Stokes lashes century as England declare at 507-9 in Barbados

West Indies was 71-1 in reply, John Campbell giving Matthew Fisher a wicket with the second ball of his Test career

Ben Stokes followed captain Joe Root with a century to allow England to declare against the West Indies on 507-9 on the second day Thursday of the second Test at Kensington Oval.

West Indies was 71-1 in reply, John Campbell giving Matthew Fisher a wicket with the second ball of his Test career.

Root improved from 119 overnight to 153, but played second fiddle to Stokes, who dominated their stand of 129 as he made a belligerent 120 from 128 balls.

The West Indies looked equally adept at handling the second slow and flat pitch in two tests, as captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks comfortably handled the new ball from an England battery with two debutants, pacers Saqib Mahmood and Fisher.

England's Dan Lawrence was out for 91 to the last delivery on Wednesday, so Stokes walked to the middle without runs beside Root, who resumed on 119 and the team on 244-3.

Root hardly seemed to face a ball as Stokes warmed up quickly then lashed out, particularly at spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

His second six off Permaul got him to a half-century, followed by a third six over midwicket. In the next over, Stokes smacked Alzarri Joseph for three straight boundaries then a six back over the fast bowler's head.