Roach strikes but England erase deficit against West Indies

NORTH SOUND: Kemar Roach struck an early blow for the West Indies but England succeeded in erasing a first innings deficit of 64 runs, reaching 72 for one at lunch on the fourth day of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday (Mar 11).

Already in credit with nine wickets in hand on a pitch which still appears quite placid in nature, the tourists will resume in the afternoon with opener Zak Crawley on 45 and captain Joe Root on 20, their second-wicket partnership worth 48 as they carefully negotiated a potentially tricky passage of play.

Root came to the crease after Alex Lees again failed to impress on his Test debut, the left-hander once more being undone by a full-length delivery from Roach which trapped him leg-before for six in the sixth over.

Crawley had survived a moment of anxiety a couple overs earlier when he was ruled lbw by umpire Gregory Brathwaite.

However the batsman's challenge of the on-field verdict proved correct, allowing him to continue to fight against a disciplined West Indies bowling attack as Roach, Jayden Seales and Jason Holder pressed for more success before the interval.

Kept in the field all day on a turgid third day by the West Indies who advanced their first innings by 171 runs off 90.1 overs, England needed just three deliveries to claim the final wicket on the fourth morning.

Last man Seales was trapped leg-before by Jack Leach, giving the left-arm spinner his second wicket of the innings after 43.3 overs of toil.

West Indies' first innings total of 375 represented an excellent recovery from the discomfort of 127 for four on the second afternoon.

That was due primarily to a patient second Test century from Nkrumah Bonner, who occupied the crease for over nine hours