James Anderson strikes twice as England take control of first Test against West Indies at Lord's
Updated 11/07/2024 at 22:25 GMT+1
England are in command of the first Test with West Indies at Lord's. England posted 371 in their first innings, with Joe Root and Jamie Smith making half-centuries, and they reduced the tourists to 79 for 6. West Indies need another 171 to make England bat again. discovery+ is the streaming home of the Olympic Games, and the only place you can watch every moment of Paris 2024.
Anderson ‘has no regrets’ ahead of retirement from England Test team
Video credit: TNT Sports
James Anderson took the breakthrough wicket in his final innings with the ball as England took command of the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s.
After bowling West Indies out for 121 on day one, England piled up 371 in their first dig - with Jamie Smith making 70 on debut.
It was then over to Anderson - sporting a pair of boots marking the dates of his debut and final Test - and he did not disappoint as he knocked over West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.
West Indies limped to 79 for 6 at stumps on day two - and with no rain forecast for Friday, England will have high hopes of wrapping up victory on the third day.
Harry Brook and Joe Root strode out on Thursday morning intent on keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Brook (50) was particularly positive - a pulled six off Shamar Joseph into the Mound Stand being the highlight.
The pull shot proved to be Brook’s undoing, as he mistimed an effort off Alzarri Joseph, and Joshua Da Silva took a simple catch.
On what looked an excellent deck for batting, Root showed off his full repertoire of scoring shots as he eased past 50 and looked set for a big score.
His hopes of a 32nd Test ton were dashed as West Indies turned to Gudakesh Motie and he beat the outside edge with a quicker ball and knocked over Root’s off stump.
Root (68) was Motie’s second wicket, as he beat England captain Ben Stokes (4) on the inside edge earlier in his spell.
West Indies had half an eye on a fightback when Root departed with the score at 287 for 6, but Smith (70) and Chris Woakes (23) put on a half-century stand to deflate the tourists.
Smith brought up a 50 on debut and was the final man out, as England posted an imposing 371.
Anderson was left nought not out off zero balls on what could prove to be his final England innings - meaning he was denied the chance to play one final reverse sweep.
He may have missed out on a reverse sweep, but Anderson was in the groove with the ball.
As he has done for a Test career spanning 21 years, Anderson probed on and around off stump in a miserly opening spell where he conceded one run in five overs.
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James Anderson's boots during day two of 1st Test Match between England and the West Indies at Lord's Cricket Ground on July 11, 2024 in London, England
Image credit: Getty Images
Anderson has had Brathwaite’s measure down the years - he became the bowler’s 500th Test victim in 2017 - and he was dismissed for the eighth time in Tests by the Lancastrian when the bowler beat the inside edge and knocked over off stump.
Stokes is back bowling at a decent pace following a knee operation, and he removed Mikyle Louis (19) and Kirk McKenzie (0) - and the latter wicket saw Stokes join an elite, three-man club featuring Sir Garfield Sobers and Jacques Kallis of players to do the double of 6,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests.
When Gus Atkinson knocked over Kavem Hodge (4), West Indies were tottering at 37 for 4.
Alick Athanaze (22) and Jason Holder showed some application with the bat, but Anderson returned to remove the former - Smith taking a fine catch diving low to his left.
Holder (20) fell in the final over of the day, succumbing to a short-ball barrage from Atkinson, as West Indies slumped to 79 for 6 - still trailing by 171.
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