The majestic James Anderson took career-best figures of seven for 42 as England won the series with a comfortable nine-wicket victory at Lord’s
That’s a good win for England, who recovered well from the shock of losing at Headingley to win their second series of the summer. West Indies will take a lot from this series, and they have a potential superstar in Shai Hope. England still have questions going into the Ashes series but Joe Root has become the first Englishman since Bob Willis to win his first two series as full-time captain. Thanks for your company throughout a very enjoyable Test-match summer. We’ll be back for some white-ball fun over the next few weeks. Bye!
Related: Jimmy Anderson’s career best seals series win for England over West Indies
28 overs: England 107-1 (Stoneman 40, Westley 44) Stoneman hits the winning runs, sweeping Bishoo for two, and England have won!
27th over: England 103-1 (Stoneman 37, Westley 43) Westley takes England to the cusp of victory with two boundaries off Chase. I wonder if the style and confidence of this innings will give him a chance of going on the Ashes tour. I’m not sure he should, just because I can’t see him getting runs against their fast bowlers. He has played really nicely in this innings though.
26th over: England 93-1 (Stoneman 37, Westley 33) This is a quiet end to a really entertaining summer’s cricket. The balance between bat and ball has been the best in this country since, what, 2010? I suppose 2013 was pretty good too.
25th over: England 92-1 (Stoneman 37, Westley 32) A maiden from Chase to Stoneman.
24th over: England 92-1 (Stoneman 37, Westley 32) There’s a nice standing ovation for Henry Blofeld, who has just finished his final stint on Test Match Special. It’s fair to surmise that there will never be another like him. Westley, meanwhile, is hurrying England towards victory. He cuffs Bishoo through midwicket for four more to bring the target down to 15. There are seven minutes until tea. I assume the umpires will play to a conclusion rather than repeat the Sri Lanka farce of 1988.
22nd over: England 88-1 (Stoneman 37, Westley 28) Westley brings up the fifty partnership with another handsome extra-cover drive for four. I don’t know whether it’s the freedom of the damned but he has looked much better in this innings.
“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Think these last two Tests have provided more genuine excitement, entertainment and drama than we could reasonably have expected after Edgbaston. But when all’s said and done, England have flippin’ murdered ‘em 2-1.”
21st over: England 80-1 (Stoneman 34, Westley 23) This will be England’s sixh consecutive series win at home to West Indies. They stopped the rot with those stirring 2-2 draws in 1991 and 1995, and since then they’ve won 3-1, 4-0, 3-0, 2-0, 2-0 and now 2-1.
20th over: England 80-1 (Stoneman 34, Westley 23) Stoneman squirts Chase through point for a couple. We’re nearly done; England need 27 to win.
19th over: England 78-1 (Stoneman 32, Westley 23) “Difficult to concentrate on play with all the screams from sons cheering on their Fantasy League picks,” says Brian Withington. “Really jars to hear goals for Spurs being applauded, regardless of motivation. Never mind moving the transfer window – let’s delay the Premier League start until after completion of Test match programme.”
Or we could just STOP FOOTBALL? Forever?
18th over: England 74-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 21) The offspinner Roston Chase comes into the attack. He came here with a big reputation but has had a poor series, particularly with the bat. Westley moves into the twenties with a confident extra-cover drive for four and then survives a big appeal for caught behind. I think his bat his his pad. England need 33 to win.
17th over: England 69-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 16) A maiden from Bishoo to Stoneman.
16th over: England 69-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 16) The lights are coming on at Lord’s. Tea is half an hour away, so I doubt England will get this done before then. Westley moves them to within 38 of victory with a classy clip to the midwicket boundary.
15th over: England 65-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 12) Stoneman flicks Bishoo for a couple of boundaries. The first was a particularly good shot, worked wristily wide of mid-on.
15th over: England 57-1 (Stoneman 22, Westley 12) Clouds are gathering around Lord’s, which could, among other things, jigger my hopes of an early finish. Westley is in no hurry to finish the game, though you can’t blame him for that in the circumstances. He has 12 from 30 balls, Stoneman has 22 from 38.
14th over: England 56-1 (Stoneman 22, Westley 12) “Rob et al,” says Andrew Benton. “Tickets from here in Bejing to Adelaide are 600 quid around the secondTtest - is it worth it? Apparently the Aussies haven’t lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988 so it could be the second of a very long series for England. Though I heard it might be a day-night Test, is that confirmed or no?”
