Southampton, England
The West Indies were keeping the pressure on England in the first cricket Test Saturday, with the hosts limping to a 54-run lead after reaching tea at 168-3 on Day 4.
England’s run-rate in the second innings was a paltry 2.4 per over. The going was so slow that spectators might have fallen asleep had they been allowed into the empty Rose Bowl.
Two wickets fell in the middle session when 89 runs were scored in 30 overs, and they were both tame departures.
Dom Sibley (50) had just reached his second half-century in Tests when he nicked behind down the leg side off a delivery by Shannon Gabriel that rose to the batsman’s hip.
Joe Denly’s demise was even softer, the No. 3 batsman chipping spinner Roston Chase straight to captain Jason Holder at short midwicket to depart for 29.
Zak Crawley was on 38 and stand-in captain Ben Stokes was yet to get off the mark after 15 balls.
With four sessions left, the tourists look the most likely winners of the first Test match since the return of international cricket following a four-month absence because of the coronavirus pandemic.—AP
