Holder's six has Windies holding upper hand

Career-best figures from West Indies captain Jason Holder has put his side in control of the first Test against England in Southampton.

Holder captured 6-42 from 20 overs to play the leading hand in dismissing England for 204 before tea on Thursday. Express paceman Shannon Gabriel shared the English wickets with his skipper, taking 4-62.

In reply, England could manage just one West Indies' wicket in the final session of play – that of opener John Campbell for 28 – before bad light brought an early end to the day with the visitors 1-57.

 

It was Gabriel who did the initial damage on day two, first by clattering the stumps of No.3 Joe Denly then trapping Rory Burns lbw on review.

The Decision Review System was expertly used by Holder and his players throughout the day, reversing five decisions while getting just one wrong.

Holder took the first of his six wickets in the 34th over after correctly reviewing an lbw shout against Zak Crawley and had Ollie Pope caught behind four overs later to reduce England to 5-87.

Pope's wicket brought captain Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler together and they set about saving England's first innings.

Stokes was strong straight down the ground and punished anything short but was dropped twice, once at fine leg by a diving Kemar Roach and again at short cover, a regulation opportunity missed by Shamarh Brooks.

Both players rode their luck – Buttler took the aerial route by mistake more than once – in adding 67 before it was Holder who secured the breakthrough, finding the edge of Stokes with a full outswinger from round the wicket.

Image Id: 98068F6AC2DE492E963B9065A11EF540 Image Caption: Stokes out for 43 in his maiden innings as Test captain // Getty

"It was a big wicket to get," Holder said after play about the wicket of his counterpart.

"Stokesy was looking quite set. We put down two chances and he was looking to make us pay for them.

"When I came on, his partnership with Jos was starting to blossom, and it was important to break that partnership quickly and not let it materialise into something that could really hurt us."

Holder and gloveman Shane Dowrich combined again in the fast bowlers' next over, as Buttler's edge was spectacularly taken by the West Indies' wicketkeeper at full stretch to his right.

Image Id: 756F644E889E4D51B555ACE56C3F1CB2 Image Caption: An absolute ripper from Dowrich // Getty

Holder picked up Jofra Archer (on review) and Mark Wood to finish with six wickets, while Gabriel dismissed No.11 James Anderson to finish the England innings after a stubborn 10th-wicket stand of 30.

Playing in his 152nd Test match, Anderson thought he had opener Campbell leg before wicket in the seventh over but again the DRS saved the tourists, with ball tracking confirming the veteran seamer's delivery had pitched outside the line of leg stump.

Six overs later, this time from round the wicket, Anderson had Campbell trapped in front but again a review saved the left-hander.

But it was a case of third time lucky for Anderson, who once more pinned Campbell on the front pad and finally saw three red lights after the decision was reviewed.

Image Id: CDB48D511CFA46D38FA3612AC594B932 Image Caption: England react after another successful review by the Windies // Getty

Kraigg Brathwaite and Shai Hope finished the day unscathed and will set about reeling in the deficit of 147 when day three resumes.

But before looking ahead to Friday, Thursday belonged to captain Holder, who says he is halfway through achieving a unique goal as Test cricket's top-ranked allrounder.

"My Test match is far from over," Holder said. "I've still got a massive contribution to make with the bat, and that's where my focus is going to be channelled now in this innings.

"One of the things I've always strived to do … was to score a hundred in England and to take a five-wicket haul here.

"I've ticked one box so far, so I guess it's now left for me to knuckle down and try to get a hundred."