Yep, that’s confirmed. It’ll be a great event, though I do worry a bit from an England point of view: Gabbatoir, day-nighter with a Kookaburra, then one last defeat at the Waca in the third Test.
13th over: England 55-1 (Stoneman 22, Westley 11) Stoneman pulls Holder this far short of the man at midwicket. He’ll be annoyed if he gets out here because he really should finish this innings with an unbeaten fifty.
12th over: England 54-1 (Stoneman 22, Westley 11) “It’s probably been suggested before but if England have Stoneman opening and Root at 4, then bump Stokes, Bairstow, Ali and Woakes up a place, the only issue is who bats at 3 (at 9, they would play Roland-Jones or a spinner depending on conditions)?” says Jeremy Smith. “That quartet are good enough to play at 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively, so why create more problems than necessary?”
Well, I’d argue England need every extra run they can get, rather than a superfluous sixth bowler, and that it would be like taking a bandage off your bad leg and putting it on your good leg. But we had this argument yesterday and I’m too weary to do it all again.
11th over: England 51-1 (Stoneman 21, Westley 8) Stoneman creams Holder through backward point for four to move into the twenties. With England needing a further 56 runs, it’s time for drinks.
10th over: England 47-1 (Stoneman 17, Westley 8) A long hop from Bishoo is clouted emphatically for four by Westley. That takes him to eight, the score for which he has been dismissed three times in this series. It’s like Ramps and the terrifying twenties in 1991!
9th over: England 40-1 (Stoneman 14, Westley 4) “I largely agree about Stoneman, but a brisk, positive 40 would probably rubber stamp things,” says Guy Hornsby. “Westley, despite a relatively assured start, has stuttered so he’d be most under threat, but I think Malan will go. The alternative is taking a novice or retreating to Ballance. Either way, No3 is the big problem for the Ashes. You have to ask yourselves who the Aussies would want to bowl at? They’d be happy with either, I think. I’d like to shield Hameed, but think he’ll go. What a series it could be.”
8th over: England 37-1 (Stoneman 13, Westley 2) Tom Westley, probably playing his final Test innings, gets off the mark with a nice clip off the pads.
“Still think Root should have the courage to move up to No3,” says Paul Frangi. “The way this summer has panned out he has as good as batted there anyway.”
Behold! The legspinner Devendra Bishoo strikes with his first ball of the innings, and indeed of the match. It was a textbook legspinner that beat Cook’s defensive stroke to hit the pad just below the knee-roll. It was plumb.
7th over: England 35-0 (Cook 17, Stoneman 13) “The ball won’t swing like this in Australia,” says Len Fisher. “But as an Aussie with a 100 per cent betting record, I am sadly backing England to win.”
The first Test is of monumental importance. If England lose that, 5-0 becomes the likeliest result, but if they win it the series could be a classic. I hope it’s 2-2 going to Sydney. Most of us have never seen an Ashes decider in Australia.
6th over: England 32-0 (Cook 14, Stoneman 13) This will be the first time since 2013 that England have won both home series, so it’s been a decent first summer for Joe Root as captain. There has been a fair bit of negativity, particularly over the top-order problems, but we would all have taken these resulsts back in June. The positive way of looking at things is that, if England can find even two decent top-order batsmen, they will be a formidable side.
5th over: England 29-0 (Cook 11, Stoneman 13) Stoneman hasn’t made a lot of runs in this series but the convincing, positive way he has made them suggests he has a fair chance of making it at Test level. There will be some hot hot heat from Australia’s new-ball bowlers, mind you. Back in the present, Cook survives an LBW appeal from Gabriel - it was going over - and then takes a ludicrous single to backward point. Stoneman would have been out with a direct hit.
4th over: England 27-0 (Cook 10, Stoneman 12) Holder replaces Roach, who has left the field with a broken dream. There is no sense of a Trent Bridge 2005-style wobble, with England rushing towards victory. They need a further 80 runs.
“Rob,” says Andrew Benton, “ you’re tweeting from the opposition. Is there one from Rob Bagchi, too?”
3rd over: England 23-0 (Cook 7, Stoneman 11) Cook has had a slightly disappointing summer, though his 88 against South Africa at the Oval was arguably the most important innings of the summer. And it has been a pretty tough few months for opening batsmen. You’d still back him to get plenty of runs in Australia. He gets his first boundary here with a nice cover drive off Gabriel. West Indies know this is over, but they should be pretty proud of their performance in this series.
