Event of the Day: West Indies versus England
Our event of the day is the second day of the Second Test between the West Indies and England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. England batted first yesterday after the West Indies elected to bowl. Moeen Ali did his best in the afternoon to save the visitors from complete embarrassment. However, the West Indies bowling showed its strength overall and England were all out for 187 runs. The West Indies will continue their first inning batting today so be sure you don’t miss the continuation of this exciting Test match. Coming into this Test, England needed to rise from the ashes. A 77-run first inning in the first Test was one of the worst in the history of the English national side. They lost the first Test by 381 runs after the West Indies presented them with a target of 628 in the second inning.
The bounce back started slowly in yesterday’s opening day of the second Test. West Indies elected to bowl and England spent the first few overs playing defensive cricket. Rory Burns was caught for four and debuting opener Joe Denly suffered the same fate after only scoring six. However, Johnny Bairstow sparked a little England momentum and by the end of the 18th over, they were 55/3. They surpassed 77 runs in the 24th over and went into lunch on a vulnerable 78 for 4. The hosts came back from the break with a steely determination, taking a wicket on just the second ball after play resumed. After a slow first hour following lunch, England went on a scoring spree, racking up 61 runs in 15 overs. Moeen Ali led the afternoon charge, hitting 60 off 104 balls. However, once Ali was caught off Shannon Gabriel, England dropped two more wickets in the subsequent 3-and-a-half overs. On the last ball of the 61st over, Shannon Gabriel bowled out James Anderson to end England’s first inning on 187 all out. The West Indies bowling did its job, allowing minimal runs and dominating the English batsmen. They recorded 19 maiden overs and none of the bowlers had an economy of over 4.00. Kemar Roach lead by example, taking five wickets. The West Indies began their turn at the crease after a short break and by stumps, they sat on 30/0. That is where the action will pick up today and based on the excitement of yesterday, be sure you don’t miss it.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the Six Nations, where France host Wales in the opening match of the tournament at the Stade de France. France versus Wales has always been an exciting fixture in the Six Nations, whether it’s the 14-13 win for Wales last year or the 20-18, 100-minute thrilling victory for France in 2017. Tonight, Tomos Williams will make his Six Nations debut for Wales. Meanwhile, Ross Moriarty will play in his first competitive rugby match since December. France will look to bounce back from a tough 2018, which saw them win just three matches during the year. It is sure to be an exciting start to the Six Nations so be sure you don’t miss it. Elsewhere, in the NBA, the Denver Nuggets host the Houston Rockets at the Pepsi Center. Japan face Qatar in the final of the AFC Asian Cup at the ZCS Stadium in Abu Dhabi. On the PGA tour, the Waste Management Phoenix Open continues at TPC Scottsdale. The first round of the Davis Cup begins. In the NHL, the New York Islanders host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the NYCB Live: Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Photos by Windies Cricket; ICC Cricket