Will Jimmy Anderson break Botham's record in 100th Test?
Bowler needs two wickets to equal record, but West Indies say his age is showing
Jimmy Anderson claimed his 381st Test wicket to move to within two of Ian Botham's record but it was a frustrating second day for England in Antigua against the West Indies.
The tourists had finished the first day on 341 for 5, but their remaining five wickets went for just 42 as Kemar Roach finished with figures of 4 for 94. Instead of putting the game out of reach for the Windies, Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad both fell without scoring while Ben Stokes added just eight to his overnight score of 71.
It was a disappointing conclusion to the England innings after Ian Bell's century on the first day of the first Test, but Jimmy Anderson struck early in the West Indies' reply when he removed opener Devon Smith, caught behind for 11. The wicket moved the 32-year-old to within two of Botham's England record and Anderson could surpass the landmark figure in his 100th match when play resumes on the third day.
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West Indies lost three further wickets as they wobbled on 99 for 4 but a fifth wicket partnership of 56 between Shivnarine Chanderpaul – playing in his 162nd Test – and Jermaine Blackwood allowed the hosts to reach 155 without further loss at stumps. It was painstaking cricket in the final session as the pair compiled their 56-run stand in 29 overs on a pitch with more life than expected and in the face of a strong cross-breeze and a good deal of cloud cover. Nonetheless the pair's diligence gives the West Indies hope that they might be able to avoid defeat in the opening Test.
Anderson, who bowled just four overs after tea, is likely to open the attack when play resumes and Chris Jordan is confident his Lancastrian team-mate will overhaul Botham's 23-year-old record. "Jimmy got us off and running with the first wicket and the rest of us tried to back that up, which I thought we did pretty well," said Jordan, who took the wicket of Darren Bravo and also pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Kraigg Braithwaite. "If he keeps doing that and bowling the way he does those wickets are just around the corner."
Braithwaite suggested later that Anderson had been showing signs of his age in the afternoon spell, telling reporters the England paceman seemed a "little bit tired". Jordan disagreed, retorting to the comments of the West Indies' vice-captain. "No, not at all. He's in a good head space as far as I'm concerned and hopefully he can build on a lot of the good stuff he did today," he said.
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