April 17, 2015 by admin

England in total control

Antigua, Gary Ballance and Ben Stokes put England in complete control as they reached lunch on 224 for four on the fourth day of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua on Thursday.
The tourists lead by 328 runs with five sessions of play remaining in the match and are likely to look to extend their advantage to 400-plus before captain Alastair Cook declares.
England, resuming on their overnight 116 for three, lost the first wicket of the day when Joe Root was bowled for 59 having compiled his second half-century of the game.
Root trudged off the field shaking his head after playing a ball from lanky paceman Jason Holder on to his stumps with the total on 166.
He and Ballance shared a partnership of 114 for the fourth wicket but the left-hander then found another valuable ally in Ben Stokes.
With Ballance simply content to nudge and nurdle the total along, fellow left-hander Stokes took over the dominant role as he powered his way to 33 not out in an unbeaten half-century stand.
Ballance was unbeaten on 92 at lunch, approaching his fourth Test hundred.
Cook will now want quick runs from him, Stokes and number seven batsman Jos Buttler in the day’s second session to give his bowlers plenty of time to take the 10 West Indies wickets they need to go 1-0 up in the three-match series.