DOM Sibley and Ben Stokes had scores of 86 and 59 on day two of the second Test against West Indies in Old Trafford, Manchester on Friday.
Both batsmen picked up where they left off as they slowly kept the scoreboard ticking over.
They added 57 runs in the morning session with Sibley the first to make it to a century.
With skilful stroke play and patience, Stokes was right behind as he too got to his century shortly after the lunch break.
Together, Sibley and Stokes shared a 260-run partnership, England’s second-longest partnership this century.
However, Sibley, who scored 120 in 372 balls, was the first to go as he was caught by Kemar Roach off the bowling of Roston Chase.
Stokes fell for 176 off the bowling of Roach who with that test wicket finally broke a drought going back to August 31, 2019.
Six more wickets fell in England’s first innings before they declared on 469 for 9, after 162 overs.
Roach got two wickets while Chase had a five-wicket haul.
In reply, Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell opened the Windies innings but Campbell, on 12 runs, was the first to go packing after he was lbw off the bowling of Sam Curran.
At the end of play, the West Indies closed on 32 for one with Braithwaite and Alzarri Joseph on six and 14 respectively.
