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- Stokes stung as clash of all-round captains goes Holder’s way
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10th over: England 15-0 (Burns 10, Sibley 5) Burns whips Holder for a single, the first run for four overs. Sibley leaves one that is this close to his off stump, then gets rapped in the midriff as Holder angles one in. Finally, Sibley gets some joy as he stabs the last two balls to fine leg. Well played those openers.
But also, well played West Indies – the day belongs to them, and they still lead by 99. They are firm favourites to win this match. England could still win it too, but they will have to make at least 300 and then have four or five bowlers on form, not just three.
9th over: England 11-0 (Burns 9, Sibley 2) Roach gives Sibley some more comfortable leaves, and Nasser Hussain produces a quiz question. Before Stokes and Holder, when was the last time an England captain and his opposite number got each other out in the same Test? Answer in a minute.
8th over: England 11-0 (Burns 9, Sibley 2) Holder is up against two of the few batsmen not to get out to him in this match – Gabriel took out the top order. By his high standards, Holder drops too short, allowing Burns to stay on the back foot until the last ball, which is spot-on, and blocked.
7th over: England 11-0 (Burns 9, Sibley 2) Roach beats Sibley with a leg-cutter that’s just a touch too short to take the edge. So he goes a bit fuller, and beats the bat again. But Sibley has only one job – to survive – and so far he’s managed it.
Here comes Holder.
6th over: England 11-0 (Burns 9, Sibley 2) Burns plays the shot of the innings so far, a punch past mid-on off Gabriel. I wonder if Holder will give himself a go before the clock strikes seven.
5th over: England 7-0 (Burns 5, Sibley 2) Sibley edges Roach but gets well on top of it, so it bounces in front of the slips.Then he plays and misses at an outswinger. There’s no telling whether England will finish the day on 20 for none or 12 for three.
4th over: England 7-0 (Burns 5, Sibley 2) Sibley flirts with embarrassment as he leaves Gabriel’s nip-backer, the very decision that did for him in the first innings. This time it doesn’t do quite enough. Sibley then gets one in his favourite zone, on his pads, and shovels it away for a single.
3rd over: England 6-0 (Burns 5, Sibley 1) Now Sibley is struggling, fending at a lifter from Roach, taking a blow on the right glove or perhaps the forearm. According to Ian Ward, England only used the light roller between innings, which is puzzling if true. Sibley gets off the mark, and off his pair, but only with an inside edge.
2nd over: England 5-0 (Burns 5, Sibley 0) Shannon Gabriel begins with a beauty, angled in, swinging away, beating Burns – far too good to take a wicket. And then he pretty much does it again. And then he brings one back in, rapping Burns on the thigh as he plays no stroke. If England dig themselves out of this hole, they’ll be doing very well.
1st over: England 5-0 (Burns 5, Sibley 0) So England have about 40 minutes to survive before the close. Rory Burns, facing Kemar Roach, squirts a full ball through the cordon and does well to keep it down. Dom Sibley, who’s on a pair, keeps a couple of straight ones out, confidently enough.
So England did the business with the tail, but before that they were anodyne. West Indies built their innings and their partnerships, with all of the top seven reaching double figures. Holder surprised us with feet of clay, and Stokes took late wickets despite having a bloody toe. Bess carried on his good work from South Africa, but the story of the innings from an England point of view was that two seasoned seamers, Anderson and Stokes, took seven for 111, while the swifter and less savvy pair of Archer and Wood managed only one for 134. What would Stuart Broad have done?
At last! A wicket for one of England’s two fast bowlers, as Wood yorks Gabriel. The lead is 114.
101st over: West Indies 317-9 (Roach 0, Gabriel 4) Shannon Gabriel gets off the mark with a slog for four. That was a fine innings by Dowrich, who was a walking wicket last time he played Tests in England.
Stokes, like Gordon Greenidge back in the day, is even more potent when injured. He bangs in another short one and Dowrich gets strangled. Not content with making England’s top score in this Test, Stokes now has the best bowling figures too – four for 45.
100th over: West Indies 309-8 (Dowrich 57, Roach 0) Dowrich does need to farm the strike now and he shows how it’s done by pushing the last ball of Wood’s over for three. West Indies’ lead is 105, so they may be starting to dream of an innings victory.
99th over: West Indies 306-8 (Dowrich 54, Roach 0) Before the wicket, Joseph was having a ball – a nick for four, an upper-waft for four more. His 18 came off only 12 balls. And then he gave Stokes his 150th wicket in Tests.
Injury, what injury? Stokes aims for the off bail, and hits.
During his last over, Ben Stokes winced and felt his foot. He seems to have a toe injury, and puts an extra sock on it. Take himself off? As if.
98th over: West Indies 296-7 (Dowrich 54, Joseph 8) Joseph tries to pull Wood and succeeds only in playing a sliced upper-cut, which brings him two to third man. He also takes a single off the last ball of the over, which shows that Dowrich has faith in him.
“Is Shane Dowrich the most underrated keeper-batsman in international cricket?” asks Abhijato Sensarma. “BJ Watling might have taken the title a few months ago, but he’s garnered enough acclaim since then to be promoted to the class of ‘appropriately-rated’ in my eyes.”
97th over: West Indies 291-7 (Dowrich 53, Joseph 4) A maiden from Stokes to Dowrich, which means Joseph will have to face a full over. In an empty stand, the England coach Chris Silverwood chats to the chief selector Ed Smith. Any lip-readers out there?
