Joe Root falls for duck as England struggle on first morning in Grenada
England struggled to 46 for three at lunch.
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Your support makes all the difference.Captain Joe Root fell for a duck as England made a disappointing start to their series decider in the West Indies.
After successive draws on flat tracks in Antigua and Barbados everything was up for grabs in Grenada, but England struggled to 46 for three at lunch.
Alex Lees batted through the session for 26 not out, with Ben Stokes partnering him just before the break.
Home skipper Kraigg Brathwaite made a brave decision by bowling first, hoping to extract the best out of a pitch showing some welcome signs of life.
For almost an hour the contest did not get far beyond stalemate, but the introduction of recalled all-rounder Kyle Mayers kicked open the door.
Bowling at a gentle pace, hovering around the 75mph mark and looking for movement off the seam, he had Zak Crawley caught at cover then landed the big prize of Root with a edge to the keeper.
Mayers is better known for his batting, having scored a double century on debut, but his subtle skills with the ball were the decisive factor in a slow session.
The Windies turned a promising start into something more substantial when Jayden Seales returned to the attack for a second burst and pinned Dan Lawrence lbw with an attacking, full-length delivery.
England were thankful for the durability of Lees, still looking for a maiden half-century, as he soaked up 80 balls.
He briefly promised to make an even bigger impact, pulling Seales for four through midwicket then guiding him to third man. But he settled into a bunker as the scoring options dried up, closing up one end after Mayers’ double breakthrough.