JAMAICA, MARCH 10
Jason Holder and Nkrumah Bonner shared an unbeaten 75-run partnership as West Indies recovered from a mini collapse and advanced to 202 for four on the second day of the first test against England on Wednesday.
West Indies were 109 runs behind at Viv Richards Stadium in North Sound, Holder on 43 and Bonner 34, the match as delicately poised at the end of the day as it had been at the start.
After openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell scored freely in an 83-run stand, West Indies lost four wickets for 44 as the visitors fought back to the delight of the travelling Barmy Army.
But Bonner and the experienced Holder hunkered down to see off an excellent spell of reverse swing by Mark Wood and Ben Stokes, the run rate slowing to a crawl as survival became the most immediate concern.
Spinner Jack Leach then anchored down one end, bowling 47 successive dot balls at one stage, but Holder opened his broad shoulders occasionally, notably hitting part-time spinner Joe Root over long-on for a towering six.
A frustrated England could not break through again before the close on a day when intermittent showers briefly interrupted play several times.
The second new ball, 13.1 overs away, cannot come quickly enough for England.
"It's been a bit of an indifferent day," said Wood (1-24), who had Brathwaite caught in the gully for 55.
"I think 311 is still a fairly decent total to defend ...
"Unless we get early wickets tomorrow I'd say West Indies are in a good position. We need to get early wickets and get into the bowlers."
Earlier, Jonny Bairstow (140) made his highest score since 2016, but England lost their final four wickets for 43 runs as the tail failed to cope with the second new ball on another breezy morning in the Caribbean.
Still, the 311 total was reasonable for England given they had slumped to 48-4 on the opening day, and it was better than anything they mustered during the recent Ashes series debacle in Australia.
Jayden Seales finished with 4-79, though Holder (2-24) was the pick of the bowlers, conceding at barely one run an over.
The three-test series is being contested for the newly-named Richards-Botham Trophy in honour of the former test opponents and Somerset county team mates, Viv Richards and Ian Botham who were sat side by side in the crowd.
