Mark Stoneman displays Ashes potential on the way to gritty England half-century against West Indies

England 171-3: The hosts hold a slender two-run lead after day three

Stoneman boosted his Ashes chances with his knock (Getty)

Mark Stoneman produced the innings of his career so far to all but book his place on this winter’s Ashes tour and give England a fighting chance of winning this second Test against West Indies.

The Surrey opener’s 52 might not have been the statement hundred he would have hoped for once he reached his first Test half-century.

However, it was an innings of grit forged in a real pressure situation that said much about his character ahead of the challenges that lay ahead in Australia this winter.

Stoneman’s knock was even more impressive given he dislocated the little finger on his left hand after being struck by West Indies captain Jason Holder on 35. Yet after having it pushed back into place, he battled through the pain to reach fifty.

The 30-year-old is Alastair Cook’s 12th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012.

Stoneman suffered a finger injury midway through his innings (Getty)

And while it is hoped he may now have solved that problem position, England still find themselves in a tight spot in this intriguingly-poised Test.

Joe Root’s team, who reached stumps on 171 for three, hold a slender two-run lead after wiping out West Indies’ first-innings advantage of 169.

England’s captain, still at the crease on 45 after sharing an unbeaten 77-run stand with Dawid Malan before the close, now holds the key to his team’s chances.

If he can go on to score a big century, England will believe victory is still possible, especially with the batting of Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali to come.

Yet West Indies know they are still favourites to come back from their innings defeat at Edgbaston and level the series at 1-1 ahead of the final Test at Lord’s.

The size of England’s task is illustrated by the fact they have only ever come back to win from such a huge first-innings deficit on four occasions.

Stoneman at least got this second innings off to a decent start alongside Cook, the pair producing just the second 50-plus opening stand for England this summer.

Cook, though, fell for 23 when he edged Holder behind during a fine spell from the West Indies captain’s probing medium pace. England were 58 for one and still trailing by 111. Yet they got through to tea without any further damage.

Stoneman was dismissed for 52 (Getty)

However, things went awry early in the evening session when Tom Westley was dismissed for his fourth successive single-figure score.

The No3 batsman really should have been run out on six when he was the victim of a suicidal call for two from Stoneman that left him miles out of his ground.

Somehow, though, Devendra Bishoo fumbled in trying to collect the throw and then missed the stumps. Westley, who had given up when the throw came in, survived.

However, it was only a temporary reprieve, the Essex batsman caught behind after chasing a wide delivery from Holder. It left his team struggling on 81 for two and trailing by 88.

Westley’s mind may have been scrambled by the run-out scare. He should be doing better than this, though, if he has designs on keeping his place.

Yet Stoneman battled on bravely after the blow to his finger and reached his half-century, in 107 balls.

Even though his innings was terminated shortly after when he was bowled by Shannon Gabriel, it felt like a significant moment for the opener.

Root and Malan batted England ahead of the Windies' total (Getty)

Gabriel actually almost overstepped. But after replays were checked on the most marginal of calls, England found themselves on 94 for three, still 75 runs behind.

They should have been 98 for four when Dawid Malan edged Shannon Gabriel behind on four. But it was given not out on the field and West Indies did not review.

Root, though, was not shy in reviewing when he was given out lbw to Holder on 35. England would have been struggling on 136 for four. But the captain was reprieved, Hawkeye showing the delivery missing leg stump.

Malan survived a West Indies review for lbw before the close. But the fourth-wicket pair’s partnership has kept this contest in the balance.

West Indies had begun the day on 329 for five, a lead of 71, but they were rocked when James Anderson dismissed Shai Hope, who had posted his maiden Test century the previous evening, on 147 and

Shane Dowrich with his first two balls of the day. Holder saw off the next ball to deny Anderson the first hat-trick of his career.

West Indies should have been eight down soon after but Moeen Ali dropped a simple chance at mid-on to dismiss Jermaine Blackwood on 21, Stuart Broad the unlucky bowler.

The tourists regrouped, with a 75-run stand between Holder and Blackwood extending the lead to 146 before the former holed out to Chris Woakes, Moeen this time taking the catch.

Blackwood was run out on 49 by Jonny Bairstow. And 21 more valuable runs were added for the final wicket before Stokes trapped Shannon Gabriel lbw four minutes after the scheduled lunch break.

It left England’s batsmen with two sessions of the day to get their team back into this Test. They may have just about managed it.