England declared on 466-6 in their first innings, with Jonny Bairstow finishing unbeaten on 106 and Dan Lawrence hitting 83; the home side reached 48-2 by the close of play, with Jack Leach claiming the only wicket along with a Craig Overton run out
Wednesday 2 March 2022 23:17, UK
Jonny Bairstow hit a fine, unbeaten century on the second day of England's Test warm-up game against a Cricket West Indies President's XI in Antigua.
Bairstow picked up where he left off in Sydney, where he scored England's only century of a torrid Ashes campaign before sustaining a fractured thumb that ruled him out of the final Test in Hobart.
Bairstow (106no) played himself into form ahead of next week's first Test against the West Indies, bringing up his ton just before the tea interval as the tourists declared on 466-6.
That left a full session for England's new-look seam attack - James Anderson and Stuart Broad both controversially overlooked for this trip - to make inroads but they could not do so.
The home side reached 48-2 by the close, with the first of England's two breakthroughs - Jeremy Solozano for 17 - coming courtesy of a Craig Overton run out off his own bowling, before Jack Leach bowled Shayne Moseley (20), beating the batter's booming drive.
Chris Woakes and Ollie Robinson shared the new ball, just as they did in the Ashes opener at The Gabba in December when Anderson and Broad were not deemed fit, but they were unable to create any real mischief.
They shared 14 overs but managed no more than a late shout for caught behind off Robinson. Joe Root would have liked to call on some extra pace but with Mark Wood off the field and Ben Stokes so far only bowling in the session breaks, he was unable to do so.
England have suggested Wood was merely resting, taking his turn out off the field in what is a 12-a-side contest, and there has been no mention of an injury to the quick.
Earlier, Bairstow - who resumed the day four not out - was the star of the show, with the Yorkshireman imposing himself on a weary home attack with 13 boundaries and a six in two dominant sessions of batting.
Bairstow was the fifth England batter to pass fifty in the innings, following Zak Crawley (62), Alex Lees (65), Root (54) and Dan Lawrence (83). Woakes too would surely have followed suit on his 33rd birthday but was left unbeaten on 49 when Root called his side in.
Lawrence clobbered an early six to turn his overnight 46 not out into a fifty, and he then peeled off a series of drives and cuts as he quickly advanced towards a hundred, only to find a rising delivery from Colin Archibald to slip 17 runs short.
Bairstow, however, would not be denied and he reached his century just before tea when flicking a Preston McSween delivery off his hips and down to the fine-leg boundary.
Ben Foakes was the only other England batter to fall in the day, somewhat gifting his wicket away for 25 when picking out square-leg off Shermon Lewis.
Lawrence has admitted he was frustrated not to get a chance to help England's faltering batting in the Ashes but says he is ready to make up for lost time in the West Indies.
After his lively knock of 83 scored at No 4 over the first two days of England's warm-up game against the Cricket West Indies President's XI, Lawrence reflected on a "frustrating" winter.
"That was my first competitive bat since the end of the English summer so it was just nice to spend a couple of hours at the crease," he said.
"It was a nice feeling to score some runs. I'd obviously love to play in the first Test, that's my number one priority.
"It was a bit of a frustrating time for me in Australia not playing, but that's life.
"It's obviously not been easy, it was tricky not being able to try and help the boys when they were having a pretty tough time. But it happens, I can't just expect to play. I'm trying to just prepare myself for when the opportunity does come."
Lawrence added: "I've batted a few different places for England so far, but for Essex the last three or four years I've batted number four and felt pretty comfortable there. It's a place I enjoy batting.
"I haven't actually had the conversation about what the team is going to be yet but it if I do get the chance to play and bat number four I'm very excited for that.
"I feel like at times I haven't showed everyone what I can actually do. I think when I actually get in I generally do alright, it's just starting sometimes for me. But I'm feeling very positive and I'm really just trying to enjoy every day I'm playing for England and not put too much pressure on myself.
"It hasn't gone how I wanted it to go so far in my career but hopefully it can change. If I do get a chance, grab it with both hands and really establish myself in the middle order for England."
