Manchester
England suffered a major setback when talisman Ben Stokes was dismissed for just 20 on the first day of the decisive third Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford on Friday.
The hosts were 131-4 at tea, with fast bowler Kemar Roach having removed second-Test century-makers Dom Sibley and Stokes on his way to fine figures of 2 wickets for 28 runs from 12.4 overs.
And there was still time before the interval for England to lose opener Rory Burns for a well-made 57 after the recalled Rahkeem Cornwall took a sensational slip catch off the bowling of fellow spinner Roston Chase.
England dropped number three batsman Zak Crawley and left-arm paceman Sam Curran, with their places taken by express quick Jofra Archer and veteran spearhead James Anderson.
Captain Joe Root was promoted to number three, with Stokes moving up to four. Root was in early, with opener Sibley out for a five-ball duck after West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss on an overcast morning.
Sibley, who had frustrated the West Indies with a near eight-hour hundred in the second Test, was lbw playing across the line to a full-length delivery from Roach.
The West Indies had a scare when Shannon Gabriel limped off midway through his fourth over but he came back on, a relier for the tourists given they had just three specialist quick bowlers.
England, after making steady progress, gifted the West Indies a second wicket. Burns cut Cornwall and Root, going for a tight single, failed to beat Chase’s direct hit from backward point and was run out for 17.—AFP
