1st Test, Day 1: Jonny Bairstow hundred lifts England to 268 for six against West Indies
India Today
Jonny Bairstow's hundred lifted England from the brink of disaster on the first day of their three-Test series against West Indies on Tuesday.
Jonny Bairstow's classy hundred helped England recover against the West Indies as they went from a noose-tightening 48/4 to a breathe-easy 268/6 on the opening day of the first Test on Tuesday. Bairstow brought up the slowest of his eight Test hundreds, his first against West Indies, shortly before the close in front of a healthy pro-England crowd.
After another top-order collapse, Bairstow combined with Ben Stokes to rebuild for the tourists as they headed to lunch at 57/4. They combined for 67 to take England past 100. Bairstow and Ben Foakes made 99 together to take England past 200, then Bairstow reached his eighth Test century in the company of allrounder Chris Woakes. Those two saw outplay to stumps, including six overs of the new ball, to complete a remarkable turnaround.
From 48/4 to 268/6 England had Jonny Bairstow to thank for a superb recovery on Day One in Antigua.#WTC23 | #WIvENGhttps://t.co/weVdpj7hgS
A lively Kemar Roach, miserly Jason Holder and promising young paceman Jayden Seales all collected two wickets each. Roach claimed the prized wicket of Joe Root for 13 when the England captain did not offer a shot to a ball that clipped off the bails. Holder, with the second ball of a new spell, crucially pinned Foakes lbw to end a 99-run partnership between the wicketkeeper and Bairstow at a time when things looked in danger of spiraling out of control for the home team.
Two months after a century against Australia in Sydney, Bairstow took no chances early, taking 118 balls to compile his first 43, before needing 72 more to reach his 100. "I've been fortunate enough to be on a few tours over here and it's an amazing place to come," he said.
"To score a century in any Test match, but especially with the traveling fans who haven't been able to come for a couple of years, we're very fortunate to have them."