96th over: West Indies 291-7 (Dowrich 53, Joseph 4) Wood greets Alzarri Joseph with a yorker, which very nearly gets through. Then he tries it again and Joseph lofts him for four. It’s a handsome shot and he knows it – he holds the pose.
95th over: West Indies 286-7 (Dowrich 52, Joseph 0) That was the shortest ball Holder had received, and if I’m not mistaken it was the first time in the match that a short ball had brought a wicket. Stokes took it with his personality as much as his skill.
Stokes gets his revenge! He bangs it in, Holder sees it well enough and hooks, but too high, allowing Jofra Archer to take a fine diving catch at long leg. The plot thickens.
94th over: West Indies 281-6 (Dowrich 51, Holder 5) Holder meets a full delivery from Wood with a simple push and gets three for it. A cameraman spots the bottom of his bat, which has Jason Holder scrawled on it in black felt-tip, as if he was still captaining the Under-12s.
“Platonic indeed,” says John Starbuck, picking up on my remark from the 88th over. “Michael Gough dwells in his cave, watching and interpreting the shadows of the outside world according to the Ideal forms.” Classy.
93rd over: West Indies 276-6 (Dowrich 50, Holder 1) It’s a double change as Stokes brings himself on in search of revenge over Holder. Instead the over is all about Dowrich, who helps himself to a two, another two, and a well-made fifty. He started fast, then slowed down, and at no stage would you have guessed that he was hopeless in England last time round. And that’s drinks, with West Indies 72 ahead and cruising.
Here’s Arun Kumar. “I feel England need to give Wood/Archer a bit more time before starting to revert back to Broad/Anderson full time. This is just the first test they are playing after a long break. An approach for the packed summer may be to play a rotation of two of Broad / Woakes / Anderson in three of the matches and have Wood and Archer play four each (might not have got the maths perfectly). Give them time and confidence. They need it for the Ashes.”
92nd over: West Indies 270-6 (Dowrich 45, Holder 0) Off goes Archer, after a spell that was better than it looked in the scorebook, and on comes Mark Wood. He’s accurate enough but still not penetrating.
91st over: West Indies 269-6 (Dowrich 44, Holder 0) Holder is getting right across his stumps, so Anderson will fancy his chances of another LBW. For now, there’s one play-and-miss, and that’s another maiden for Jimmy, who has the very Jimmyish figures of 25-10-62-3.
90th over: West Indies 269-6 (Dowrich 44, Holder 0) And out comes Jason Holder, who’s already half-way to the Man of the Match award. In fact, his only real rival is Michael Holding.
89th over: West Indies 267-6 (Dowrich 42) So that was a wicket maiden from Anderson, and the end of a fine innings by Chase. Old-school, the pair of them.
Given now! By Michael Gough, who is shaping up as the Platonic ideal of the TV umpire, radiating clarity. The only question was whether it was too high, but Hawk-Eye had it thudding into the top of middle and leg.
For LBW, Anderson to Chase, not given.
88th over: West Indies 267-5 (Chase 47, Dowrich 42) Again it’s a good over from Archer, both silky and fiery, but still there’s nothing to show for it.
And here’s another Gary Naylor tweet from teatime, about Michael Holding. “Mikey has a new lease of life. For a while, he was in a permanent despair about West Indies cricket (justifiably so) but he’s so on it in this Test about absolutely everything. His bowling in 1976 changed my life (I fell in love and I still am). So thanks again Sir.” He’s an international treasure.
87th over: West Indies 266-5 (Chase 46, Dowrich 42) Anderson goes full and leg-stumpish, looking for an LBW, but Dowrich is nimble enough to glance for four. Anderson has bowled one superb over with the new ball and three indifferent ones, to make a spell of 4-0-20-0. “He’ll hate those stats,” says Nasser.
86th over: West Indies 260-5 (Chase 45, Dowrich 37) A better over from Archer, who gets Dowrich jumping with a fierce bouncer. Somewhere in Australia, in the middle of the night, Steve Smith ducks behind the sofa.
“Afternoon Tim.” Afternoon Simon McMahon. “It’s only day three, but I think this Test has provided us with the full set already - weather, an England collapse, disagreements over selection, a Mac Millings XI involving social distancing, reassuring contributions from regular OBOers. If I was French (and believe me, I sometimes wish I was), right now I’d probably have a fag in one hand, glass of wine in the other, and be shrugging my shoulders whilst muttering plus ça change ...”0
85th over: West Indies 258-5 (Chase 44, Dowrich 36) Dowrich has been a spectator since tea, considerably boosting the size of the crowd. But now he faces Anderson, who presents him with a wide half-volley. Dowrich drives it crisply for four and adds a pull for a couple. The partnership is 72 and worth every run.
84th over: West Indies 252-5 (Chase 44, Dowrich 30) Archer strays onto leg stump, allowing Chase to clip him for four. And then he does the same again. Last year, Archer was an instant senior player, entrusted with the Super Over in a World Cup final; this year, he’s showing his youth.
83rd over: West Indies 244-5 (Chase 36, Dowrich 30) Anderson is in the groove now, beating Chase’s inside edge, then the outside, then taking the inside edge and hitting him in the area fondly known as amidships. That’s the over with everything except a wicket.
“I’m not sure why Broad is complaining,” says Richard O’Hagan “It seems to me that he is getting to be a better bowler with every over of this Test that passes.” Ha.
82nd over: West Indies 243-5 (Chase 35, Dowrich 30) At the other end it’s Jofra Archer, who so far has been the Archer of the winter, decent but anodyne, rather than the superstar of last summer. He tries a yorker, which has to be a good plan on this pudding of a pitch, but Chase digs out a single.
