Southampton: West Indies opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite scored a vital fifty to put his side on top on the third day of the first Test against England at Ageas Bowl in Southampton on Friday. England managed to take three West Indies wickets giving away 159 runs by lunch. Visitors are trailing by just 45 runs with seven wickets in the bag.
Starting at their overnight score of 57/1, Brathwaite and Shai Hope weathered the early storm raised by the bowlers and took the score past the 100-run mark.
The 59-run stand was eventually broken by Dominic Bess as he got rid of Hope for 16. The right-hander edged the ball into the hands of stand-in captain Ben Stokes at first slip.
Brathwaite, on the other hand, kept his composure and went past the fifty-run mark in the 37th over. This was his first half-century in 22 Test innings.
He, along with Shamarh Brooks, kept the scoreboard ticking, till Brathwaite was dismissed by Stokes for 65. In the 42nd over, Brathwaite hit three boundaries but on the last ball was trapped LBW by the England talisman. The opener's 125-ball innings included six boundaries.
Brooks (27*) and Roston Chase (13*) then kept the bowlers at bay for the final few overs before lunch was called by the officials.
Brief Scores: West Indies: 159/3 ( Brathwaite: 65, Campbell: 28, Stokes: 1/20); England 204 all-out (Stokes 43, Buttler 35, Holder 6/42)
