England v West Indies: Ben Stokes & Dom Sibley hit centuries in second Test

Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley completed centuries to move England into a dominant position on day two of the second Test against West Indies.

Stokes continued his stellar form - this was his fourth hundred in 12 Tests - and played some sparkling strokes after reaching three figures before falling for a superb 176.

Opener Sibley picked up where he left off on day one, doggedly occupying the crease for a second Test ton before he too looked to accelerate and was caught in the deep on the leg side for 120.

Between them, the fourth-wicket pair shared 260, England's largest partnership on home soil for nine years.

Jos Buttler added 40 before England finally declared on 469-9 at Emirates Old Trafford.

Off-spinner Roston Chase picked up 5-172 for the exhausted West Indies, who were flattened after winning the toss and choosing to bowl.

England left themselves an hour to bowl, with Sam Curran trapping John Campbell as West Indies reached 32-1, 437 behind.

It means England have a prime opportunity to level the series at 1-1, but they must be mindful of the weather, with rain forecast for Saturday.

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Stokes lights up empty ground

All-rounder Stokes has long been England's talisman, inspiration and the man they turn to in tight moments. The runs he has scored in the past year also suggest he is their best batsman.

This innings showed the different sides of his batting. So careful for so long, his hundred from 255 balls was easily his slowest in Tests.

But he exploded into life after reaching his 10th century with a reverse sweep off Chase, particularly with some glorious lofted drives over mid-wicket.

The great shame is there were no spectators in attendance to enjoy it. It is not difficult to imagine a thrilled Manchester crowd revelling in Stokes' romp through the afternoon.

He was dropped on 157 at gully by Shai Hope off Shannon Gabriel and it was an edge from an attempted reverse sweep off the pace of Kemar Roach that prevented complete carnage.

Indeed, the needless manner of the dismissal was characteristic of an occasionally confused England approach. In the desire to push on, they lost six wickets for 86 runs.

Sibley soldiers on

Sibley's determined grind characterised a stodgy first day. When he returned on Friday, on 86, with England 207-3 and Stokes 59, the opener continued his dogged occupation of the crease.

His awkward technique will not entertain in the manner of a Stokes, but his patience and adhesiveness are needed to lay the platform for the strokemakers down the order.

He went to his hundred from the 312th delivery he faced with one of his best strokes, an on-drive for three. At that point, he had hit only four fours.

Like Stokes, Sibley tried to push on, only to loft Chase to deep mid-wicket and become the first of the regular fall of wickets.

Buttler's runs were welcome given his recent lean trot, but, given the circumstances, he will need more to suggest his place in the team has long-term security.

West Indies toil away

This was another draining day for West Indies, who gifted England the chance to bat first on a placid pitch.

Fielding the same attack that won the first Test, they simply ran out of steam, while Gabriel and fellow pace bowler Alzarri Joseph both had spells off the field.

Any chance they had of getting among the England batting evaporated with some wayward bowling in the morning session, and they frequently looked short of ideas. They barely bowled a bouncer, for example.

With the fast bowlers struggling, Chase was asked to deliver 28 overs in succession, and the turn he found could be a factor later in the match.

By the end, the tourists were ragged. Gabriel fluffed the chance to run out Stuart Broad and Roach dropped a simple catch in the deep off Dom Bess just before England declared.

As England's new-ball bowlers struggled to find any movement, openers Campbell and Kraigg Brathwaite looked set to boost West Indies by batting through to the close.

Curran, though, pinned Campbell on the pads to get an lbw decision on review and would have had another if he had chosen to look again at an appeal against nightwatchman Joseph.