And here’s a good spot from my colleague Ali Martin. “Shane Dowrich, 30*, already past his series aggregate from three years ago of 24 runs in six innings. Very different player these days (not that England didn’t already know that after his century in Barbados last year).”
81st over: West Indies 242-5 (Chase 34, Dowrich 30) But first, of course, it’s Jimmy Anderson. He gets some shape with the new vector of disease, but goes for seven off the first two deliveries as Chase times a push for four and a tuck for three. Anderson is walking back to his mark rather slowly – I do hope he’s not injured.
A flurry of tweets from Gary Naylor, who has this to say about England’s selection. “Cricket is awash with stats, but sometimes the old lenses are the most illuminating. If your off-spinner has bowled 15 overs on an (essentially) Day Two pitch, your five man attack lacks balance. Wood, Archer and Stokes are the ‘same’ bowler on this wicket - on most.” Not sure about most, as they all have different trajectories, and there will surely be times when England are delighted to have two men touching 95mph. But on this pitch, on this evidence, it’s hard to argue. Can one of them redeem himself with the new ball?
80th over: West Indies 235-5 (Chase 27, Dowrich 30) A maiden from Bess, who has a big shout for LBW against Dowrich, but some gentle turn was taking it down the leg side. And that’s tea, with West Indies already ahead by 31. Jason Holder is bossing the game, and he hasn’t even come in to bat yet. See you in 15 minutes for the new ball.
79th over: West Indies 235-5 (Chase 27, Dowrich 30) Wood produces a decent bouncer, only for the pitch to give Chase time to sway out of the line. Chase calmly pushes into the covers for two, and that brings up the super-fast duo’s century – Wood has 0/54, Archer 0/47. It may be time for another interview with Stuart Broad.
78th over: West Indies 233-5 (Chase 25, Dowrich 30) Chase, by contrast, has 25 off 109 balls. Geoff Boycott would be applauding him, if he hadn’t been pensioned off by TMS.
“Having raised the idea of the OBO XI,” says Pete Salmon, “I like Simon Thomas’s contribution. But surely Foakes is a better bat and keeper than Jones? And I’d be looking at bringing in Adil Rashid – maybe that means Bairstow does in fact take the gloves. Although he could open? Unless Haseeb Hameed is worth another try. Thoughts?” I assumed the idea was for the XI to be as debatable as possible, so Hameed is a good pick. Maybe opening with Ben Duckett...
77th over: West Indies 232-5 (Chase 24, Dowrich 30) Dowrich celebrates by producing his best shot off a pace bowler, rocking back to Wood and playing a stylish square drive off the back foot. His 30 has come from only 40 balls.
76th over: West Indies 228-5 (Chase 24, Dowrich 26) That straight wallop went for a single, so maybe we should see it as Bess saving three rather than dropping one.
Dowrich loves hitting Bess straight, and this time he hits him so straight that it’s a chance for a caught-and-bowled. Bess gets a hand to it, which is brave of him, but can’t hold on.
75th over: West Indies 227-5 (Chase 24, Dowrich 25) A maiden from Wood, who is giving it his all as usual. Five overs to the new ball now.
74th over: West Indies 227-5 (Chase 24, Dowrich 25) Just a couple of singles off Bess.
Talking of whom... “Shame to see Dom doing well for England in many ways,” says Charles Sheldrick. “Don’t get me wrong, I am happy for the lad, but as a Somerset player he will either get dropped despite doing well (Leach) and wonder what might have been or he could move to a more fashionable county and get picked regardless of performance (Buttler).” Oof.
73rd over: West Indies 225-5 (Chase 23, Dowrich 24) Wood has an LBW shout against Chase, but none of his mates join in, as it’s clearly too high. To add insult to inept appealing, the ball trickles away to the boundary. Leg byes are now on 17, which means that if they were English, they’d be one of the more successful batsmen in this match.
72nd over: West Indies 219-5 (Chase 21, Dowrich 24) Back comes Bess as Stokes stays busy as a bee, but the change doesn’t bring the breakthrough. Chase takes three behind square and Dowrich, licking his lips again at the sight of some slow stuff, thwacks a drive past mid-off’s left hand.
71st over: West Indies 212-5 (Chase 18, Dowrich 20) Stokes takes himself off again and summons Wood, so it’s high pace from both ends. Or it would be if the pitch wasn’t so damn slow. Dowrich gets two with a square force.
“Looking back to that earlier comment,” says Simon Thomas, “here’s the most OBOish XI.”
70th over: West Indies 210-5 (Chase 18, Dowrich 18) Archer draws a thick edge out of Dowrich but there’s no gully, so it goes for four. Next ball, Dowrich plays at thin air. If you were Stokes, wouldn’t you love to bring Broad on now?
69th over: West Indies 205-5 (Chase 18, Dowrich 13) A maiden from Stokes to Chase, partly thanks to Rory Burns, who pulls off a sharp stop at cover. England have been good in the field: they’ve just been a bit naive with the bat.
68th over: West Indies 205-5 (Chase 18, Dowrich 13) Another single to Chase, steering past gully, and that’s the first run off the bat in Archer’s spell. He’s warming to the task.
Meanwhile Jen Oram is picking up on Mac Millings’ Socially Distanced XI (12:17). “Omitting ‘Two-metre Peter’ Fulton from your list,” she reckons, “is a howler of Ed Smith proportions.” Ouch.
