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TOP-ORDER batsman Ollie Pope (121 off 167 balls) got to his sixth Test century as England powered their way to 416 all out on day one of the second Test versus West Indies at Trent Bridge on July 18.
After getting a resounding innings and 114-run win in the first Test, the English were put on the back foot after just three balls in Trent Bridge after being sent in by Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. Opening batsman Zak Crawley (duck) was caught in the slip cordon by Alick Athanaze off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph with the English yet to put a run on the board.
The hosts wrested the momentum away swiftly, though, as Pope and Ben Duckett (71 off 59 balls) put on a 105-run stand for the second wicket — taking England's score to the 50-run mark inside the first five overs of the game. The left-handed Duckett was the aggressor in the partnership, and he raced to his half-century off just 32 balls — the joint third-fastest fifty for England in Tests.
After a spell of pressure from the West Indies, fast bowler Shamar Joseph (one for 44) got the wicket of Duckett who edged a delivery to Jason Holder at second slip to leave England on 105 for two in the 19th over.
England's scoring rate wasn't stalled, though, and they struck 50 fours and four sixes in their innings as their run rate hovered around five runs per over for most of day one.
Aided by a pair of dropped catches from Athanaze and Holder with his score on 46 and 54 respectively, Pope punished the Windies bowlers and got to his sixth Test century off 143 balls — hitting a total of 15 fours and the solitary six in his knock.
The hosts progressed to 259 for four at the Tea interval after the dismissals of Joe Root (14) and Harry Brook (36).
[caption id="attachment_1097016" align="alignnone" width="1024"] England's Harry Brook (R) after being dismissed by West Indies Kevin Sinclair during day one of the second Test at Trent Bridge cricket ground, Nottingham, England, on July 18. -[/caption]
With the set Pope and skipper Ben Stokes at the crease, the English were intent on driving home their advantage in the final session. The West Indies bowlers managed to put up a fight, and they got the remaining six wickets in the session, while England added 157 runs.
Pope was removed by the expensive Alzarri, who claimed three for 98 from 15.3 overs, with the dangerous Stokes (69 off 104 balls) being dismissed by part-timer Kavem Hodge (two for 44) who picked up his first Test wicket in the process.
Jamie Smith and Chris Woakes made 36 and 37 respectively as England's lower order kept the attacking impetus, with the latter being dismissed by Jayden Seales (two for 90) in the dying stages of the final session as the West Indies took the second new ball.
Alzarri brought an end to the hosts' innings when he had last-man Shoaib Bashir caught at slip by Holder for five.
After scoring a combined 257 runs in two innings in the first Test, the West Indies batsmen will need to come to the party on day two for the regional team to stay alive in the series.
Summarised Scores:
ENGLAND — 416 from 88.3 overs (Ollie Pope 121, Ben Duckett 71, Ben Stokes 69, Chris Woakes 37; Alzarri Joseph 3/98, Kavem Hodge 2/44) vs WEST INDIES.
 
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