Trent Bridge Test finely balanced after Kavem Hodge's defiant century against Mark Wood's express pace

They have had to wait but West Indies supporters finally have something to cheer in this series after an excellent performance with the bat on Day Two at Trent Bridge.

Centred around a superb 175-run partnership between Alick Athanaze and Kavem Hodge, the tourists batted from start to close, finishing 351/5, a deficit of 65, as they put their error-strewn first day well and truly behind them to inject a bit of competition into a series that had threatened to be spiralling out of their control.

The undisputed star for the West Indies was Hodge, playing in just his fourth Test at the age of 31, he made a brilliant maiden century over the course of the afternoon. Coming to the crease with the West Indies 84/3, following the reckless dismissal of Kirk McKenzie, Hodge first ensured there would be no repeat of the batting collapses that scuppered their hopes at Lord’s, before, in tandem with Athanaze, batting his team into a respectable position in the game.

Hodge was, as is often the case with players of his stature, excellent square of the wicket on either side, withstanding the short ball barrage that England repeatedly sent in his direction as they attempted to prise wickets out on a pitch that was not offering a great deal to bowlers.

Making the most of a lifeline, Joe Root dropping the simplest of chances at first slip, off the bowling of Mark Wood when Hodge had scored just 16, the diminutive Dominican cashed in to frustrate the hosts for the majority of the afternoon and evening sessions.

Hodge combined very nicely with his fellow Dominican, the perhaps slightly more touted Athanaze, playing in his just his sixth Test himself, their 175-run partnership all the more impressive given that it came in the face of a competent bowling display from England. Athanaze bested a Test high score of 47 made against India last year and will be disappointed not to have made a century of his own – the delight shown by Ben Stokes when he slapped one to gully to fall for an excellent 82, showed just how well he had been batting, England were beginning to feel a little desperate in their search for a wicket.

Just four overs after Athanaze fell agonisingly short of three figures, Hodge brought up that maiden century, sweetly driving a big Stokes inswinger all the way to the long-off fence – screaming in delight as it became clear the stroke would take him past 100, before leaping somewhat comically and endearingly into the arms of Jason Holder, his batting partner so large that Hodge’s feet were momentarily completely off the ground.

However, despite West Indies’ dominance with the bat for much of the day, this was by no means a poor performance from England with the ball. Playing for the first time post the retirements of Stuart Broad and James Anderson, England nevertheless kept their composure in the face of fairly testing conditions, Stokes always proactive with plans and fields in what would prove a largely fruitless quest to winkle out opposition wickets.

Mark Wood was particularly luckless, he produced some spells of extraordinarily quick bowling – rarely seen before from a man in England colours – clocked at 97.1mph at one point, he terrorised the West Indies batting lineup and will go to bed both exhausted and questioning just how he didn’t end up with even a single wicket. The 18 plays and misses he drew from opposition batters over the course of the day told their own story.

Things got a little easier for England later in the day as they finally managed to extract some movement from the ball, although Hodge would prove to be the only victim claimed by the hosts, trapped LBW for a fantastic 120 by Chris Woakes who improved greatly as the day wore on.

Despite playing one of the least convincing hands ever, somehow Jason Holder survived to the close, his 67-ball stint at the crease almost the dictionary definition of ‘living a charmed life’. It leaves the game fascinatingly poised, England will return tomorrow with a ball just one over old and the knowledge that they are not far from breaking into West Indies’ fairly long tail. The visitors find themselves just 65 behind and with a great opportunity of a first innings lead that could heap all sorts of pressure on England’s batting in the third innings – suddenly we have a game on our hands in Nottingham.