67th over: West Indies 204-5 (Chase 17, Dowrich 13) Stokes digs one in and Dowrich is an unhappy hooker, not getting on top of it, but he gets away with as the ball drops short of the man waiting at deep square. Then Chase pushes into the on side and the scores are level.
66th over: West Indies 202-5 (Chase 16, Dowrich 12) Archer tries two slower balls in a row at Chase, then cranks it up again and concedes four leg byes as Chase flicks a header into the top corner. That’s 200-up for West Indies, who have mostly been showing England how to play in English conditions.
The players are having drinks, which is less annoying in cricket than it is in football. Dom Bess and Jimmy Anderson have kept England in the game, but West Indies are on top, with the mighty Holder still to come.
65th over: West Indies 198-5 (Chase 16, Dowrich 12) Ben Stokes, who’s been making his bowling changes sooner rather than later, takes the wicket-taker off and turns to himself. Dowrich hides his disappointment and picks up a couple with a squirt square.
“I have no idea why batsmen like Blackwood are so enamoured with the aerial shot in red-ball cricket,” says Robert Speed. “It’s like they feel the runs count double if the ball is played in the air. Bradman averaged 99, and refused to hit in the air.” On that principle, wouldn’t we all have to write in pentameters because Shakespeare did?
64th over: West Indies 196-5 (Chase 16, Dowrich 10) Jofra Archer is getting closer to a wicket. He beats Chase outside off, then bamboozles him with a nasty bouncer, producing a panicky poke that doesn’t quite go to hand at point.
63rd over: West Indies 196-5 (Chase 16, Dowrich 10) Shane Dowrich sees his mate perish to a big heave and decides that he just didn’t execute it well enough. So he dances down the track and belts Bess for two lofted fours, one over mid-on, the other over mid-off. Great stuff.
Thanks Daniel and afternoon everyone. It’s been too long! I feel like the kid at the end of the summer holidays who’s a little too keen to get back to school, and then does something idiotic. Which is pretty much what Jermaine Blackwood just did.
61st over: West Indies 186-5 (Chase 15, Dowrich 0) Holding had heard Blackwood had changed; Blackwood has not changed. England seemed to find that fairly amusing, the wicket celebrated with laughter as much as cheers, a real mind the windows Tino moment – the dry bowling worked, basically. Anyway, Archer returns, and Chase plays out a maiden; England lead by just 18, but will be happy with their start to the afternoon session. Anyhow, my watch has ended – here’s Tim de Lisle to coax you through the remainder of the day.
Crunch! Munch! Chomp! Burrrrp! There go the Party Rings! Blackwood can’t take it anymore, thrashing straight to mid off because he can do no other.
61st over: West Indies 186-4 (Chase 16, Blackwood 12) Good from Bess, tossing one up that’s also a bit fuller, forcing Chase to bring the bat down late. Four dots follow...
60th over: West Indies 185-4 (Chase 15, Blackwood 12) Why are cricket numbers so thin? Blackwood is like a child you give a box of biscuits, then tell they can’t have any. They desperately want to please you, but desperately want to please themselves, and end up having a lot of pleasure making a mess. He’s absolutely desperate to whack England’s greatest-ever bowler to all parts, giving himself a hernia trying to resist temptation. Maiden.
59th over: West Indies 185-4 (Chase 15, Blackwood 12) Bess sends his first delivery wide, and Blackwood isn’t having any of it, cracking it through extra cover for four. A single follows.
“Sirs Geoffrey Boycott and Alastair Cook?” asks John Starbuck about OBO talking points. “I recall we once got an entire day’s OBO out of sitting next to Robin Smith on the train and other encounters with him.”
58th over: West Indies 180-4 (Chase 15, Blackwood 7) Holding says he’s interested to see Blackwood because previously he’s played “a shot a ball”, and he gets off the mark here with a four, looking to drive and edging to four to fine leg instead. So to compensate, he lifts Anderson over point and scurries two – a single follows – and the question now is by how many West Indies will lead. 100 or so might be matchwinning.
Anderson's average speed today is 135kph - in South Africa it was around 133kph.
57th over: West Indies 173-4 (Chase 15, Blackwood 0) I thought we might see a quick here, but it’s still Bess. Back to Anderson and Broad, I wonder how much of their desire to keep going relates to keeping going together. Not just that they spur each other on, but competing with one of your best mates, when you’ve been doing it as long as they have, must be a very hard thing to say nah ta. If one of them goes, it’ll be Dua Lipa not Lionel Ritchie on the dressing room stereo before you can say unwanted nasal hair. Maiden.
56th over: West Indies 173-4 (Chase 15, Blackwood 0) At some point, Jason Holder is going to come out the hutch and make a century, but in the meantime Jermaine Blackwood is in the middle. Every time I watch Anderson bowl, I’m absolutely stupefied but what he’s still doing, and absolutely in love with how much he loves the game. Cut to SJ Broad, somehow looking angry, hurt and disappointed all in one. Wicket maiden.
I’ve not a clue why Brooks reviewed that - well I do, he was loving it out there and didn’t want to be out – but he really very was. England’s champion does the trick yet again. He’s quite good at bowling, is James Anderson.
Good ball this, finding some extra bounce; looks open and shut to me, but Brooks reviews!
55th over: West Indies 173-3 (Brooks 39, Chase 15) Chase takes a single, which England won’t mind - they’ll want him facing Anderson. But Brooks wangles another, so it’ll be him on strike when the headbanded one returns.
“THAT Aussie photo,” begins Phil Sawyer. “You could have waited until after we’d all finished our lunch before posting that picture of the Aussie team all akimbo, Daniel. It’s just made me spill my lentils.”