2nd over: England 16-0 (Cook 0, Stoneman 11) This is impressive stuff from Stoneman. He drives Kemar Roach’s first delivery crisply through the covers for four, which makes it 11 runs from his first five balls. It’s a loose first over from Roach, though he finds his range with the last ball, a good one that straightens past the outside edge.
Joe Root will have to go some to beat AB de Villiers record of scoring 50 in 12 consecutive Tests. England need 107 after Jimmy's cb of 7-42
1st over: England 12-0 (Cook 0, Stoneman 7) Shannon Gabriel starts the innings with a lamentable delivery that slides down the leg side for four byes, and follows it with a cracker that leads to a big appeal against Cook. Chris Gaffaney says not out, probably because of height, and West Indies don’t review. Replays suggest there was a thin outside edge onto pad, even though the run was given as a leg-bye.
This is an eventful first over. Stoneman drives his first delivery sweetly through mid-on for four and works three more to deep backwaard square. It would be lovely if he established himself because his attacking approach is just what England need in the top three.
Thanks Will, hello everyone. This should be a doddle for England, so most eyes will be on Mark Stoneman and Tom Westley. In truth, I think we already know what’s what. Stoneman shouldn’t be dropped after three Tests, even if he gets a first-baller here. Westley, if he gets in, can’t really win; a nice 40 not out probably won’t be enough to get him on the Ashes tour. I suspect the top six at the Gabba will be Cook, Stoneman, Ballance or Hameed, Root, Malan and Stokes.
This will be the first Test since 2007 in which none of the four innings pass 200.
Magnificent stuff from James Anderson. He has 506 wickets, and nine in this match.
As a result, England need 107 to win. For the chase, I’m handing over to Rob Smyth. Send him your love. Bye!
Test best for Jimmy! 7-42! Previous best was 7-43. He’s bowled Roach with a beauty, and England need 107 to win the Test match. What a bowler.
65th over: West Indies 177-9 (Roach 3, Gabriel 0) Gabriel is a bad batsman, and he’s on his king pair. Oh my he’s been given out first ball by Marais Erasmus! Caught behind, but it never quite looked out. He reviews, and it’s overturned. He’s not out. So he’s off his king pair! He uses his reprieve to slightly surprisingly make it through the maiden over.
Holder stole the strike, but it mattered not. Broad is bowling quickly, and this one gets up in Holder’s grill(e), as he tries to pull. All he can do is dolly it up to Jimmy at mid-on. Easy.
64th over: West Indies 173-8 (Holder 23, Roach 3) Holder clips Jimmy’s inswinger fine to the vacant long-leg region but the bowler’s right on the money, until the last ball, when Holder pinches a single to steal the strike. That’ll frustrate Broad. The lead is 106.
63rd over: West Indies 172-8 (Holder 18, Roach 3) A lifter from Broad – a quick one, too, at 88mph – fires off Roach’s elbow and runs away for four leg-byes. That makes the lead 101. There’s an lbw shout, but it’s too high, and maybe going down leg.
62nd over: West Indies 168-8 (Holder 18, Roach 3) This over, Jimmy spends three balls just playing around outside off-stump, then the batsman takes one to the man deep on the offside. Odd position. Anyway, Roach gets one through square-leg next.
Romeo calls for caution over potential chases: “I saw West Indies bowl out England for 46 in Port of Spain. (Not done yet.) It was the best day’s cricket I’ve ever seen (apart from the MCC-Afghanistan match in July).”
61st over: West Indies 166-8 (Holder 17, Roach 2) Batting today is easier against Broad than Anderson. Roach takes a single, then Holder plays a lovely cover drive for four. I wonder if he should be batting at least a place higher in this team. A brilliant bit of fielding from Stoneman at wide mid-off prevents another driven four. They get one.
Matthew Doherty asks: “Are you sure that it’s not Stuart Broad bowling in a Jimmy mask?” He’s certainly had his tail up in that very Broadish way today.
60th over: West Indies 160-8 (Holder 12, Roach 1) So Jimmy is very much on for a Test best here. That is currently seven for 43. By the end of the over – which sees Roach take one and Holder guide four through backward-point – his figures are six for 35. The lead is 89.
