Valuable 126no Run Partnership

Ben Stokes (59no) and Dom Sibley (86no) steered England to 207-3 on the first day of the second test. All three innings to date, in this series, have seen Ben involved in 50 run partnerships.  Today, it was a valuable 126no run partnership eked out by Ben and Dom.

Manchester is famed for its overcast days. Today, the city did not disappoint. The start was delayed and the sky refused to remove its grey shroud. It was a day for stout, cautious and resilient batting. In sum, a beautiful day for Dom Sibley.

In a shortened first session, England were 29-1 at lunch. Rory Burns being given out LBW with the last ball before the break.

Zak Crawley (0) was caught first ball after lunch.

Joe Root (23) and Sibley added 52 for the third wicket. Joe becoming a victim of Alzarri Joseph for the fourth time in his last five innings vs. West Indies.

Ben joined Dom, playing with discretion and occasional crisp powerful strokes including a 6 off Roston Chase. One run at a time, the pair distanced England from a potentially unseemly low score to a semblance of respectability.

If Ben and Dom can add runs tomorrow morning, England may be well set for a healthy first innings lead, Manchester weather permitting.

(PhoenixMedia Image Created from a Photo by William West/AFP via Getty Images)