54th over: West Indies 171-3 (Brooks 38, Chase 14) Anderson tries a bouncer, which tells you that swing and seam have forsaken him; my guess is we’ll see the ball being passed through circles before long because how dare it not to what Jimmy commands it. Maiden.
“Not taking a position,” says Peter “but I’m so happy that we have a good Woakes selection question discussion going on. That’s your peak OBO right there. Not only is Woakes underrated as a cricketer but as a discussion point. I reckon he may have now moved past Ian Bell as the most discussed OBO cricketer. Anyone else got those sort of numbers?”
53rd over: West Indies 171-3 (Brooks 38, Chase 14) In commentary, Rob Key bemoans the moaning, miserable captain who gave him his debut; cut to laughing Nasser. Another maiden for Bess, who persuades an edge out of Chase with his final delivery, but it slides backwards into the pad. I don’t think Chase will tolerate much more of this, before freeing his arms.
52nd over: West Indies 171-3 (Brooks 38, Chase 14) Four dots from Anderson, but then he strays straight and Brooks is all over him, clumping over midwicket for four. He does not wait to be asked, and will know that it’s there for him.
“It’s Sam Curran who needs to be in the XI,” says Gary Naylor. “England’s tail has three 11s and its attack needs variety. Holder has shown that 80mph sideways movement in the air and off the seam is handy (always is in England). Plenty of questions in this XI and Curran answers a few.”
51st over: West Indies 167-3 (Brooks 34, Chase 14) Bess is looking grooved out there, beating Chase with the arm ball the highlight of a useful maiden. Perhaps bowling dry is the answer here, because the pitch isn’t doing loads and Anderson is at the other end.
50th over: West Indies 167-3 (Brooks 34, Chase 14) The lights are on now, and Anderson has a short mid-on for Brooks – Crawley, stood just off the pitch, maybe for the mishit drive. What is going on with Rory Burns’ barnet, by the way? He has that late 80s/early 90s Autralian wedge thing trailing out the back of his cap, but needs to chainsaw the sideboards off above the ear to complete the look. Anyway, five more dots from Anderson before Brooks leaps back, opens the face, and bangs through backward point for four. He’s been the most fluent of the batsmen so far.
49th over: West Indies 163-3 (Brooks 30, Chase 14) It’s Bess from the other end – it looks like being a busy afternoon for him. And given the weather and match situation – it’s not hot, England need wickets – Stokes must see him as an attacking option, not a stock option. The over yields two singles.
48th over: West Indies 161-3 (Brooks 29, Chase 13) A bit of nibble indeed, as Anderson beings with a full one. It’s a dot and so are the four balls which follow it, then Brooks has himself two around the corner.
“So you wouldn’t have picked Holder either, then?” asks Mike Daniels. “It’s about a balanced selection of an attack. For me, Broad/Woakes would have been the obvious pick rather than one of Archer/Wood.”
Jimmy Anderson has the ball. I thought we should’ve seen him for a second spell before lunch, but it’s more overcast now, so perhaps he’ll find some nibble.
Anyhow, the players are back out. The first hour here is crucial!
“Woakes was the best bowler in each of the Tests he played in last winter,” says Mike Daniels. “He was the man in possession and should have been retained for this Test. He is casually dismissed irrationally.
He would bowl better here than either Archer, Wood or Stokes and bat better than Archer and Wood.”
I like Woakes, but it’d take some very special conditions for me to pick him ahead of Wood and Archer. I don’t think these are they.
Lunchtime email:“Surely cricket teams have picked an XI to suit the conditions throughout Test history. By the rationale you’ve given we also shouldn’t pick an extra spinner when playing on a big turning pitch in Colombo, for instance. Horses for courses.”
No, I’m not saying that. Picking an extra spinner on a raging bunsen is not the same thing as picking two quicks who’ve been brilliant lately, over someone not quite as good.
West Indies’ morning, I’d say. England have taken two wickets, but they’ve not looked on top at any point, and Brooks is batting really well. I’ll be back presently – see you then.
47th over: West Indies 159-3 (Brooks 27, Chase 13) Eesh! Wood is short and wide, but Chase doesn’t move his feet, chopping down nonetheless ... and just past leg stump for four. A dot follows, then a glorious stand and deliver drive through cover point for four more, and that’s lunch.
46th over: West Indies 151-3 (Brooks 27, Chase 5) Stokes keeps himself on - I’m a little surprised at that, as he’s not looking especially dangerous and already has his wicket. He sends down five dots, then Brooks clips him away for two. One more before lunch; it’s mad how much I always look forward to that, but Sky are just so good at filling the time.
“Come on Dan,” says Kevin Magee, “Braithwaite wasn’t ‘unlucky’, England have been getting the benefit of the doubt from both umpires all match. It’s now 8-1 in terms of ‘benefit of the doubt’ and that one was a ball which went nowhere near bat or glove that England happened to review. Nothing to do with the benefit of the doubt going to the batter or fielder, it’s going to England almost comically so. If this match was in the subcontinent and the decisions going against England, there’d be a scandal in the media.”
45th over: West Indies 149-3 (Brooks 25, Chase 5) A quiet over from Wood, yielding a single and a leg bye ... then a four, as Chase belts a nice drive through the covers. England’s lead is down to 55.
“Irrespective of the first innings score, we should have left a batsman out,” says Ian Wilson, “probably Denly, and kept Broad in and Woakes too, with either Wood or Archer sitting this one out. “Both Woakes and Broad are very effective and different bowlers and very useful batsman and the tail would not be as long as it is at the moment.”
