Ollie Pope rode his luck to a hundred as England ended the first day of the second test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge on Thursday in a commanding position at 416 all out.
Both sides had reason to feel frustrated, with the West Indies dropping four catches – Pope was reprieved twice – and wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva missing a stumping, while several England batsmen gave their wickets away.
Ben Duckett launched the innings with a rapid 71, after fellow opener Zak Crawley fell for a duck, with England racing to 50 in a mere 4.2 overs – the quickest a side have reached that total in a test match.
"Unfortunately we lost a wicket in the first over but the pressure Ben Duckett put back on the West Indies bowlers was class," Pope told Sky Sports after stumps. "It took the pressure off me.
"It's such a quick scoring ground. The outfield is lightning. It's a lovely place to bat," he added.
Duckett's innings was very much in the spirit of 'Bazball', the nickname for England's aggressive style of test cricket under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Yet for all his advocacy of such a bold approach, few England cricketers are better at playing a match situation than Stokes, who on Thursday made a measured 69 off 108 balls.
Batted, skip 🫡 pic.twitter.com/zm7adHoHBI
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 18, 2024
But with West Indies missing paceman Shamar Joseph who broke down in the last over before tea and the attack seemingly at his mercy, Stokes holed out off Kavem Hodge to give the part-time spinner a first test wicket.
Jamie Smith, fresh from a dashing 70 on debut during England's crushing innings and 114-run win in the first test at Lord's last week, also donated his wicket to Hodge.
Off-spinner Kevin Sinclair was only called into the team on Thursday morning after Gudakesh Motie dropped out with illness but the 24-year-old returned sound figures of 2-73 in 22 overs, producing an impressive celebratory backflip when Harry Brook toe-ended to short leg.
Comes in as the replacement✅
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 18, 2024
Grabs his 1st Test wicket in England✅#ENGvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/qk1IDQTQxA
"I think we did brilliant," Sinclair told the BBC. "Having said that, we put down a few -- we put Pope down a couple of times and he got a hundred so that hurt us a bit."
West Indies delayed taking the new ball until England were 397-8 off 86 overs.
Off the very next delivery Chris Woakes glanced Alzarri Joseph for a four that took England past 400.
West Indies did bowl England out when Alzarri Joseph (3-98 in 15.3 overs) had last man Shoaib Bashir caught in the slips to end play for the day.
Earlier, Pope was dropped on 46 and 54, with Alick Athanaze at backward point and the usually reliable Jason Holder at second slip dropping catches.
Pope pressed on to a hundred, the 26-year-old completing his sixth century in 45 tests when he hammered Jayden Seales for a 15th four in 143 balls faced.
💯💯💯💯💯💯
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 18, 2024
Brb just watching this on loop 🔁 pic.twitter.com/r0zf567b6t
But the England vice-captain's luck ran out when he was brilliantly caught by Hodge, high above his head at first slip, off Alzarri Joseph to end a 167-ball innings, including 15 fours and a six, and a stand of 80 with Stokes.
QUICK-FIRE ENGLAND
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and opted to bowl despite sunny conditions seemingly ideal for batting.
Yet his decision was understandable given the West Indies were dismissed for just 121 and 136 at Lord's.
It took West Indies just three balls to strike on Thursday, with Crawley edging an excellent delivery from Alzarri Joseph low to third slip, where a diving Athanaze held a fine catch.
But England soon regained the initiative as Duckett struck four successive fours in the second over of the match from Seales.
The left-hander produced a sparkling 59-ball innings on his Nottinghamshire home ground, with 56 runs of his runs coming in boundaries courtesy of 14 fours.
Duckett was out shortly before lunch, edging a good-length ball from Shamar Joseph to second slip, where towering allrounder Holder held a fine low catch.
Duckett's exit ended a second-wicket partnership of 105 in 19 overs with Pope.
England are seeking a win that would clinch the three-match series with one test to spare.
This was their first match since James Anderson retired from international duty with 704 test wickets – the most by any fast bowler – following the Lord's test.
It was also England's first home test since 2012 without either Anderson or longtime new-ball partner Stuart Broad, who bowed out after last year's Ashes.
ENGLAND: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt) Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir.
WEST INDIES: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva (wk), Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales.