Ballance celebrates after scoring his fourth Test century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

England have begun their push to take a 1-0 lead in the Test series after batsman Gary Ballance scored 122.

Ballance was well supported by Joe Root and Jos Buttler, both of whom made 59.

However, West Indies opener Devon Smith deserves some credit as he scored an unbeaten 59.

Starting out the day on 116/3, Ballance and Root converted their 64-run partnership into a 114-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, before Root was clean bowled by Jason Holder.

Root’s brilliant knock of 59 came off 79 balls and included five boundaries and a six.

Ballance and Ben Stokes kept the runs flowing with a 60-run partnership before Stokes was stumped by West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin off the bowling of Sulieman Benn for 35.

Ballance and Buttler continued to take the attack to the West Indies as they amassed a 55-run partnership, during which Ballance registered his fourth Test century, before he was caught by Jermaine Blackwood at deep midwicket off the bowling of Benn.

Ballance’s superb knock of 122 came off 250 balls and included 11 boundaries and two sixes.

England’s dominance with the bat continued as Buttler and Chris Jordan accumulated a 52-run partnership, during which Buttler recorded his half-century, before Jordan was caught by Darren Bravo off the bowling of Kemar Roach for 13.

Following Jordan’s dismissal, England skipper Alastair Cook decided to declare with his side on 333/7, which set the West Indies a target of 438 to win.

Buttler remained undefeated on 59 off 56 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes.

Jerome Taylor and Benn picked up two wickets apiece, while Roach and Holder chipped in with one wicket each.

Chasing 438 to win, the West Indies got off to a horrible start as opener Kraigg Brathwaite was caught by Root at short leg off the bowling of Stuart Broad for five runs.

Smith and Bravo made up for the early loss of Brathwaite with an 83-run partnership, during which Smith brought up his half-century, before Bravo was brilliantly caught by Jordan at slip off the bowling of Root for 32.

Smith and Marlon Samuels accumulated an unbeaten eight-run partnership before stumps was called.

Smith finished on 59 off 131 balls, which included seven boundaries, while Samuels remained unbeaten on two.

Smith hit seven boundaries during his unbeaten knock of 59

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

Broad and Root claimed one wicket each.

The West Indies ended day four on 98/2 and will continue batting tomorrow at 10:00 local time or 14:00 GMT.