The West Indies team exhibited a brilliant fightback on Day 2 of the second Test against England, reducing the lead to just 65 runs. The Windies’ openers, Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis, started steadily on a flat surface. They laid a solid foundation and appeared set to capitalize on the benign conditions.
England reduces West Indies to 84/3
However, England’s Mark Wood produced a nippy spell that unsettled the openers. It was Shoaib Bashir who got the first breakthrough when Louis holed out in the deep. Not long after, Brathwaite was bounced out by Atkinson, giving England the momentum. The hosts tightened their grip when Kirk McKenzie threw his wicket away at the stroke of lunch, providing England with the upper hand at 84/3.
Kevam Hodge’s maiden ton stages Windies fightback
Post-lunch, the partnership between Alick Athanaze and Kavam Hodge was crucial for the West Indies. They mixed caution with aggression perfectly, steadying the ship and taking advantage of a dropped catch by Joe Root at first slip. Both batters crossed their fifties, keeping the scoreboard ticking. The 175-run stand was eventually broken by Ben Stokes, who lured Athanaze into a trap. However, Hodge continued to impress, scoring his maiden Test hundred with a brilliant exhibition of stroke play. Holder survived a challenging phase where the ball hooped around, playing and missing several times before Chris Woakes‘ sharp inswinger ended Hodge’s impressive innings.
Also READ: ENG vs WI: Fans laud Kevam Hodge for his sensational maiden century on Day 2 of the Trent Bridge Test
Key moments await on Day 3
As the day concluded, Joshua Da Silva played some attractive strokes to support the Windies’ cause, ensuring they ended the day in a competitive position. England will need to make the second new ball count on Day 3, hoping to quickly dismantle the remaining West Indies batting lineup. Meanwhile, the visitors will aim to stitch together another significant partnership to solidify their position in the Test. The stage is set for an exciting continuation of the match, with both teams vying for control.
Here is how Netizens reacted:
TEST TON MAGIC!💯🔥
Trent Bridge is on its feet for Hodge’s maiden Test Century!✨#ENGvWI | #MenInMaroon | #Apex pic.twitter.com/Ul46egA3bI
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 19, 2024
Outstanding innings of 120 runs by Kavem Hodge 🫡🔥
Standing ovation from English crowd 👏#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/Od1hFGp8ts
— Chota Don (@The_ChotaDon) July 19, 2024
What a moment for @kavemHodge22: his maiden Test century! A late developer – his age (31) is more than his first-class average – but another extremely gutsy innings, with terrific driving 🤩
The first @windiescricket batter to score a Test ton in England since 2017 👏#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/dGps80kuaA
— Suvranil Singha Chowdhury (@SuvranilSinghaC) July 19, 2024
What a day for Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze 👏
2 best friends who grew up in Dominica as batting partners, training daily for nearly a decade, today put on a 175-run partnership for the West Indies in England.
The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of ❤️#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/2ZEZiKg8Sk
— Nikhil Uttamchandani (@NikUttam) July 19, 2024
A terrific hundred from Kavem Hodge, the first by a West Indies batter in England since 2017 👏#WTC25 | #ENGvWI 📝: https://t.co/e1Jwl5XXvw pic.twitter.com/8TpQLcoeVd
— ICC (@ICC) July 19, 2024
Congratulations Kavem Hodge on a maiden Test ton 💯#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/myTzBoMgPX
— England’s Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 19, 2024
A really encouraging day for the West Indies. Many people (myself included) expected them to continue in the same vein as Lords and struggle to challenge England. But they’ve provided an emphatic reminder of their ability today. This is going to be a cracking test. #ENGvWI
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) July 19, 2024
Huge standing ovation for Kavem Hodge from Nottingham Crowd
His first Test 100 and he’s gonna remember it forever #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/cmYFmSgDtb
— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) July 19, 2024
Kavem Hodge’s maiden Test century.
He’s gonna remember it forever. #ENGvWI #KavemHodge pic.twitter.com/ebyAa8RMow
— Ganesh 🇮🇳 (@GaneshMvibes) July 19, 2024
England to bat tomorrow! #EngvWI pic.twitter.com/edtLDPJK99
— Long Live Test Cricket (@LongLiveTest) July 19, 2024
Also WATCH: ENG vs WI – Gus Atkinson bowls a fiery bouncer to dismiss Kriag Brathwaite on Day 2 of the Trent Bridge Test
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