2nd Test, Day 3: Kraigg Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood Centuries Lift West Indies vs England

Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood produced an almost perfect captain, vice-captain double-act with determined centuries to lift the West Indies to 288 for four in reply to England's first innings total of 507 for nine declared at stumps on the third day of the second Test at Kensington Oval on Friday. Brathwaite was at his most obdurate in accumulating an unbeaten 109, his tenth Test hundred, in more than eight hours at the crease in which he has faced 337 deliveries and stroked 12 fours.

Blackwood, who offered a bit more adventure in a 183-run fourth-wicket partnership with his skipper, fell just before the close of play for 102. His third Test century and second against England spanned almost five hours in which he faced 215 balls and struck 11 boundaries.

While the opening batsman's marathon effort was typically understated and free of any moment of real danger, his partner through most of the day lived a charmed life from the very start of his innings and needed those moments of good fortune to provide the sort of stability the West Indies desperately needed after England took the upper hand in the morning session.

Blackwood came to the crease just before lunch at 101 for three and immediately survived an LBW appeal to the bowling of Ben Stokes, who had just removed the usually obdurate Nkrumah Bonner.

Even the bowler appeared to concur with umpire Nigel Duguid's verdict of not out and after brief deliberation, Joe Root opted not to challenge the decision.

England's captain and the rest of his team, together with their thousands of supporters packed into the ground were left to rue that decision as television replays projected that the ball would have hit the leg-stump.

Then in the final session, with the