Stack the cordon for Bishoo the leftie, then. Jimmy going round the wicket, and bowls him second ball! Jimmy has six for 30! This could be over very soon!
That’s brilliant from Jimmy. Just brilliant, and he has five! Honing in on Hope’s off-stump, then just taking it away a touch. Has to play, gets the nibble and Bairstow does the rest.
17.1-5-30-5 are Jimmy’s figures right now.
59th over: West Indies 155-6 (S.Hope 62, Holder 8) Hope is batting like a chap who wants his name on the honours board. He takes a single off Broad. The over ends with a massive waft outside off for Holder, but he doesn’t quite hit it. Bairstow and Cook are racing each other between overs, which is good for the over-rate. Bairstow is much quicker.
58th over: West Indies 154-6 (S.Hope 61, Holder 8) Shai Hope gets us moving in the afternoon with a nudge to leg for one, then Anderson goes straight through Holder! Well bowled. Two slips and two catching covers in, which is fun. After a couple that come into him, Jimmy takes one away because that is what he does. It beats Holder, obvs.
Good areas from Paul Metcalfe: “Recalling the old chestnut about the Englishman who causd much mirth and merriment in Spain by touring the country with his name C.O. Jones writ large on his suitcase, I would like to suggest that Toby Roland-Jones should be known forthwith as Trojones.”
Apparently there was a shower in NW8 in the lunchbreak. Not here in Kings Cross! Anyway, they are out after lunch. Jimmy, unsurprisingly, to bowl from the Nursery End.
Right, we are about five minutes from resumption.
As Romeo points out in my inbox, this wonderful video goes very nicely with Barney’s piece.
Related: Second Innings: how cricket is helping three Afghan boys build a new life in London
Cracking feature on Sky at the mo on the decline of Afro-Caribbean cricket in the UK. Which brings us to this...
Related: From David Essex to refugees – how cricket has formed bonds in south London | Barney Ronay
Right, that’s the break then. Enjoy your sandwiches, or whatever else you’re having. Before I pop out for my own, Brian Withington leaves me something to ponder:
A question of my own - who are today’s candidates for celebrity spot of the day amongst the Lords crowd? Categories should perhaps include “most nationally treasurable” as well as “most deserving of a stray 6 in the lap”. I think Gary Naylor’s brother covered off the latter category yesterday (Dante’s seventh circle would not be hot enough in my book, but it’s a game of opinion).
57th over: West Indies 153-6 (S.Hope 60, Holder 8) Well, well, well. What do I know? It’s not Toby Roland-Jones to bowl that over, it’s the skipper, golden arm himself Joe Root. He finds Hope’s edge first ball, and it runs away for two. A drive brings one, then Holder is dropped with the last ball before lunch! He drives hard and there’s a second slip, Cook! It goes very hard to him and perhaps hits him on the shin! Would have been a beauty. They scamper a couple.
Anyway, lunch. And a nice thought to take us there.
Imagine Shai Hope and Darren Bravo both on song and batting together. Hope it happens at some point in the future. @willis_macp
56th over: West Indies 148-6 (S.Hope 57, Holder 6) Mo gets through a quick one that features just one single, and we will have one more from Toby at the Pavilion End. No turn for Mo.
55th over: West Indies 147-6 (S.Hope 56, Holder 6) Either two or three overs before lunch, depending on England’s promptness. I’d be rushing through them, because one more wicket before lunch would really fix things neatly. RoJo keeps the pressure up with a maiden to Holder.
James writes: “On the subject of islands playing cricket, folk might be interested* to know that Jersey are playing the final of the World Cricket League division 5. If they go all the way through the divisions, they could get to the World Cup ... in 2023. It’s a long process, even Straussy would struggle to be already planning for 2023. Anyway, Jersey now have to restrict the might of Vanuatu to under 257.
54th over: West Indies 147-6 (S.Hope 56, Holder 6) Moeen time! Some spin! First ball beats Holder outside off and Bairstow takes the bails off. No turn there. Next is handsomely cover-driven and beats the man in the deep for four! Shot! He misses a big drive later in the over, and Jimmy is right in the game at slip. Single to long-on gives Hope one ball to negotiate. He does. Saqlain and Mason Crane are wandering round to the Nursery for a net.
