BIRMINGHAM, England (Reuters) -Joe Root led an England fightback as they moved to within eight runs of the West Indies’ first-innings score, reaching 274-7 at tea on the second day of the third test on Saturday.
Root scored 87, before being trapped lbw as the hosts fought back from 54-5 to close on the Windies’ 282 as they look for a clean sweep of the series.
Jamie Smith, playing his third test, was unbeaten on 56 at tea with Chris Woakes on 21 not out.
Root featured in a 115-run sixth wicket partnership with captain Ben Stokes that hauled England back from a precarious position after they lost two early wickets.
They resumed on 38-3 and were quickly in further trouble with Ollie Pope bowled and Harry Brook caught behind in the first four overs.
Root and Stokes steadied the innings, however, taking England to 157-5 at lunch, with Root bringing up his 63rd test half century after surviving an lbw appeal on 10.
Stokes was dismissed in the third over after lunch, caught by Kraigg Brathwaite off Alzarri Joseph, his 100th test wicket.
It was a miscued pull from the skipper, offering an easy catch to square leg, after galloping to 54 off 69 balls.
Smith kept up the scoring tempo as he and Root brought up their 50-run partnership in less than 11 overs.
Root was undone by a ball that slid on from left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, however, snaring him 13 runs short of his century.
Smith’s 50 came off 60 balls as he continued to take the attack to the bowlers, with Woakes also aggressive in an unbeaten 43-run partnership.
England have secured the series after convincingly winning the first two tests, by an innings and 114 runs at Lord’s and 241 runs at Trent Bridge.
(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)
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