Ben Duckett made an explosive start for England in the second Test against the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. In just the second over of the match, Duckett smashed four consecutive boundaries, setting the tone for England’s innings. This article delves into Duckett’s impressive performance, the team’s overall start, and the changes made by both sides for this crucial match.
Ben Duckett Hits Four Consecutive Boundaries
England’s innings began with a setback as opener Zak Crawley was dismissed in the first over by Alzarri Joseph, caught at slip. However, Ben Duckett quickly turned the tide in England’s favor. Facing Jayden Seales in the second over, Duckett launched a counter-attack. He started with a cover drive for four, followed it up with a boundary past backward point, glanced the third ball through mid-wicket, and finished the sequence with another stylish cover drive. This aggressive display left Seales bewildered and gave England a strong start despite the early wicket.
Back-to-back-to-back-to-back boundaries 😍
🔥 @BenDuckett1 pic.twitter.com/9IqzPtdwra
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 18, 2024
England’s Solid Start
Despite the early loss of Crawley, England managed to stabilize their innings. At the time of writing, they were 76/1, with Duckett unbeaten on 55 from just 36 balls, and Ollie Pope providing solid support with 18 from 22 balls. Duckett’s aggressive approach ensured that England maintained a healthy run rate and put pressure on the West Indies bowlers. This positive start was crucial for England, especially after their dominant performance in the first Test.
Team Changes and Strategies
The West Indies made a last-minute change due to an illness. Gudakesh Motie, who was part of the originally announced squad, had to be replaced by right-arm off-break bowler Kevin Sinclair. A CWI spokesperson explained, “Gudakesh Motie woke up feeling unwell and is unable to take his place in the side.”
England also made a significant change, bringing in Mark Wood to replace the retired James Anderson. Wood’s inclusion added pace and aggression to England’s bowling attack, compensating for the experience lost with Anderson’s retirement.
Here are the playing XIs for both teams:
England:
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Chris Woakes
- Gus Atkinson
- Mark Wood
- Shoaib Bashir
West Indies:
- Kraigg Brathwaite (c)
- Mikyle Louis
- Kirk McKenzie
- Alick Athanaze
- Kavem Hodge
- Jason Holder
- Joshua Da Silva (wk)
- Alzarri Joseph
- Kevin Sinclair
- Shamar Joseph
- Jayden Seales
