West Indies skipper Jason Holder led from the front by snaring career best figures of 6/42, as England were skittled out for 204 runs on the second day of the opening test at Southampton on Thursday.
Resuming at their overnight score of 35/1, the pair of Joe Denly and Rory Burns played cautiously for the first half an hour before Gabriel handed the West Indies their first breakthrough of the morning. The pacer got a 90mph ball one to nip back into Denly and shatter his stumps, with the batsman having to depart for 18. In his next over, the 32-year-old Gabriel also removed Burns- the first of several decisions overturned on DRS on the day for the Windies, as England were reduced to 51/3.
Zak Crawley along with skipper Ben Stokes added 20 runs for the fourth wicket stand, before Holder picked up his first wicket of the day, trapping Crawley leg before wicket for 10.
Ollie Pope looked very good in his brief stay at the wicket, stroking two gorgeous fours before a peach from Holder saw him caught behind for 12 by keeper Shane Dowrich.
England skipper Stokes then counter attacked with Jose Buttler and the duo put on 67 runs for the sixth wicket stand- the only England partnership above 50 in the entire innings. However just as they seemed to be gaining the upper hand, Holder returned to wrest control back for the Windies. He first got rid of his counterpart Stokes (43) with a fuller delivery and followed it up with the wicket of Buttler for 35, with Dowrich taking a stunning one handed catch behind the wickets.
Jofra Archer and Mark Wood didn’t provide much resistance with the bat, becoming Holder’s 5th and 6th victims of the day as the home side slumped to 174/9.
The pair of Dom Bess and James Anderson however frustrated the Windies by adding 30 runs for the last wicket to take the home side past the 200 run mark.
Gabriel finally ended things with a delivery that was too good for No.11 Anderson, as England were eventually bundled out for 204 in 67.3 overs.
For the statistically inclined, skipper Holder finished with figures of 6/42, while Gabriel ended up with 4/62, taking all ten wickets on offer between them.
Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell made a solid beginning for the visitors and the duo added 43 runs for the opening stand, before James Anderson dismissed Campbell leg before wicket for 28 runs. Campbell had a previous LBW decision overturned on DRS, but fortune didn’t quite favour him a second time around. Shai Hope walked in at 3 but soon the day’s play came to an end due to bad light as Windies ended Day 2 at 57/1, still trailing by 147 runs.
England 204 all out (Stokes 43; Holder 6/42) vs West Indies 57/1