Keaton Jennings out cheaply as England struggle in St Lucia
Saturday 9 February 2019 22:11, UK
England’s top-order failings remain under scrutiny after the tourists collapsed to 69-3 and then 107-4 before tea on day one of the third Test against Windies.
Keaton Jennings (eight), Rory Burns (29), Joe Denly (20) and Joe Root (15) all struggled for fluency in St Lucia as seamer Keemo Paul (2-21) proved the pick of a disciplined Windies attack.
Jos Buttler - who was dropped before he'd scored - was 17no at tea, which England took on 114-4.
Paul, brought into the Windies side to replace the suspended Jason Holder, struck with his first ball, Jennings (8) driving but able only to edge the ball to Darren Bravo at first slip.
Jennings had had two let offs prior to that, both in the same Kemar Roach over, as Windies failed to review the umpire's 'not out' decision for an lbw shout that DRS would have overturned before Roston Chase shelled a regulation chance at third slip.
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England were put in to bat by Kraigg Brathwaite at the toss, where Joe Root confirmed Ben Stokes was fit to play as an all-rounder and that Jennings and Mark Wood had been brought into the XI and Sam Curran was out.
After a solid start from Burns and Jennings, play was brought to a halt after 5.1 overs due to rain. There followed a break of around half an hour play resumed and the Windies bowlers seemed refreshed by the break.
Jennings was soon in trouble and Roach was left to rue his luck after the opener's double escape in the space of an over.
Paul's introduction coincided with Jennings' luck running out and the Windies all-rounder caused a few problems for Burns and Denly as well.
Denly survived a scare before lunch when Windies thought he'd gloved down the leg-side only for the 'not out' decision to be upheld with replays showing the batsman's hand was just off the handle.
England, already 2-0 down in the series, desperately needed a sizeable partnership to ease the pressure but Paul again intervened by trapping Burns lbw with the second delivery of his new spell as the left-hander looked to hit to leg.
No further runs had been added when Shannon Gabriel beat Denly for pace on off-stump, umpire Rod Tucker wasting no time giving the lbw decision.
England's plight would have been worse had Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer not got in the way of each other in the slip cordon after Buttler flashed at a wide one before he'd scored.
Root put on 38 with Buttler to steady the ship somewhat but could not see out the session, feathering a catch behind looking to cut a wayward Alzarri Joseph delivery.
Watch continued live coverage of the third Test between Windies and England on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event.
