Bairstow leads England past 300 against West Indies

ANTIGUA (AFP): Jonny Bairstow was last out for 140 as England extended their first innings by another 43 runs to be dismissed for 311 on the second morning of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Wednesday.

Jayden Seales struck twice in three balls to finish with the best innings figures of four for 81 for the home side, while fellow fast bowler Alzarri Joseph finally enjoyed some success with the last two wickets of the innings half an hour before lunch.

West Indies openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell then got off to a bright start in reply, reaching 44 without loss off 10 overs.

Bairstow’s controlled innings ended via a well-judged catch by Jason Holder running back from slip to short third-man, as the right-hander sliced an attempted heave to the on-side.

As at the end of the first day when he finished unbeaten on 109, he left the field to a standing ovation from the strong contingent of English supporters along with his appreciative teammates.

His six-and-a-half-hour occupation of the crease was highlighted by 21 fours off 259 deliveries.

Resuming at the overnight position of 268 for six, Bairstow and Chris Woakes extended their seventh-wicket partnership by another 17 runs to 71 when Seales struck.

Replacing senior pacer Kemar Roach who opened the morning’s bowling effort with Holder, the 20-year-old produced a lifting delivery which Woakes gloved to wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva and departed for 28.

He was joined in the pavilion two balls later by Craig Overton as the tail-ender pushed off his hip to Nkrumah Bonner at short-leg before he had scored.

Bairstow went into limited-overs mode in seeking to eke out as many runs as he could, putting on 20 with Mark Wood until an attempted pull by the lower-order player off Joseph resulted in a comfortable catch for Veerasammy Permaul at cover.

Frustrated through the first day when he went wicketless, Joseph then had even more reason to force a smile when Bairstow’s determined effort ended, the excellence of Holder’s catch coming in sharp contrast to much of the West Indies’ catching through the innings.