Kim Thonger writes: “My wife and I are sitting in the Grandstand and to while away the dot balls we’ve done a survey of the advertising hoardings and concluded that 24.3% of the adverts are for beer. Does this mean the average cricket fan thinks about beer almost a quarter of the time, or is it marketing people who think that way. Or possibly both. Anyway she’s gone to buy me beer now mainly to avoid further statistical analysis.”
53rd over: West Indies 142-6 (S.Hope 56, Holder 1) 50 for Shai Hope! Lovely shot. He’s turned Roland-Jones through wide mid-on for a beautifully timed four. That’s his eighth boundary, from his 127th four. He gets four more through backward point. Uppish, but well-placed. Class act, Hope.
Shannon Gabriel is sitting on the balcony with a towel on his head.
52nd over: West Indies 134-6 (S.Hope 48, Holder 1) Stokes gets just two slips, compared to Tobes’ four. Hope cover drives beautifully for four to move to 47, then turns round the corner for one. That was Hope’s first boundary of the day, off his 54th ball. Holder pats back the rest, and Stokes is grimacing as he bowls so he’s going off.
Millsy writes: “I’m not sure any of the current truncated monikers for Toby Roland-Jones really works, so could I urge you to use Toblerone instead? It’s basically what my brain hears every time Michael Vaughan says his name.”
51st over: West Indies 129-6 (S.Hope 43, Holder 1) Rojo bowls a maiden to Holder, with four slips waiting. The lead is 58.
Brian Withington writes: “Not content with exploring Bertrand Russell-esque paradoxes earlier in the match, Ian Copestake now challenges us with a further examination of set theory with his 46th-over poser. I think he is seeking the supremum of the subset of English second innings scores that are in a losing cause. I am currently wrestling with whether this is also one (or more) less than the infimum of the subset of winning scores.
50th over: West Indies 129-6 (S.Hope 43, Holder 1) After a couple of balls of Stokes’ over, England have a moan about the ball. Umps have a look, but they are not interested. Hope then turns it off his hip – literally, actually, it’s leg byes – for four down to fine leg. Bairstow and Mo chase, but no dice. Those are the over’s only runs.
Adam Roberts raises a damned good point: “Root’s not going to get the chance to keep his 50 streak going at this rate.”
WICKET - Dowrich departs & Windies 123-6
Follow LIVE: https://t.co/Cyyqfe6dy6pic.twitter.com/BwMEA2tcd4
49th over: West Indies 125-6 (S.Hope 43, Holder 1) So the skipper is in with a proper job (not the Cornish beer) on his hands. He makes the lead 53 by turning his first ball to leg for one. Hope turns to leg for one, then Rojo beats Holder outside off to end the over.
@willis_macp Re Anthony Farmer email - & we're happy to see new people posting BTL @ CC Live! Just 'pop in', say hi & get a Dolly sandwich
Broad finally takes one! Marcos Rojo digs one in, Dowrich can’t resist and gets a top edge on a pull. It loops up to mid-on and the catch could barely be simpler.
48th over: West Indies 123-5 (S.Hope 42, Dowrich 14) This Stokes over is a quiet one, including two singles, the second of which comes from a misfield from Jimmy at gully.
A great email from Tom Bowtell. Properly great.
47th over: West Indies 121-5 (S.Hope 41, Dowrich 13) ToRoJo is on! I boldly predicted that he would take at least four of the wickets today. Well, there are five left. Shane Warne uses his arrival, literally before he’s bowled a blooming ball, to suggest Root should bring the spinner on. Anyway, Rojo cares not, and bowls five dot balls to Dowrich, who whacks the final ball for four on the pull. The lead is 50.
Brian Withington has a solution to a tricky tester: “I think we may have found our opener for the Ashes series,” he crows. “Clear and decisive when asked the probing questions - the Aussie attack should pose no problem whichever (E/)end they are bowling from. Nick Wiltsher (over 42) should be measured up now for his tour blazer - a nation expects.”
46th over: West Indies 117-5 (S.Hope 41, Dowrich 9) After 59 minutes, we have our first convincing boundary of the day! It’s Stokes’s first ball, and it’s a loosener of a half-volley that Dowrich eases through the covers for four. The lead is 45, and it’s still 46 by the over’s end as Dowrich takes one to deep square.
Ian Copestake writes: “I am all about the positives, so what do you think the lowest score is that England could still fail to get?” I reckon their first innings total: 194. Root won’t fail twice in the game, because he never does.
