5 key highlights that defined WI's batting resilience on Day 2

The 50-run opening stand

West Indies got off to a good start with the bat. The skipper Kraigg Brathwaite added a 53-run stand for the opening wicket with Mikyle Louis. Brathwaite, in an uncharacteristic quick start, contributed 30 runs to this stand off 49 deliveries. The partnership came in the opening hour of the day's play established that it was going to be a batting-friendly day at Trent Bridge. 

However, once Louis was out for 21, West Indies quickly slid to 84/3. 

Wood’s thunderous start

Brought into the XI for his express pace, Mark Wood warmed up with the quickest over by an England seamer at home since records are being kept. He averaged 152.64 kmph in his first over. In his third over, he bettered that to 152.66 kmph, including one delivery clocking 156.26 kmph, the quickest in his Test career. 

However, Wood went wicketless in the day’s play, with figures of 0/51 in 14.1 overs. 

Athanaze, Hodge revive West Indies

The two Dominicans in the West Indies’s side, Alick Athanaze and Kavem Hodge revived West Indies with a partnership of 175 runs for the fourth wicket. Athanaze scored 82 off 99 balls when Ben Stokes’ golden arm got him out. In the early stages of the partnership, Hodge was dropped by Joe Root at first slip while batting at 16. 

Hodge notches up maiden ton

Hodge made the most of the second life, amassing his first Test hundred, scoring 120 off 171 balls. He had a slowish start, scoring only five off his first 30 balls but once he found his mojo, he pushed the pressure back on England with an array of strokes square of the wicket. 

Against pacers, Hodge scored 58 off 42 balls off the back foot while batting at a strike rate of only 38.5 on the front foot. 

Holder, Da Silva keep hosts at bay

England must have sensed an opening once both Athanaze and Hodge were back in the hut. However, Jason Holder (23* off 67) and Joshua Da Silva (32* off 35) kept the England bowlers at bay, staging an unbeaten 46-run stand for the sixth wicket off only 57 deliveries. West Indies closed the day at 351/5, only 65 runs behind England’s first innings score. 

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