: Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope spur West Indies to 71-run lead vs England on Day 2

2nd Test: Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope spur West Indies to 71-run lead vs England on Day 2

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope scored centuries in a stand worth 245 runs, the West Indies' biggest partnership in England in 33 years.

West Indies vs England Image Source : APKraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope run between the wickets on Day 2 of the 2nd Test

A week after losing 19 wickets in one day, the West Indies smashed England around Headingley to lead the second cricket test by 71 runs after the second day on Saturday.

Opener Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope scored centuries in a stand worth 245 runs, the West Indies' biggest partnership in England in 33 years.

They came together in the morning at 35-3, and with the way England was bowling, most expected to see the England batsmen in a little while.

But after showing unexpected grit in the hour before lunch, Brathwaite and Hope dug in and flourished to lead their side to 329-5 in reply to England's first innings of 258.

Brathwaite made 134 before he was bowled in the last session, and Hope carried on to stumps to be 147 not out. A little flurry by Jermaine Blackwood, 21 not out off 23 balls, meant he was the only other visiting batsmen to get into double figures.

"The key word today was 'fight,' and we tried to as much as we could," Hope said.

It wasn't all plain sailing for the main pair. Braithwaite was given out lbw off Moeen Ali on 46 in the first session and got the decision overturned on review. The next ball he hit Ali for a six for his half-century.

Ali also missed out on the wicket of Hope, who edged the last ball before lunch to the slips, but it fell in front of Ben Stokes.

Hope was also dropped on 72 off Ali by Mark Stoneman at short leg, but otherwise, the batsmen grew in confidence to play an inconsistent England attack.

The West Indies lost two wickets (both to James Anderson) in the morning, none in the middle session, and only two in the last session, a remarkable effort after losing 19 wickets the previous Saturday in an innings defeat at Edgbaston to begin the three-test series.

As he did for his half-century, Brathwaite hit a six over long on off part-timer Tom Westley to bring up his sixth test century. He'd taken 189 balls.

Four overs later, Hope got to his maiden test century with a single to long leg, from 159 balls.

Their double-century stand was the first overseas from West Indies in four years.

 

The English eagerly took the new ball after tea but Brathwaite and Hope defied them for nearly 10 more overs until Brathwaite was bowled by Stuart Broad for 134 off 249 balls. The opener hit 17 boundaries and two sixes.

Hope was on 128, lost Roston Chase for 5, and combined with Blackwood to see out a brilliant day for the West Indies.

Hope has cracked 23 boundaries so far and faced 252 balls.