England were 136 for two in their first innings at tea against West Indies on the first day of the second Test on Wednesday at Kensington Oval.
At the break, the visitors’ captain Joe Root was not out on 80 and Dan Lawrence was not out on 26, after the English won the toss and chose to bat on a benign pitch.
The pair have put on 56 – unbroken – for the third wicket with Lawrence bringing up the 50 partnership when he cut a short ball from left-arm spinner Veersammy Permaul through point for his third boundary.
Permaul earlier gave Windies a welcomed breakthrough after England resumed from their lunch total of 47 for one.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles spinner got Alex Lees lbw for 30, playing back and across, after the England left-handed opener put on 76 for the second wicket with Root.
Off the previous delivery from Permaul, Root drove through square cover to reach his 50 from 125 balls, but the hosts had a chance to remove him in the fourth over after lunch.
But Barbados Pride pacer Kemar Roach was left to grieve when wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva, diving down the leg-side, put down Root, on 34, after the England captain glanced a wayward delivery.
West Indies are playing an unchanged line-up, but England have made two changes, bringing in Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Fisher for their Test debuts to replace fellow pacers, Mark Wood (elbow injury) and Craig Overton (ill).
The Windies have not lost to to the English in nearly two decades at Kensington Oval, and they have lost only twice – in 1994 and 2004 – in the history of matches between the two sides at the iconic ground.
The first of three Tests in this series ended in a draw this past Saturday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and the final Test will be played from March 24 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.
Summarised scores:
ENGLAND 136 for two (Joe Root 80 not out, Alex Lees 30, Dan Lawrence 26 not out) vs WEST INDIES.
(AR)