45th over: West Indies 112-5 (S.Hope 41, Dowrich 4) Great celebrappeal in this Broad over. It’s for lbw against Hope, as it nips back, but it’s way too high. Broad might be the only human on the planet who thinks that’s out, and he literally can’t understand what’s wrong with it. In fact, there was nothing right with it.
Geoff emails. “Referencing your 37th over selections, would you have either Livingstone or Hales in the Lions squad? If not, why not?” he asks. “And what would you do about Buttler? Personally I’d have one of Hales or Buttler in Australia, just for fun: but you see a lot of the county game so do you think any of thre three can/ will make it with the red ball?”
44th over: West Indies 112-5 (S.Hope 41, Dowrich 4) Jimmy drags one down to get Hope off strike – he takes a pulled single to deep midwicket. This is surely the last over of his spell. He has five balls at Dowrich, who is all at sea, but still there. He gets off the mark with the day’s first boundary off the bat, but it’s not pretty, and edge through gully, which Bairstow chases all the way to third man. In vain.
Anthony Farmer emails: “Re. the curious use of the asterisk in Romeo’s email (Over 35). I know that scoring might be a tad slow this morning but I don’t think onanism is the answer.”
43rd over: West Indies 107-5 (S.Hope 40, Dowrich 0) Broad bowls his fourth maiden of the day. The penultimate ball would have been caught by a short-leg, as it bounces nicely and takes Dowrich’s inside edge and pad. And the last ball sees the second drop of the morning! It’s Broad again, with an incredibly tough caught and bowled chance. The bat turned in Dowrich’s hand, and he scuffs it back, a fair way to Broad’s left. He gets a hand to it, but turns it round the corner like a goalkeeper. Much harder than Broad’s drop at mid-off earlier.
Simon McMahon writes: “Morning Will, morning everyone. This is going to be over today, isn’t it? Can’t beat a low scoring, three day Test match. And it has an added bonus of meaning time tomorrow for ‘family stuff’, right? Right?”
42nd over: West Indies 107-5 (S.Hope 40, Dowrich 0) Jimmy has four for 22, and would love to make Hope, the prize wicket, his fifth. He squares him up a touch, and the leading edge squirts past Stoneman, who is at a catching short mid-off sort of position, for two. Otherwise it’s all rather uneventful, the usual probing around fourth stump with the bowler in charge.
Nick Wiltsher emails with an answer to my Ends/ends debate. And he’s talking sense.
I would say this: if it’s an official designation, cap up; if it’s just a descriptive reference, lower case. So, with the example you were wondering about: if the official actual name is Pavilion End, then it’s “Pavilion End”; if that’s just a phrase you’re using to refer to that end where the pavilion is, then it’s “pavilion end”. In no case is it “Pavilion end”. Think of Derby County’s old stadium. It was the Baseball Ground. If you just want to refer to the some place where people play baseball, that’s the baseball ground. But nowhere is the Baseball ground).
41st over: West Indies 105-5 (S.Hope 38, Dowrich 0) A boundary! Our first of the day. But it’s off Hope’s pad. Tickled down to fine-leg as Broad loses his line. Hope takes a single to deep square, then Dowrich leaves one.
Morning Stuie!
@willis_macp morning will just sneaky on at work need more wkts
40th over: West Indies 100-5 (S.Hope 37, Dowrich 0) Shane Dowrich in. He’s looked a little bit pony this summer but there’s enough there to work with, clearly. He plays out a wicket maiden.
Smyth’s in my inbox with a belting stat: Jimmy has averaged 15 with the ball in each of the last two summers, the lowest of his career in a home summer. He’s got 36 at 14.72 this summer. Mad.
Blackwood’s was an eventful little innings – drop, review, slog – but it’s over now! Anderson gets one to leave him, and he follows it on the back foot, getting a nick through to Bairstow! He doesn’t drop them (these days!). Windies are 7 for 2 this morning. The lead is 29.
39th over: West Indies 100-4 (S.Hope 37, Blackwood 5) Anyway, good comeback from Broad, who beats Blackwood outside off. A hoick brings one as Broad goes fuller. 100 up. Defends the last.
