NOTTINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook made half centuries to lift England to 248-3 and a lead of 207 runs over West Indies on the third day of the second test at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
Duckett scored 76, Pope 51 and Brook 71 not out as England fought back well after West Indies took a first-innings lead of 41 thanks to an entertaining last-wicket partnership of 71 between Joshua Da Silva and Shamar Joseph.
England lost opener Zak Crawley for three when he was unluckily run out at the non-striker’s end after Duckett’s drive was parried on to the stumps by the hand of bowler Jayden Seales.
Duckett struck 11 fours before he was trapped lbw by Alzarri Joseph and Pope contributed again following his first-innings century before being caught at gully by Kevin Sinclair off Joseph.
Brook and Joe Root, however, weathered the storm in an unbroken stand of 108 and Root was 37 not out at the close.
England picked up four wickets in the morning and looked set to establish a first-innings lead before Da Silva and Shamar Joseph guided West Indies to 457 all out to leave the match finely poised.
Da Silva finished unbeaten on 82, including three sixes, and Joseph hit two maximums, one smashing tiles on the pavilion roof, in his 33 before he was caught by Gus Atkinson off Mark Wood.
After West Indies had resumed on 351-5, Jason Holder was caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Chris Woakes for 27 and Sinclair slashed Atkinson to gully where Brook held a sharp catch.
Alzarri Joseph edged Woakes to Smith for 10 and the experienced England seamer bowled Seales first ball with a fine delivery.
Shamar Joseph averted the hat-trick and Da Silva moved to his fifth test fifty as the pair combined to give a fluctuating game another twist.
England won the first match of the three-test series by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s.
(Reporting by Ed Osmond; editing by Clare Fallon and Toby Davis)
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