44th over: West Indies 143-3 (Brooks 22, Chase 0) Stokes continues, scrapeback tousling in the wind, like so many leaves on an autumnal morning. It’s both poetic and cinematic, but I’d expect to see Anderson back before lunch. Menatime, Brooks looks great out there, comfortably playing out a maiden.
43rd over: West Indies 143-3 (Brooks 22, Chase 0) England will fancy this now; Wood has three slips and a gully, but Brooks takes his first ball for another three with another flowing drive. Five dots then follow.
Brathwaite shuffled across towards off again, making impact umpire’s call. But the ball was quite short, and it was fair to assume it was going over the top, so when that too is umpire’s call you can have some sympathy for the batsman, because once upon a time he’d have been given the benefit of the doubt.
At the the last second, West Indies review!
42nd over: West Indies 140-2 (Brathwaite 65, Brooks 22) Brathwaite sees Stokes’ first ball coming, leaping to turn off the hip for four, and Athers explains that they need to go fuller to him. Which Stokes does, but going wider, and Brathwaite isn’t letting that pass, getting enough of it to add four more, and when he goes short again, Brathwaite moves towards off to help it to the fine leg fence.
“The Socially Distanced XI is Millings’ best yet,” says Simon McMahon, “maybe even a work of genius. May I humbly suggest, as twelfth man, Barnard Castle Bosanquet.”
41st over: West Indies 128-2 (Brathwaite 53, Brooks 22) Wood returns as England seek another breakthrough; meanwhile, a sunhatted Broad prowls the rope, waiting to be told that England are short, would he mind turning his arm over. Back in the middle, Brooks looks good out there, waiting for Wood and straight-driving him for three. Meantime, continuing the biblical theme that is entertaining you all so, it’s just occurred to me that Brooks’ first name is Shamarh. He’s a shoo-in for my Old Testament XI, but he has to cope with some Old Testament-style lovingkindness when Wood bangs in short, clouting him on the elbow.
40th over: West Indies 123-2 (Brathwaite 51, Brooks 19) Stokes and his new rakish locks bring themselves on, as it occurs to me that Jimmy Anderson’s Test number is 613. Much as I’d like it to be so, I doubt his dressing-room nickname is Taryag, but there’s something extremely moving about his connection to the number of commandments in the Torah; if ever we needed proof of a divine plan - as if – we now have it. Maiden.
39th over: West Indies 123-2 (Brathwaite 51, Brooks 19) Have a look! Brooks clumps down the track to drive through point for four, then waits for one and opens the face to miss out Crawley at extra cover. Very nice. I guess Bess won’t mind too much, because if he tries driving a slider, slip is in the game. But in the meantime, Brooks has 19 off 18, and when you only have 204 runs on the board, that is not what you need.
38th over: West Indies 114-2 (Brathwaite 51, Brooks 10) Brooks is enjoying this, turning four to fine leg after Brathwaite adds a single. Brathwaite then takes one more, and West Indies are going to have a decent first-innings lead, I shouldn’t wonder.
“Unlikely candidates for social distancing?” asks Gary Naylor. “How about the Waugh twins? At a between-overs midwicket conference during yet another huge stand, their mother was heard to remark, ‘That’s the longest conversation they’ve had since I gave them separate rooms’.
Related: Stuart Broad 'frustrated, angry and gutted' by being left out by England
37th over: West Indies 108-2 (Brathwaite 50, Brooks 5) Bess’ slider looks his best weapon – it’s the ball that got Hope and also foxes Brathwaite in this over, but he then forces one through backward point which gives him his first 50 in two years. And what an important one it is.
36th over: West Indies 107-2 (Brathwaite 49, Brooks 5) One brings two and all that, so here’s Jofra! He cedes another no ball – and a four – but is hitting his stride when it comes to the short stuff. I’d give him at least one more.
More on TMS from Stephen Davenport-Drake: “I’m happy to inform Chris Bedson that the BBC has made this Test freely available for us out-of-towners. Navigate to bbc.com/sport, follow the ‘live’ link and he should see a box enigmatically entitled ‘Natural Sound: England v West Indies’. I’m listening with no problem in a very early Indianapolis.”
35th over: West Indies 103-2 (Brathwaite 49, Brooks 1) England desperately needed that, and Stokes now needs to decide on the best way of getting after Brooks, who dabs a single away on the off side to get himself away. Bess is begining to look like a Test-match spinner.
“So how will Broad react if England’s bowlers have a day of hard yakka for little result today, as is looking possible? Will he be all in-yer-face and get-it-up-you and serves-you-right-ha! Or will he actually be upset for his team’s performance and willing them on to play well and succeed? The sportsman’s dilemma, do you want your replacement to do well? Or at least, can you pretend convincingly that you do?”
This is a good ball too, drifting away from Hope, who slashes impatiently nonetheless, and Stokes snaffles the snaffle in his velcro buckets.
35th over: West Indies 102-1 (Brathwaite 48, Hope 16) Bess continues, as Nass shows us that, after working with Herath, his seam now points towards gully.
34th over: West Indies 101-1 (Brathwaite 48, Hope 16) Archer spent time adjusting the field, adjusting length, setting up Hope for the short one which comes immediately after the no ball – who saw that one coming?
You’ve got to laugh. Umpire’s call on impact, hitting the top of middle and leg.
West Indies review...
34th over: West Indies 100-1 (Brathwaite 48, Hope 16) So how does Stokes look after Archer? He was overbowled last summer, but sometimes took a few overs to find his groove, so short, sharp shocks probably aren’t the way for him. This is his fourth, so maybe two after this?