Broad finally concedes a run this morning, after 19 balls. Hope gets one into the legside, and I don’t think either England bowler will mind having a look at the other batsman. And so it proves! Broad pins Blackwood on the pad, in front of all three and up goes the finger! Blackwood reviews straight away ... and there’s a tiny inside edge. He survives!
38th over: West Indies 98-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 4) Good from Jimmy, good from Blackwood, who reins himself in – for now at least – and pats back a maiden.
Guy Hornsby emails!
<Richie Voice> Morning Will, morning everyone </Richie Voice> Currently enjoying the OBO from the comfort of my sofa, new baby daughter getting her first mention at 10 days old yesterday, so her life goals are already complete. What a day for Jimmy yesterday, and it’s incredible to see he’s still improving. His stats since turning 30 are astonishing, and his 501st was one of his best ever: he had the ball on a string. What will we do when he’s gone? Sod the Queen, we may need a period of national mourning, with highlight reels on 24/7 to soothe the country’s abyss of cricketing grief.
37th over: West Indies 98-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 4) This is Broad’s third straight maiden this morning, but it doesn’t desperately trouble Hope, who is blessed with patience that Blackwood will never possess.
Tough question, this. But I think I decided this week that Hameed is in my Ashes squad. So are Crane, Wood and Foakes. Lions, I’d take in no particular order: Helm, Porter, Coverton, Bess, J.Clarke, Alex Davies, probably Ed Barnard.
@willis_macp Probably last day of last summer Test. C'mon Will, who gets on a plane this winter in your book. Test & Lions teams
36th over: West Indies 98-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 4) West Indies play their second scoring shot of the morning! A Blackwood leading edge skids through point and he’s off the mark with two. Next ball there’s a howling, minging, hanging drop! Blackwood plays a horrible heave of a drive, and it goes in the air to Broad at mid-off, and he shells a pretty regulation chance that he managed to make almost impossible. He hammers the turf. Athers says that’s the 24th drop of the series, and he’s almost always right. That was the original ‘bad cricket all round’.
35th over: West Indies 94-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 0) In this Broad maiden, there’s an appeal for lbw as one jags back at Hope and hits his pad. Never out, but Broad appeals obvs. It’s high and down the legside. England have no reviews left anyway.
Romeo emails: “Will, I’m curious as to where you’re w**king from today. I know Adam Collins did some of the last Bangladesh-Australia game from the ground, but that ‘s a bit unusual isn’t it? So are you a) there, b) at the office c) at home or d) somewhere else?”
34th over: West Indies 94-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 0) Oooph. Blackwood, who doesn’t strike me as the sort of soul who much likes being on 0, tries to turn Jimmy to leg, and gets a leading edge that loops up into the offside, and just evades Broad at mid-on. Later in the over he’s beaten all ends up outside off. He’s patient Blackwood, and plays out perhaps the first maiden of his career. He’s 0 off eight, and surely there’s a fat shot coming.
“Gary Naylor’s brother,” writes Ian Copestake, “is in a good position to save his country’s future.”
The first wicket of the day! Chase caught behind off Jimmy.
LIVE: https://t.co/Cyyqfe6dy6pic.twitter.com/ZrI5TXwqom
33rd over: West Indies 94-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 0) So much rests on Shai Hope here. He’s facing Broad, who gets a go from the Pavilion End. Never sure whether to capitalise the names of ends. Or Ends. Anyway. Hope defends, then edges with very soft hands to Root at second slip. All along the carpet. Hope plays out the rest of a maiden that felt like it was just always going to be a maiden.
Poor Gary’s brother deserves his money back.
My brother's view at Lord's yesterday - pic.twitter.com/jYWZI7wIoa
32nd over: West Indies 94-4 (S.Hope 36, Blackwood 0) What a start. Blackwood is in, which will be fun. His first ball is down the legside, he has a swing and a miss and England unsuccessfully appeal for the strangle. He defends the next like an adult.
Will Hargreaves gets in touch to say Tres is also his all-time fave, while Dave Langlois riffs on the great man: “Who could disagree about Trescothick?” he asks. “His book ‘Coming Back to Me’ is one of the greatest sporting reads ever with an overwhelming human content. Most other sporting books have spoken about the human spirit in some sense but this one nails it.”
First over of the day and Jimmy’s done the trick! Shai Hope gets himself off strike early in the over, then Chase just prods outside off, gets the edge and he’s gawwwwnnnnn!
Right, cricketers on the field. Here goes! Jimmy from the Nursery End...
