2024 ENG vs WI: England assembles its quickest team Test fifty against the West Indies in 26 balls

Thursday, July 18, saw the start of the second Test of the three-match series between England and the West Indies at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Having chosen to bowl first, Alzarri Joseph’s third delivery to dismiss Zak Crawley gave the tourists the first wicket of the opening over. But despite a brilliant display from Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope, the Caribbean team was unable to build on the early goal.

Duckett and Pope were unstoppable boundary scorers who enabled the Three Lions to reach the 50-run milestone in just 26 balls. They beat the previous recorded instant of a 27-ball fifty they made against South Africa at the Oval in 1994 to set a new record for the fastest team Test fifty. The more showy of the two, Duckett, moved England to 50 with a boundary off Alzarri.

In the tenth over, the small left-handed batsman proceeded to smash his half-century in just 32 balls, including a boundary off Jason Holder. In the game’s longest format, Duckett achieved the quickest fifty by an England opener and tied for third fastest for his nation.

At lunchtime, England race to 134/2.

Shamar Joseph finally put an end to Duckett’s chaos when he dismissed the 29-year-old for a 59-ball 71. This came after the Farnborough native’s explosive knock had produced 14 boundaries. With Pope, he pieced together a partnership of 105 runs off just 112 balls.

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Following Duckett’s departure, Joe Root and Pope combined to score 30 runs off of 48 balls, bringing England to 134/2 at lunch on Day 1. In the final over of the session, Pope handed Alick Athanaze a difficult opportunity at backward point, but the latter was unable to hang on. After hitting five fours and a six, the right-handed batsman eventually finished unbeaten on 47 off 75 balls.

The hosts are threatening to take the game by storm, thus the West Indies would need to regroup over the interval and return with stronger strategies in the second session.