It wasn't the kind of innings that fans probably would have loved to watch from the stadium, nor was it the kind of innings that could help promote the format among the newer audience. But it was surely the sort that any English fans would relish. Dominic Sibley, on Friday, became the first centurion in the sport's historic return after 117-days of absence owing to the coronavirus pandemic. Reaching the triple-figure, only the second time in his career which spans 13 innings, off 312 deliveries, Sibley joined the list of one of the slowest Test centuries by an English batsman this century.
Resuming the second day of the second Test against West Indies at the Old Trafford Cricket ground in Manchester on 86 off 253, Sibley added 14 more to his tally of another 59 deliveries to reach his second career ton, the last one achieved in South Africa in Johannesburg earlier this year.
Sibley did recall his maiden ton before the start of the second morning. "It's a similar sort of situation, about 15 runs to get, but that was an amazing feeling and hopefully I can add to that tally today," he said speaking to Sky Sports.
He had reached the century mark in 269 deliveries back, constructing the seventh-slowest ton for England this century. On Friday, he took an additional 43 deliveries to score his second century, in what is now among the slowest ton by an English batsman since 1990.
Former skipper Nasser Hussain still holds the record for the slowest in the period with his 343-ball hundred in Durban, while Micheal Atherton takes the next three positions on the list with centuries off 326, 317 and 315. Sibley stands fifth on the list, but has the slowest century since December 2000.
His innings was laced with 253 dot balls and just four boundaries. The last England batsman to score a hundred with fewer boundaries was Graham Thorpe, against Pakistan in 2000 - who hit just one four.
Talking about England, the hosts have capitalised on West Indies's lack of discipline with the ball on the second morning to pile up more runs on the board as the pair of Ben Stokes and Sibley have now added a 150-plus partnership that has revived the hosts from 81 for three on day 1.
West Indies presently lead the series 1-0 against England after their win last week in Southampton. West Indies beat the hosts by 4 wickets to take a step towards retaining the trophy.
