MX23RW : Wednesday, February 13 14:41:28

Jennings' struggles continue in St Lucia

Jennings' struggles continue in St Lucia
© Reuters
The recalled England opener made just eight in the first innings.

Keaton Jennings' recall ended in disappointment as the England opener fell cheaply on the first morning of England's final Test against the West Indies.

Jennings was brought back to open the innings in St Lucia just one game after being axed, but endured a torrid time at the crease and was eventually out in familiar fashion for just eight.

After being inserted by the West Indies' stand-in captain Kraigg Brathwaite, England reached lunch on 46 for one, Rory Burns grinding his way through the session for 27 and Joe Denly alongside him on four despite a late scare.

All the talk in the preceding days had suggested the pitch at the Daren Sammy Stadium would be the fastest of the series, which the hosts have already won 2-0, but those predictions gave way to a more sluggish surface than expected.

Things still proved too tricky for Jennings, who fortuitously escaped an lbw decision and edged through the slips with just three to his name.

He lasted 43 deliveries in total before edging Keemo Paul's first ball of the match to slip but never looked settled and may now have just one more innings to save his England career.

Burns survived a couple of risky strokes of his own, including a thick edge that skipped past the cordon, but worked the ball off his legs to keep the scoreboard moving.

His dangerous call almost saw Denly run out for two, and the Kent man was sweating again off the penultimate ball of the session.

He gloved a Shannon Gabriel short ball to wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich, but Rod Tucker's not-out verdict was upheld as DRS showed Denly's hand had come off the bat before contact.

England had started the day with good news, all-rounder Ben Stokes having been passed fit to play following a heel injury. Sam Curran missed out as a result, with Mark Wood returning to the attack.


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A distraught Joe Root on February 2, 2019
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