Mark Stoneman (52) hits maiden Test fifty for England
Sunday 27 August 2017 19:21, UK
Joe Root and Dawid Malan's unbroken 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket saw England edge into a two-run lead by stumps on day three of the second Test, at Headingley.
Mark Stoneman (52) earlier notched a maiden Test fifty as England ate into Windies' 169-run first-innings lead, before Root (45no) and Malan (21no) just about took them past it.
Watch the video at the top of the page for highlights from the day's play, which also saw the Windies post 427 in their first-innings.
Jimmy Anderson (5-76) had lit up Headingley with the first two balls of the morning, the seamer picking up Shai Hope (147) and Shane Dowrich (0) to progress to 497 Test wickets.
However, a sparkling 75-run stand for the eighth wicket between Jason Holder (43) and the effervescent Jermaine Blackwood (49) lifted Windies to a significant advantage - after Blackwood was dropped on 21 by Moeen Ali at mid-on.
When England eventually got to work with the bat after lunch, Alastair Cook and Stoneman posted only England's second fifty-plus opening partnership of the summer.
England's only previous half-century opening stand came when Cook and Keaton Jennings put on 80 against South Africa at Lord's, but Stoneman and the former skipper bagged another in Leeds, from 110 balls.
Cook eventually fell for 23, one of two wickets for Holder (2-44) - the other, Tom Westley (8) - as the Windies skipper bowled with immaculate line and length.
And while Stoneman couldn't add too greatly to his score after reaching his half century - bowled by Shannon Gabriel (1-41) - England's fifth-wicket pair battled it out to see the team into the lead.
Coverage of the second Test continues on Sky Sports Cricket, from 10.30am on Bank Holiday Monday. You can follow over-by-over commentary and in-play clips with our live blog on Sky Sports digital platforms.