Thanks to Richard Wood for the overseas link.
33rd over: West Indies 100-1 (Brathwaite 48, Hope 16) Brathwaite nurdles Bess away for three towards backward square, then Hope looks to get back involved, mistiming a cut then taking one into the leg side to raise the hundred.
32nd over: West Indies 96-1 (Brathwaite 45, Hope 15) Hope’s not looked especially comfy out there and he plays Archer with half a bat, looking to turn to leg but instead top-edging over gully! Crawley does his best to pluck it out of the air, but isn’t quite tall enough – not a criticism he’ll have heard often. The ball runs for four, and two more singles make this a decent over for the tourists.
31st over: West Indies 90-1 (Brathwaite 44, Hope 10) Brathwaite is feeling comfortable now – he’s starting to play more attacking shots. He’s not getting hold of them at the moment, but the intention is there, and the maiden that bess sends down reflects that, far more than any kind of bamboozlement.
30th over: West Indies 90-1 (Brathwaite 44, Hope 10) Brathwaite pulls Archer uppishly – is that a word used in any other context? – but the ball drops safe ands they run two, the over yielding four in total.
“Well, obviously Boycott’ says peter McIntyre in response to Kim Thonger. “And more than two metres, please.”
29th over: West Indies 86-1 (Brathwaite 42, Hope 9) It’s not the last over before lunch but Stokes tosses Bess the ball nevertheless – really, what sort of captain is he? England clearly expect this pitch to turn, given they batted first under overcast skies ... and sure enough Bess finds some with his third ball and some bounce too, hitting Brathwaite outside the line and missing the bat. Brathwaite then takes two twos, and England’s lead is just 118 runs.
28th over: West Indies 82-1 (Brathwaite 38, Hope 9) It is indeed Archer, and when his second ball is too straight, Brathwaite turns him to fine leg for one. It’s the only run from the over, and England will be feeling concern. They’ve not conceded many runs this morning, but they’ve not looked much like taking a wicket either; West Indies are batting well.
27th over: West Indies 81-1 (Brathwaite 37, Hope 9) Anderson’s headband, then – I think it reminds me of Ruud van Nistelrooy’s when he first came to England. Four off the over, al of them to Hope, and I think it’ll be Archer next,
“Strike rate so far is extremely promising,” tweets @AsNaturalAsRain. “Look forward to seeing what your Last Evening average will be come the end of the summer.”
26th over: West Indies 77-1 (Brathwaite 37, Hope 5) This pitch is bare slow, though Wood is doing all he can to force some life out of it. Hope takes a single to fine leg, then Brathwaite is too quick through a pull but manages three from it. A single and a two follow, and I’m suddenly thinking that Broad last evening might just’ve been the difference for England in this match, all the more so when Brathwaite bounces to stroke for four, making it 11 off the over.
“I love the way Stokes has thrown himself into the captaincy and all that is expected of an English skipper in a typically belligerent fashion,” says Peter Salmon. “Two days in we already have selection controversy and a bad call at the toss. By day five I expect a collapse in form, a scandal of some sort, a player revolt and an emotional resignation. Top stuff.”
25th over: West Indies 66-1 (Brathwaite 28, Hope 3) Brathwaite takes advantage of Anderson’s first loose one in a bit, turning a brace to midwicket. Anderson retorts with three dots, but his final delivery is squirted wide of slip for two more.
“Is there a YouTube link for TMS today,” asks Chris Bedson. “I’m in the Netherlands and BBC is getting too good at blocking the VPN!”
24th over: West Indies 62-1 (Brathwaite 24, Hope 3) Brathwaite takes a single into the off side, then Hope top edges a pull ... and it drops between mid on and short leg! This is extremely intense stuff.
“A rhyme to start the day,” says Abhijato Sensarma. “The clouds have migrated to a different corner/ The stadium is hollow, awaiting the coroner/ For an inspection of the scoreboard/ And the journalist with his keyboard/ The players shall soon be on their way/ It’s time for another spell, another feature, another day!”
23rd over: West Indies 61-1 (Brathwaite 23, Hope 3) Anderson raps Hope on the pad, but too high to bother appealing, then beats the outside edge in the process of completing another maiden.
“After literally minutes of research,” emails Kim Thonger, “it is clear to me that only one English Test cricketer was naturally equipped to be socially distant: William ‘Dodge’ Whysall, 1887 to 1930. “Sadly, Dodge died young. He slipped on a dance floor, injured his elbow, and died within two weeks from septicaemia despite a blood transfusion.
Several were definitely NOT nominally suited for staying two metres apart. Brian Close, obviously, but also the Spooners, Reggie and Dick.
22nd over: West Indies 61-1 (Brathwaite 23, Hope 3) I wonder if Wood would’ve opened if he’d not had the over to finish. I don’t suppose he’s much fun to face before you’re settled, and Athers can’t think of a quicker pair England have ever fielded than him and Archer. It’s so ridiculously exciting – England’s second-string pace attack of Broad, Woakes and Stone is probably top three and definitely top five of my 36 years watching Tests. Anyway, Wood is looking lithe, and after Hope sees away a leg bye, he tests Brathwaite with a boomp-ah then sees an edge drop short of Sibley at one! Perhaps Stokes could have got under it at two, but it was a toughie.
21st over: West Indies 58-1 (Brathwaite 21, Hope 3) Brathwaite plays out the rest of a maiden, and Anderson looks like his needle is hitting the groove.
