West Indies vs England - Day Three, Third Test, St Lucia - Captain Root leads England towards victory

Joe Root set up England's push to avoid a series whitewash with an unbeaten century on day three in St Lucia.

Photo from BBC Sport

West Indies - 154 / 277 & 325-4 - England
Root improved on his previous series average of 11 with 111 not out, with his team closing on 325-4 and a lead of 448.
Joe Denly made 69 - his maiden Test fifty - and Jos Buttler 56 on an impressive day for the tourists.
West Indies will either need to complete a record fourth-innings run-chase to win the match or bat out what remains of the final two days for a draw.
Root's side  resumed on 19-0, but there were further failures for the openers, Burns fell to the first ball of the day for 10 while Jennings was bowled by Alzarri Joseph for 23.

It was Root's 16th Test hundred in 189 balls with his ninth four, celebrating in an understated manner and punching the air in frustration that the runs had not come when the series was alive.
Root came to the crease at 73-2 after both openers were dismissed but combined well with Denly in a partnership of 74.
The Kent batsman impressed, and he was reprieved on 12 when Shimron Hetmyer dropped a catch at first slip.
His score is unlikely to be enough to fully secure his place at number three in the Ashes series next summer.
Root then shared a century stand with Buttler, until the England vice captain was bowled by an excellent delivery by Kemar Roach, and ended the day along side Ben Stokes, who made an unbeaten 29.

While England's showing in St Lucia looks likely to give them much needed momentum to end the series, issues still remain.
Opener Jennings was again out for a disappointing score to a quick bowler, struggling to score with his 23 coming from 99 deliveries at a strike-rate of 23.23.
It looks unlikely that Jennings will feature in the first Ashes Test in the summer but former England captain Michael Vaughan expects Burns to remain in the team.

Within the first 20 minutes of the day all-rounder Keemo Paul was stretchered off the field with a thigh strain which restricted the hosts' bowling options while Darren Bravo also spent the day off the field with a hand injury.

West Indies vs England Test Fixtures and Results
23-27 January
First Test, Barbados (Kensington Oval)
West Indies won by 381 runs (West Indies 1-0 England)

31 January - 4 February
Second Test, Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets (West Indies 2-0 England)

9-13 February
Third Test, St Lucia

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