Alastair Cook closed in on becoming England’s highest Test run-maker as his team began their pursuit of West Indies’ 299 all out on the second day of the second Test in Grenada.

England skipper Cook (37) and fellow opener Jonathan Trott (32) negotiated 26 overs without real alarm as the visitors reached 0-74 at the National Cricket Stadium.

Cook achieved a milestone during his unbeaten knock on Wednesday, going past former player Alec Stewart as his country’s second-highest run-getter in Test history with a tally of 8484.

Only Graham Gooch, the former opening batsman and captain, remains ahead of him in the list of prolific English batsmen with an aggregate of 8900.

Earlier, England’s bowlers eventually overcame the determination of Marlon Samuels and an entertaining last-wicket partnership to dismiss the West Indies in their first innings on a rain-affected second day.

Devendra Bishoo (30) and Shannon Gabriel (20) got their Test-best scores in lifting the home side from 9-247 after Samuels’ dismissal for a determined 103 triggered a lower-order collapse as the tourists’ seamers made effective use of the second new ball.

Stuart Broad led the English effort, taking four for 47, while James Anderson and Chris Jordan claimed two wickets each.