Antigua and Barbuda (AFP) — England clawed their way back into contention with four wickets in the afternoon session with the West Indies seeking to build a substantial first innings lead at 212 for five at tea on the second day of the second Test of the three-match series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday.

Stuart Broad and Moeen Ali took two wickets each to peg back the home side’s progress in response to England’s modest first innings total of 187.

Ali, who topscored with 60 for England on the first day, got his side off to the perfect start after lunch when he had obdurate opener Kraigg Brathwaite caught at short-leg for 49 by substitute fielder Keaton Jennings to break a 63-run second-wicket partnership with Shai Hope.

He then ended the period of play with the important wicket of Shimron Hetmyer, the flamboyant left-hander attempting to repeat a heave for six earlier in the over but miscuing for James Anderson to take an excellent catch running in from the long-off boundary.

Broad, the tourists’ unluckiest and most threatening bowler through the innings so far, was finally rewarded with the dismissals of Hope and Roston Chase in the same over. Hope looked threatening on 44 when he was caught behind while Chase was left helpless by a delivery which barely got off the ground before clattering into his stumps.

Darren Bravo and wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich will resume battle with the England bowlers after the interval with the home side 25 runs ahead with five wickets in hand. Crucially, the second new ball becomes due immediately upon the resumption of play and it is anticipated that Broad and Anderson will be charging in with renewed vigour in the final session of the day.

At the start of the day Brathwaite and John Campbell, resuming at 30 without loss, extended that opening stand to 70 with Campbell getting to 47 before his luck ran out.

Reprieved within minutes of the start of play by a television review of an umpiring decision which was shown to be erroneous, the left-hander was then dropped by Jos Buttler at slip before top-edging an attempted pull just out of the reach of scampering substitute wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow at backward square-leg.

Bairstow is continuing to do duty behind the stumps as the appointed gloveman, Ben Foakes, receives treatment for a blow on the hand from fast bowler Shannon Gabriel while compiling a hard-fought 35 runs on day one.

Campbell’s moments of good fortune were all at Broad’s expense.

It took the introduction of Ben Stokes into the attack for the opening pair to be separated as Campbell pushed at another delivery angled across him and Buttler atoned for his previous error with a catch every bit as straightforward as the one missed earlier off the suffering and increasingly aggravated Broad.