“Never thought I’d see Anz promoted in an OBO,” tweets @gilsouthwood. Big ups for that one.”
Michael Gough, the third umpire, is brilliant at explaining his decision-making, and he dismisses this in perfunctory fashion.
21st over: West Indies 58-1 (Brathwaite 21, Hope 3) Anderson races in and WHAT A NATURAL VECTOR OF DISEASE THAT IS! He digs it in, extracts bounce, brushes something, and England appeal. Not out, says the umpire, and England review!
20th over: West Indies 58-1 (Brathwaite 21, Hope 3 ) Brathwaite edges Wood’s loosener for one, and his second delivery hits 93 mph. Fair.
Mark Wood will finish his over from last evening...
“Morning Daniel, morning everyone,” says Andrew Cosgrove.“And what a fine morning it is. A fascinating day’s play in store. “Surely one of the key factors in opting for Wood and Archer is that the chances of having them both fit at the same time are likely to be small, so when you get the opportunity you go with it. Particularly on what is likely to be a relatively dead pitch where their extra pace might be an advantage . With six more or less non-stop tests to come, rotating bowlers is going to be key, so I suspect England are holding back Broad to come in at Old Trafford, which they thought might suit him better.”
Morning Andrew, morning everyone. I think I might be feeling quite emotional, all of us being back in the game. Anyhow, I see what you’re saying, but on the other hand, Broad only has so much time left in him, so you might want to use him while you can, and I’m not sure about Old Trafford, which is usually England’s least English pitch – there’s something in it for the quicks, but less for those below high 80s. I remember seeing that in the 2013 Ashes, when England really struggled, before Broad found one of his bousts at Chester-le-Street.
He adds that it’s really good that the players are playing under pressure, in the knowledge that if they don’t deliver, they’re out. And he also praises Sky’s coverage, which cannot be said enough. Sport can reach so many people, and has such a role to play in educating people – cricket especially, given its relationship to empire and accordant racism.
Gosh, he is not at all happy, and it’s great to see. I cannot wait to see him charging in with fire gushing out of his every orifice.
I think we can be sure what Broad’s tweet was getting at now!
Broad tells Sky that they picked the attack for this pitch, and he sought clarifications for the future, and received positive feedback. He says he’s not an emotional person, but found this ommission difficult – “frustrated, angry, gutted” - he says, and felt “like it was my shirt” because he was in possession and bowling better than ever. He says he’s always been fit and deserved a spot in the team like many others not picked. He’s pleased with how he feels, because if he didn’t he’d have a different decision to make. He says he doesn’t have anything to prove because everyone knows what he can do, and you can be sure that when he’s back he’ll get it done. This is brilliant – it’s so rare to hear a sportsman speak with such candour.
Nasser says he’s surprised England left out Broad, and wonders if they did it because they couldn’t decide between Archer and Wood. The attack they picked, he said, might be one for Brisbane but not the Aegeas.
I know we’re not going to attend any Test cricket this summer, but I’d happily take a picnic to enjoy a socially-distanced eat and drink just sitting about at the Oval or Haitch Cue. Just being there sends my serotonin through the roof.
It’s funny really, thinking that the conditions today might favour Wood and Archer, when really, we all know that if England are getting this done, it’ll be Jimmy Anderson doing it. He bowled pretty well last evening, and I’d expect him to be on the money from the off this morning.
Public service announcement: this is absolutely banging, and loads of fun. Treat your stirrups, cochleas and eustachians.
Tim de Lisle, who’ll be narrating you through the second half of the day, emails to appraise us of this glorious scene. 98 overs today...
Related reading: here’s an entry on Holder from Joy of Six: champions. If I was writing it now, I’d have even more reasons to effuse.
Related: The Joy of Six: champions | Daniel Harris
This is also brilliant. Jason Holder is so great and so impressive – but let’s be very clear that neither of those things are necessary in order to be treated like a human being. It’s not about exceptionalism, it’s about universalism.
I saw the interview with Mikey and I felt in my veins.
West Indies captain @Jaseholder98 says Michael Holding's passionate words about longstanding racism can bring about "systemic equality".#BlackLivesMatter#raisethebat #⃣#ENGvWI
Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent have been amazing these last couple of days – I don’t know where they find the strength – and well done Sky for giving them the scope. If people are willing to talk, we need more of this – much more.
"Even if it's a baby step at a time. Even a snail's pace. But I'm hoping it will continue in the right direction. Even at a snail's pace, I don't care"
Michael Holding fights back tears as he recalls the prejudice faced by his parents.https://t.co/iOm40vn1ktpic.twitter.com/BhYXRbtyd1
What do we think Stuart de Talleyrand-Broad meant by this? As he later confirmed, he wasn’t criticising the decision to bat first, but was he saying “Can’t believe you didn’t pick me, mucker?”
View from the hospitality tent (my hotel balcony.) Lads battling hard in tremendous English bowling conditions. pic.twitter.com/dbUWCFBWCr
We’ve all been friends a long time, so I feel comfortable enough to confide that I am absolutely buzzing for this. I absolutely love both of these teams – they way they play, the way the compete, they way they are – and today, after some extremely welcome light teasing and heavy petting, we’re going all the way.
England are in a bit of situation. Ben Stokes should probably have fielded, and should possibly have picked Stuart Broad. By opting to bat, he handed West Indies the best of the bowling conditions, and by omitting Broad, he deprived himself of an all-time expert in taking advantage of them in that crucial session last evening. However, the weather today is better, so it’s not hard to run a line that England will be better with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
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