AFP, Bridgetown :
Dan Lawrence’s last-over impetuousness cost him a maiden Test hundred but Joe Root’s composed, unbeaten century guided England to a comfortable 244 for three at the close of the first day of the second Test against the West Indies in Barbados on Wednesday.
England’s captain reached stumps at 119 off 246 deliveries with 12 fours and has already gone a long way towards justifying his decision to bat first again on winning the toss in conditions not dissimilar to the placid pitch on offer in the drawn first Test in Antigua a week earlier.
His 164-run third-wicket stand with Lawrence at Kensington Oval turned the screws on a West Indies team that contributed to its own plight.
Wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva dropped a leg-side catch offered by Root off senior pacer Kemar Roach when on 34, while Alzarri Joseph, in the unfamiliar position of first slip, missed a straightforward chance offered by an attacking Lawrence off Jayden Seales in the final session.
Energised by that reprieve off the second new ball, Lawrence was not prepared to exercise caution even with the end of play approaching.
Consecutive boundaries to the bowling of Jason Holder took him to 91 but in attempting another full-blooded off drive off what proved to be the final ball of the day, he gave a simple catch to home skipper Kraigg Brathwaite at short extra-cover.
“It was obviously disappointing for Dan the way it ended but this was a really great, positive day for us,” said England’s batting coach Marcus Trescothick.
“We have a great platform to build from and obviously those two, the way they are playing at the moment, put the West Indies under some real pressure.”
Trescothick, the former England opener, was full of praise for Root as a batsman and leader following his 25th Test ton.
