
sanjeev
khelja|20-07-2024
The Durham quick, whose last competitive appearance came India in March, has all three places on the podium, following previous stints at Lord's in 2021 and Headingley during last summer's Ashes.
Opener Mikyle Louis was the man to face his fieriest effort, dropping his hands and weaving out of the way as it zipped through in a 97mph blur to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Having survived Wood's onslaught, Louis relaxed enough to go after the more friendly-paced off spin of Bashir and hacked uppishly into the leg side. Harry Brook held an expertly-judged catch and Wood had to settle for an unrecorded assist.
Bashir, who bowled tidily having not been called upon at all during the first Test last week, claimed a second just before lunch when Kirk McKenzie perished to a risible shot.
Atkinson also opened his account, bouncing out visiting skipper Kraigg Brathwaite for a well-judged 48 as he flapped a catch to short leg.
From 89 for three at lunch, the Windies added 123 in the afternoon with Athanaze particularly pleasing on the eye. He stroked 10 boundaries and crashed Bashir for six into the leg-side in a maiden half-century. Hodge held firm too, passing 50 for the second time in his fourth Test.
He should have been caught by Root on 16 but a regulation chance squirmed free to deny Wood a well-earned wicket.
He and Atkinson continued to pound out short balls in a bid to unsettle the pair but, other than a couple of mis-hits and Athanaze's blow to the helmet, England were not able to break through.




