LONDON, England (AFP) – Jamie Smith scored a brilliant 70 on Test debut to help England to a commanding lead over the West Indies in their first innings at Lord’s Ground on Thursday.
England were trailing by 371 at tea on the second day of the first Test, 250 runs behind their opponents.
Smith, who averages over 50 for title-holders Surrey in this season’s County Championship, carried his club form onto the international stage with an assured innings of 119 balls that included eight fours and two sixes.
The wicketkeeper, who turns 24 on Friday, became the fifth player to score fifty in the innings, joining Zak Crawley (76), Ollie Pope (57), Joe Root (68) and Harry Brook (50) who had already achieved the feat.
England were already in the lead before the second day began, with Smith’s teammate and debutant fast bowler Gus Atkinson from Surrey taking an astounding 7-45 on Wednesday to help the West Indies be defeated for a paltry 121.
England resumed play on Thursday at 189 for 3 and already leading by 68 runs after the 26-year-old Atkinson surpassed record-breaking paceman James Anderson in his 188th and final Test match before retiring from England.
Root made 15 not out and Brooke 25 not out as the Yorkshire duo pitched on Thursday in sunny conditions perfect for batting.
With the ball not deviating too far in the air or off the pitch, maintaining accurate line and length became even more important for the West Indies pace attack.
But England scored briskly, with star batsman Root hitting Jayden Shields with a cover drive for a textbook four and Brook smashing Shamar Joseph for a six.
But Brook was easily caught with a top edge by wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva after attempting to hook a bouncing ball from Alzarri Joseph outside off stomp, leaving England at 244 for four.
West Indies left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti batted twice before lunch, getting out England captain Ben Stokes (4) and star batsman Root with some sharp, curving deliveries.
Smith and Chris Woakes continued to score 52 for the seventh wicket after lunch, but the recalled all-rounder was run out in the deep with the new ball.
Atkinson experienced a different side to Test cricket when he fell for a golden duck late off a delivery from Jason Holder, condemning the all-rounder to a similar fate on Wednesday.
Smith was chosen as England’s wicketkeeper ahead of his Surrey colleague Ben Foakes, in part because the selectors felt he was better at batting aggressively with just the tail.
He went on the attack and proved their prediction correct, scoring six points off Shamar Joseph (who later appeared to have injured his hamstring) and then another over the Tavern Stand off Shields.
After Shoaib Bashir was spectacularly run out by a direct hit from point by Mikhail Lewis, No. 11 Anderson departed to a standing ovation from the MCC members in the pavilion in what was likely to be his final Test innings.
However, the 41-year-old was left not out and facing a ball as Smith was caught at deep backward square leg to give Shields his fourth wicket of the innings.
Thursday was also Red for Ruth Day at Lord’s, a fundraiser for the cancer charity set up in memory of Ruth Strauss, the late wife of former England captain Andrew Strauss.
