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A classic Test match batting with extreme patience, resilience and grittiness was on display during Nkrumah Bonner‘s scintillating effort with the willow to help West Indies take the first-innings lead over England on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test in Antigua.
Starting the day on 34, Bonner saw Jason Holder depart early, caught behind off Ben Stokes in the 71st over. Bonner then formed a brilliant 73-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Joshua Da Silva to ensure West Indies inch closer to England’s first-innings total.
Da Silva’s stay, however, came to an end at the start of the second session when he was trapped in front by Jack Leach. In the very next over bowled by pacer Craig Overton, tailender Alzarri Joseph was caught at fine leg as the hosts were se💯ve🍰n wickets for 282 runs.
Bonner once again built another crucial stand of 44 runs for the eights wicket with Kemar Roach to take Windies ahead of England’s total of 311. The Jamaican, who had a reprieve after Zak Crawley put him down on 73, went on to smash the sec🍨ond century of his Test c🦹areer.
But soon after, the partnership came to an end as Roach was run out, having contributed 15 off 89 balls. But adding more troubles and frustrating the English bowlers further, Bonner formed yet another vital stand with Veerasammy Permaul for the ninth wicket.
The duo added 46 runs before Bonner got dismissed late in the day, when he was caught down the legside of part-timer Dan Lawrence, with England using the DRS to get the decision in their favour. Bonner scored 123 runs from 355 deliveries, including 12 fours and a six. England couldn’t strike further as Permaul remained unbeaten at 26 along with Jayden Seales at Stump🔯s, as West Indies reached 373/9, leading the ♈tourists by 62 runs.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Well played today Bonner.👏🏿
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket)
Another fine display of patience and temper▨ament by Nkrumah Bonner. First selected as a T20 batsman back in 2011 vs England. Now 5 times in 🙈ten Test matches he has batted for more than 200 deliveries in an innings. Congrats on test century number 2.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi)
Brilliant, dogged and gutsy Test century from Nkrumah Bonner, who 🔯is providing crucial solidity to thꦫe West Indies order.
Late bloomer with a poor first-class record – averaging under 30 in domestic cricket – but now averaging almost 50 in his 10 Tests
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig)
There's Nkrumah Bonner's hundred. Been in for 418 minutes, 257 balls. Magnificent effort.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp)
UPDATE:
Nkrumah Bonner has played 10ﷺ* test matches (17* innings) and shown obdurate defence on multiple occasions.ꦑ
200+ balls faced = 5 times
100+ balls faced = 3 times
50+ balls faced = 3 timesMany of our batters need to l🌟earn from him. Value your wicket..
— Caribbean Cricke﷽t Podcast (@CaribCricket)
We stuck at it and stuck together.
The hosts lead by 6⃣2⃣ runs at the end of a hard-fou❀ght day three.
Match Centre:
🏝 🏴
— England Cricket (@englandcricket)
//twitter.comಌ/GryllidaeC/status/1502026639454130178
//twitter.com/benjonescricket/st♕atus/1501997125290315782
Second Test hundred for Nkrumah Bonner – magnificent hundred under pressure, over 400 minutes in the middle and helped West Indies to get a first-innings lead.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
Nkrumah Bonner's 123 against England is the first ever Test century by a West Indies no.4 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua.
Other Test centuries at this venue by no.4 batters :-
Virat Kohli 🇮🇳 (200) v WI, 2016
Ian Bell 🏴 (143) v WI, 2015— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616)
West In🉐dies no.4 batting more than 500 minutes in a Test innings :
647 GS Sobers v Eng 1960
618 MN Samuels v Ban 2012
558 NE Bonner v Eng 2022— Sooraj Ayyappan (@Sooraj_Ayyappan)