A question from Richard McKeary.
Here’s something to mull over. Why have umpires become so much more lenient with regards to ‘bad’ light - or, rather, light conditions when the natural light is all but gone and the floodlights have taken over. Last night at Lord’s they were playing in practically nighttime conditions. I’m sure in the recent past in those conditions it was considered too dangerous and the red ball was deemed too difficult to see. Abu Dhabi and the Ashes test at the Oval are two tests I remember where play was farcically stopped due to ‘poor’ light.
This Trescothick masterclass is superb on playing spin, and particularly sweeping.
Could go until 7 tonight.
98 overs scheduled at Lord's today
11.00 to 1.00
1.40 to 4.10
4.30 to 6.30 (plus 30 mins for slow over-rates)
Marcus Trescothick is on Sky reminiscing about his early days in Test cricket, against the Windies 17 years ago. Some of my first memories of the game, that series. I went to the Lord’s Test actually. Might have been my dayboo.
Mad to think, then, that I watched Trescothick play yesterday. He made his 65th first-class ton this week and, as a result, his beloved Somerset have a decent chance of survival in Division One. Wonderfully, he was fielding short leg as they secured their victory over Warwickshire. Just a great man, and perhaps my favourite ever.
Related: Somerset beat Warwickshire – and the rain – to boost hopes of survival
Lots of chatter about Jimmy’s running-on-the-pitch issues. Needs to be careful, as he’s on his final warning. Know what I reckon? I think it’s Big Toby’s day. Roland-Jones is a man who knows a thing or two about bowling at Lord’s in conditions suited to batsman. He’ll get at least four of the last seven.
Anyway, Brad McMillan reckons I’m thirsty.
If you’re anything like me, it sounds like you have plans tonight which could jeopardise your ability to clearly think tomorrow morning if you’re already considering whether the match will still be going?
Anyway, my bold prediction from the fence, if we don’t bowl them out before lunch today, we’ll see play on Monday, never mind tomorrow.
Sir Richard emails! He’s got the TMS overseas link for Dave Langlois, and he says it’s working!
Stuart Law is talking to Athers on Sky. Law is a hilarious man. I once interviewed him over the phone in Australia about the great moments of his great career, many of which, of course, came in county cricket.
It had all been very friendly and convivial as I waxed his ego about how good he was at batting. But we had spoken briefly about his fractious relationship with Nasser at Essex and this had obviously stoked the fire in his belly a touch, ao as I was signing off the call, from nowhere he just shouts: “tell your mate Nasser he’s a [insert word far too naughty for a family-friendly OBO]!!!!”
Dave Langlois wins the race to my inbox!
Suprised to hear your co-commentator say towards the end of yesterday’s play that he still puts England as favourties. Their last-innings chase record is dire! The Windies have a younger, more gung-ho approach and if they get a lead of about 150 the England collapse is odds-on.
Also, any fellow listener found an overseas TMS link that works today? Today’s TMS twitter link doesn’t. Yesterday they didn’t even post one.
You can contact me, by the way. Tell me what you’re up to on this fine Saturday morning, or tell me when this Test will end (will it make it to my OBO shift this time tomorrow?), or tell me your favourite memories of the great Jim.
For pithy ideas, get me at @willis_macp on the Twitters. For longer thoughts, slide into my inbox at the utterly cumbersome will.macpherson.freelance@theguardian.com.
Well, good morning. There’s been a bit of conjecture about the timing of this Test – in September? At Lord’s? – but right now London’s skies are blue, the air is warm and it feels like summer at its highest. Just a delight. Is this the start of an Indian summer? Let’s hope so. We damned well deserve it after a filthy August like that. I’m Will Macpherson and I’m here to guide you through the first half of the day, at which point I’ll hand over to the great Rob Smyth.
So, Jimmy Anderson 501, eh? Always did love his arrers, the great man. What an achievement 500 is (stumps flying on a Friday afternoon at Lord’s – how good?), and what a ball to get rid of Kieron Powell, the 501st. So good it’s actually hard to describe, but I’ll try: slanting in, pitching on middle from round the wicket and hooping away from the left-hander’s defence and taking the top of off. What a bowler.
Wicket 501 & what a beauty! Windies 69-3
Follow LIVE: https://t.co/Cyyqfe6dy6pic.twitter.com/AvCPjL5j4x