Stokes no-ball costs England bragging rights

England's dogged perseverance paid off in two gritty sessions of play with the West Indies restricted to 4-155 at stumps on day two of the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua.

The hosts' first innings was in reply to England's total of 399 in the opening game of the three-match series

Despite the capitulation of their lower-order in the morning's play when only 58 runs were added to an already formidable overnight position of 5-341, the English bowlers worked hard on an unresponsive pitch and should have had more success in the final hour to claim a potentially decisive advantage.

Jermaine Blackwood, who resumes on the third morning on 30 in partnership with the evergreen Shivnarine Chanderpaul (29), edged a lifting delivery from Ben Stokes to Alastair Cook at a wide first slip position.

However the batsman, on 21 at the time, was called back to the crease when television replays showed clearly that the allrounder had delivered a no-ball.

The incident brought back memories of the 23-year-old's first Test wicket that wasn't, overstepping when he had Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin caught behind in the 2013-14 Adelaide Ashes Test. 

Stokes denied first Test wicket by popping crease

Chastened by the let-off, the attacking right-hander, who got off the mark by hoisting his second delivery off spinner James Tredwell for six over long-off, crawled into a defensive shell to be unbeaten on 30 at the close.

Blackwood and Chanderpaul's fifth-wicket partnership of 56 has been vital to keeping the West Indies in with a fighting chance as they came together with the home side listing dangerously at 4-99 half-an-hour into the final session.

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Chanderpaul is the rock of the Windies innings yet again // Getty Images