ENG vs WI, 2nd Test, Day 2, Tea Report: Ben Stokes Unbeaten on 172 as England Take Control in Manchester

Ben Stokes crossed 150 and Dom Sibley made 120 as England took firm control of the second Test against West Indies in Manchester.

At tea, England were 378 for 5 with Stokes on 172 and Jos Buttler on 12. Sibley and Stokes had played out a wicketless first session, before West Indies struck twice in the second session to dismiss Sibley and Ollie Pope.

England started the day 207 for 3, with Ben Stokes 59(159) and Dominic Sibley 86(253). They had set a template on Day 1 and followed it to perfection on the second day. The duo had joined with England 81 for 3, and added 183 by lunch on the second day.

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The first hour was going to be crucial, and England saw through that without any damage. Interestingly, West Indies didn’t take the second new ball immediately. One would have thought a new ball would have been their best bet to break the stand, but Jason Holder took it only after 10 overs in the day.

Shannon Gabriel and Alzarri Joseph began the day but could not strike. Gabriel was slightly wayward while his younger partner was accurate, but nothing could shatter the English duo.

Sibley took his patience to another level, and hardly scored. He knew his role well: wear out the West Indies bowlers and tire them out. Stokes was comparatively more free-flowing, although he wasn’t exactly unleashing his strokeplay.

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Soon after the break, Stokes began catching up on Sibley and reached the 90s. He even threatened to get to the century before Sibley, but the opener eventually got there first by driving Alzarri Joseph down the ground for three. Sibley had taken 312 balls to reach his century, his second in Tests.

Stokes got to his ton with a reverse sweep off Roston Chase after lunch, before upping the ante with some tremendous strokes. A brilliant, effortless six down the ground off Alzarri Joseph stood out. Within no time, he overtook Sibley and went past 150.

Sibley, who had been full of patience, looked to attack and holed out to the deep playing a slog-sweep off Chase. Pope missed a straight ball and was trapped plumb in front before Buttler and Stokes batted out the rest of the session.