Joseph, Owner Of Strain England's Response

Cricket news - Joseph, Holder blunt England's response

Alzarri Joseph snared the wickets of Joe Root and Joe Denly in successive overs

Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph's twin strikes reduced England to 75 for 4 at Tea on Day 3 of the second Test in Antigua, still trailing Windies by 44 runs. Having stretched their lead to 119 in the morning session, Windies' two pacers combined to pick up four wickets in a heap and dim England's far-fetched chances of gaining series parity.

The hosts found success in the ninth over after the Lunch break with their captain striking off his first ball of the day as Rory Burns, after all the hard work, cut straight to John Campbell at second slip. As was the case in England's first innings, Jonny Bairstow brought some urgency in their scoring. He played just one false short during his brief stay in the middle and hit Holder for two boundaries in the space of three deliveries. However, the Windies skipper packed him up early, knocking back the off-stump of the English 'keeper who went for an expansive drive with little feet movement.

England had barely recovered when Joseph struck twice in his successive overs to add to their woes. Holder went for a review almost instantly after Joe Root was adjudged not out for a caught behind appeal. The replays, however, confirmed Root had got his glove and the English skipper was on his way back, shaking his head in disbelief. Barely 11 balls later, Denly, after having weathered the early storm, got out shouldering arms to a delivery that seamed back in and hit the top of off.

With England four down for just 59 runs, Stokes had an intimidating welcome to the crease. He ducked under the short ball served right up by Joseph, was rapped on the back leg off the second while Windies momentarily considered a review and was then dropped in the slip cordon when the pacer finally managed to induce an edge.

However, Stokes and Buttler saw off the next four overs to get to Tea with 75 runs on the board and no further damage.

Earlier, Darren Bravo's gritty half-century gave Windies a healthy lead of 119 even as England managed to pick the four remaining wickets for only 34 runs on the third morning.

Brief scores: England 187 and 75/4 (Joe Denly 17; Alzarri Joseph 2-12, Jason Holder 2-27) trail Windies 306 (Darren Bravo 50, Kraigg Brathwaite 49; Stuart Broad 3-53, Moeen Ali 3-62) by 44 runs.