Cook, Trott start strong in reply to West Indies 299 on day two of second Test

St. George’s, Grenada: England openers Alistair Cook and Jonathan Trott wasted no time building a strong reply to the West Indies first-innings 299 on the second day of the second Test Wednesday. After a day shortened to 60.4 overs by rain before lunch and eventually by fading light, captain Cook was unbeaten on 37 with Trott on 32 as England were 74 without loss at stumps at the National Stadium. [caption id=“attachment_2208666” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  England captain Alastair Cook. AP[/caption] It was a reversal of England’s failures in the drawn first Test in Antigua, where Cook was out for 11 and 13 and Trott, returning to the team for the first time since withdrawing from the tour of Australia after the first test, for 0 and 4. Neither was unduly troubled by the West Indies bowling on a slow pitch and in bright sunshine after the earlier rain clouds cleared. Earlier, the West Indies were boosted by a stroke-filled last-wicket partnership of 52 by left-hander Davendra Bishoo and Shannon Gabriel after century-maker Marlon Samuels, captain Denesh Ramdin, Jason Holder and Kemar Roach were dismissed for the addition of just 24 runs. Bishoo, the diminutive legspinner in his first test since 2009, entertained with attractive strokes, timing four boundaries before offspinner Moeen Ali trapped him lbw for 30 to end the innings. Gabriel, a tall fast bowler brought into the team to replace the injured Jerome Taylor, belted a six and a four in his unbeaten 20, surpassing his previous highest first-class score of 16. Fast bowler Stuart Broad returned England’s best figures of 4-61 off 24 overs. There were two wickets for Jimmy Anderson and Chris Jordan, and one each for Ben Stokes and Ali. Samuels, on 94 when play began after a delayed start, completed his seventh test century with his 13th four of the innings, a shot off Anderson over slips. He then edged Anderson to Ian Bell at second slip two balls later off his 226th ball to go for 103. Ten runs later, Broad dismissed captain Denesh Ramdin (30), Samuels’ partner in a stand of 94, and followed up with the wickets of Jason Holder for 22 and Kemar Roach for 1 before Bishoo and Daniel frustrated England. AP