West Indies staged a late comeback to check England’s advance on the second day of the decisive third Test, thanks to Joshua Da Silva’s composed, unbeaten half-century which earned them a vital first-innings lead.
With the innings in tatters at 95 for six, about 25 minutes before tea at the National Stadium on Friday, Da Silva came to his side’s rescue with a well-constructed 54 that nullified the danger and guided West Indies to safe harbor on 232 for eight at the close.
Crucially, he found a more-than-willing ally in Kemar Roach with whom he has so far added 55 for the ninth, the veteran seamer gathering an invaluable unbeaten 25.
The partnership was one of three anchored by Da Silva, the 23-year-old also putting on 33 for the seventh wicket with Kyle Mayers who made a breezy 28, while adding a further 49 for the eighth wicket with number nine Alzarri Joseph who also struck 28.
Da Silva has so far faced 152 deliveries in just over 3-½ hours at the crease and counted four fours, the last of which – an elegant clip to the ropes at mid-wicket – raised his fourth Test half-century in the fifth over before the close.
The combined efforts meant that after being poised to concede a deficit at one stage, West Indies now hold a critical 28-run lead heading into Saturday’s third day, on a surface still highlighted by its variable bounce.
“[Those partnerships] were extremely important. A lot of thanks to Alzarri and Roachie – they played pretty well – and Kyle Mayers as well with that 28,” Da Silva said.
“All of us played a very big part and Roachie and Alzarri even [played] a bigger part than me.”
He added: “Similar to the England innings, it was very important to get some runs in the [back] end, especially to get a lead – it’s very important to get a lead.
“We just want to let the tail wag a little bit and see how much more runs we can get as well.”
Left-handed opener John Campbell had earlier struck 35 as he engineered a 50-run opening stand with captain Kraigg Brathwaite (17), after West Indies launched their first innings at the start of play.
The stand kept England without success in the first hour but things quickly fell apart in the second, altering the shape of the contest.
Brathwaite perished in the second over after the first drinks break, playing back to one from medium pacer Ben Stokes (2-40) which kept low, to find himself trapped palpably lbw on his crease.
Half-hour later, Shamarh Brooks followed for 13, also lbw on the backfoot to one from seamer Saqib Mahmood which nipped back to pin him on leg-stump at 68 for two.
And with a single run added five balls later in the next over, Campbell, who struck four fours in a 54-ball knock, gloved a pull at pacer Craig Overton (2-71) and was adjudged caught down the leg-side by wicketkeeper Ben Foakes after England took recourse to DRS.
On 71 for three at lunch, things quick grew worse for West Indies on the resumption. Nkrumah Bonner, on one at the break, added only three before gloving seamer Chris Woakes (3-48) behind as he tried to evade a short delivery in the seventh over.
Three balls later in the same over, Jason Holder’s poor form continued when he recklessly holed out to Jonny Bairstow at square leg and vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood, on one at lunch, made 18 before being struck in front by Woakes, to leave West Indies on 95 or six.
The left-handed Mayers punched four fours and a six in a free-scoring 39-ball knock but with tea already beckoning, drove Stokes loosely to Saqib at mid-on.
Da Silva and Joseph repelled England for the remainder of the session before starting afresh afterwards, the partnership frustrating the tourists who rung the changes without success.
Unbeaten on five at tea with Da Silva on six and West Indies struggling on 134 for seven, Joseph lashed two fours and a six off 59 balls before a loose swing provided England with his wicket, caught behind off Overton, just before drinks.
But any hopes of wrapping up the West Indies innings under 200 were then foiled as Roach hunkered down for the next 63 balls and 80 minutes, to see his side to a lead.
