Joe Root was unbeaten on a sublime 182 as England made 464 all out for a commanding first-innings lead of 165 over West Indies in Grenada.
Root, starting the day with 118 of the tourists’ 373 for six, moved smoothly to another milestone, his fourth Test score of 150 or more, as wickets fell around him
He lost Jos Buttler stumped, Chris Jordan narrowly run out and Stuart Broad caught behind the wicket, the first and third scalps going to spinner Devendra Bishoo.
James Anderson stuck around to allow Root to within touching distance of a double-ton before being carelessly run out by not running his bat in. Anderson soon made amends by forcing Devon Smith to cheaply play on.
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Morning session
West Indies innings
5.01pm – LUNCH! WI 22/1; Brathwaite 5, Bravo 15 – An over of Moeen Ali’s spin completes an eventful morning session. Moeen’s set of six includes Bravo flashing an edge past second slip, so fast it can’t be considered a chance, before the left-hander hits a four aerially down the ground and another through midwicket. England lead by a healthy 143 thanks largely to Root’s magnificent 182 not out.
4.53pm – Darren Bravo announces himself by flicking Broad aerially but safely through square-leg for four.
4.46pm – WICKET! Smith b Anderson 2; WI 3/1 – Anderson makes amends for his run-out by forcing the left-handed Smith to play on, attempting to leave the ball on the back foot, much like the three drag-ons on St George’s Day!
4.37pm – James Anderson, perhaps with a point to prove after the manner of his run-out, opens the bowling with a maiden to Kraigg Brathwaite. Devon Smith opens the scoring with a leading edge for two off Stuart Broad.
The lads loosen up as we will have a bowl at the West Indies before lunch. England lead by 165 runs. #WIvEngpic.twitter.com/Gygqvcf8zM
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) April 24, 2015
England innings
Last 5 of Roots 100s have been in excess of 149, and the last 4 have been not out.
— mike selvey (@selvecricket) April 24, 2015
4.22pm – WICKET & END OF INNINGS! England 464 all out! Anderson run out (Gabriel) 2; Root 182no – Root nudges Holder to midwicket and calls Anderson for a second run. Anderson is on course to make his ground but bizarrely doesn’t run his bat in and is run out from Gabriel’s throw. Root is understandably frustrated at the manner of the dismissal but he has given England a healthy first-innings lead of 165. Brilliantly batted Joe!
When Joe Root arrived at the crease England had 164 runs. He's still there 300 runs later. The boy's a marvel.
— Rory Dollard (@thervd) April 24, 2015
4.17pm – Root is farming the strike, for the last three overs playing the first four balls before giving Anderson the last two. They are doing it well. Root then slog-sweeps Bishoo for six, moving to 180, the equivalent of three treble-twenties in darts!
4.02pm – Shot! Root gets better yet. With last man James Anderson for company, he advances to Bishoo and strokes the spinner for a dead-straight six, his third maximum of the innings. With the field set back, Root then declines a single to long-off against Holder before thumping the seamer over midwicket for four. England’s lead soon moves on to 150!
Broad and Jordan have both fallen... Eng 431-9. Watch #WIvENG live on SS2 or follow via: http://t.co/jkeTp5niOKpic.twitter.com/WOR19ICDNI
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) April 24, 2015
3.51pm – REVIEW & WICKET! Broad c Smith b Bishoo 0; Eng 431/9 – The left-handed Stuart Broad attempts to sweep Bishoo but gloves a leg-side catch to slip fielder Devon Smith, who runs behind Ramdin to take it. Broad reviews but replays show the ball brushed at least the wristband of his glove, so he is on his way.
3.48pm – 150! Root (202b 16x4 2x6) – Root sweeps Bishoo to the boundary, taking him to 150. Importantly for England, Root’s sensational innings continues.
3.43pm – REVIEW & WICKET! Jordan run out (Holder) 16; Eng 426/8 – One of the tightest run-out calls you’ll ever see, for TV umpire Billy Bowden to judge! A gun throw comes in from the deep, right over the stumps for wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin to gather, and Jordan dives to try to make his ground. Bowden spends four minutes looking at replays before giving Jordan out. It came after Root, who had cut a four from the previous delivery, ran the ball down to third man, where Jason Holder relayed from, but changed his mind over a second run.
3.30pm – Root gets his first four of the day in similar fashion to many of his boundaries yesterday, opening the face to guide Roach behind square on the off side.
Root has reached 2,000 Test runs in fewer innings than Sachin. Among Eng players he's behind Sutcliffe, Compton, Hammond, Trott, Hobbs ...
— George Dobell (@GeorgeDobell1) April 24, 2015
3 - Joe Root has become the 3rd @ECB_cricket player after David Gower and Alastair Cook to score 2,000 Test runs before turning 25. Lineage.
— OptaJim (@OptaJim) April 24, 2015
3.17pm – Jordan, having been beaten by a Bishoo beauty in the previous over, sweetly cover-drives Kemar Roach, who has replaced Gabriel, for four to take England to 400, a milestone that is greeted by their strong support in Grenada. Jordan profits further against Roach in his next over, on-driving the seamer for four.
3.10pm – New man Chris Jordan is lucky to survive when he inside-edges Gabriel on to his body and the ball falls on to the base of off stump without dislodging a bail. Jordan responds by emphatically pulling Gabriel for four.
3.02pm – WICKET! Buttler st Ramdin b Bishoo 13; Eng 387/7 – Following a tight second over from Gabriel, Buttler shows positive intent by smacking Bishoo down the ground for the day’s first four. But next ball he advances, is beaten in the flight and is comfortably stumped.
Grenada is a picture this morning. Cricket underway. Eng to build on 74 run lead.
— Dean Wilson (@CricketMirror) April 24, 2015
2.45pm – Shannon Gabriel opens the bowling, initially to Joe Root. Jos Buttler was struck on the elbow in the nets this morning but is able to resume his innings. Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo is on at the other end and the batsmen rotate the strike well in an over worth seven.
Pre-play news
Curtly Ambrose rallying the troops. We're all set for D4. Watch on SS2 or follow our blog here http://t.co/TGo2Pedvvrpic.twitter.com/ffZqXKILG4
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) April 24, 2015
2.40pm – Like the previous two days, play is due to start 15 minutes early (in five minutes) to make up for time lost to rain on the first two days. While waiting to the action, why not recap yesterday in our report and picture gallery. We’ve also got exclusive reaction from Jonathan Trott (see the video above) and the best of the reaction on Twitter to Root’s ton.
2.30pm – Hello and welcome to our coverage of day four in Grenada. Joe Root’s sensational unbeaten 118 yesterday has put England 74 runs ahead of West Indies with four first-innings wickets left. He and Jos Buttler will look to extend that advantage in the morning session.
Warm-up underway for England before the start of day four. #WIvEngpic.twitter.com/LvPDlFX2Xr
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) April 24, 2015