Ben Stokes hits brutal hundred and Matthew Fisher strikes early as England stay in command vs West Indies | Cricket News

Ben Stokes blistering in Barbados, hitting 114-ball hundred, including six sixes, as England declare on 507-9; Yorkshire seamer Matthew Fisher then strikes with second ball on debut before West Indies lose on 71-1 to trail by 436 after day two of second Test at Kensington Oval

Ben Stokes scored a scintillating century as England declared on 507-9 against West Indies in the second Test

Ben Stokes powered a pulsating 120 from 128 balls before Matthew Fisher picked up a wicket with his second ball on debut as England retained control of the second Test against West Indies on day two in Barbados.

Stokes’ brutal hitting – which saw him to a first Test century since July 2020 and past 5,000 Test runs – overshadowed skipper Root, who made 153 from 316 deliveries in England’s 507-9 declared having begun the day on 119.

Stokes thumped 89 of the 125 runs England scored in the opening session and 91 of the 129 he put on with Root in total – at one point crunching 64 from just 34 deliveries thanks to four sixes and eight fours as he took down West Indies seamer Alzarri Joseph and spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

Stokes is now sixth on the all-time list of six-hitters in Test cricket, with his six maximums at Kensington Oval taking him to 89 in total

The all-rounder, who smote six sixes and 11 fours all told in his 11th Test century, holed out in the second session and Root declared in the third before Yorkshire seamer Fisher had John Campbell (4) caught behind in the second over of West Indies’ reply after being given the new ball.

West Indies subsequently closed on 71-1 to trail by 436 – Shamarh Brooks is 31 not out while captain Kraigg Brathwaite is unbeaten on 28 having successfully overturned an lbw dismissal off Jack Leach when he was on 14.

Matthew Fisher dismissed West Indies opener John Campbell with his second ball in Test cricket

Fisher thought he had Brooks caught by Zak Crawley at slip for 17 in his fifth over, only for the third umpire to stick with the soft signal of not out with the England fielder’s fingers seemingly touching the turf.

More to follow…