Jimmy Anderson on-form as England leave it late to take control in Barbados

Jimmy Anderson took four wickets in the final session to leave West Indies on 264 for eight by the close of day one in the first Test.

The West Indies had been making steady progress as Shai Hope, Royston Chase and Shimron Hetmyer hit fifties; however, Hope was dismissed by Anderson for 57, before the fast bowler dispatched Chase for 54 and then Shane Dowrich and captain Jason Holder in quick succession.

Ben Stokes, returning from 18 months of criticism following a drunken night in Bristol, received his 50th Test cap before play began and the Durham man caught Kemar Roach off the last ball of the day to leave the hosts on 264-8.

The day could have gone so differently after Jos Buttler dropped Hetmyer on three, as an aggressive inning’s scoring which included five fours and two sixes means he enters the second day’s play unbeaten on fifty-six.

Anderson impressed with two superb spells with the ball after tea, taking 3-6 in five overs, becoming the first England bowler to take 200 Test wickets abroad.

Stokes also provided an encouraging performance, striking twice before tea and returning after the break to remove Roach for a duck as West Indies lost four wickets for 24 runs late on.

Anderson’s return to form by taking his first Test wicket since the first over of his deliveries against Sri Lanka in November, a spell of 341 balls without breaking a wicket, might have led to him taking the headlines; however, the 34-year-old rightly praised Stokes for his impressive return to the England side.

“Stokes is a great player to have in the team – with bat, ball and in the field he can affect the game.

“I thought it was going to be another quiet game for me at tea. There’s encouragement for us so, no matter how flat the wicket is, if you have lateral movement that encourages you.

“The Dukes ball swings and stays hard for a long period of time. I was still getting swing in 70 overs. That’s unusual.”

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