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| West Indies v England: first Test, day three – as it happened | West Indies v England: first Test, day three – as it happened |
| (18 days later) | |
| 10.38pm BST | |
| 22:38 | |
| The day belongs Jermaine Blackwood, 112 not out after a wonderful and endearingly risky innings. He says the century is a “very proud feeling” and that he “is extremely happy”. “It was pretty hard - I took a couple of blows on my hands and fingers,” he adds. He then offers Ben Stokes a little thanks for bowling the no ball from which he was caught. “He’s alright, he’s my boy,” he says with a big smile. | The day belongs Jermaine Blackwood, 112 not out after a wonderful and endearingly risky innings. He says the century is a “very proud feeling” and that he “is extremely happy”. “It was pretty hard - I took a couple of blows on my hands and fingers,” he adds. He then offers Ben Stokes a little thanks for bowling the no ball from which he was caught. “He’s alright, he’s my boy,” he says with a big smile. |
| A good day for Gary Ballance too, who has ground out an innings and - though a long way from form - is at least nearing it. The same cannot be said for Alastair Cook - who still appears to have no clue where his off stump is - and Jonathan Trott who is wandering all over the crease, head all over the place. If Trott can’t cope with the 85mph attack of the West Indies, lord help him when Tim Southee and Trent Boult soften him up for Mitchells Johnson and Starc. | A good day for Gary Ballance too, who has ground out an innings and - though a long way from form - is at least nearing it. The same cannot be said for Alastair Cook - who still appears to have no clue where his off stump is - and Jonathan Trott who is wandering all over the crease, head all over the place. If Trott can’t cope with the 85mph attack of the West Indies, lord help him when Tim Southee and Trent Boult soften him up for Mitchells Johnson and Starc. |
| Thanks for joining us, see you tomorrow afternoon for the fourth day. | Thanks for joining us, see you tomorrow afternoon for the fourth day. |
| 10.32pm BST | |
| 22:32 | |
| 38th over England 116-3 lead by 220 (Ballance 44, Root 32) | 38th over England 116-3 lead by 220 (Ballance 44, Root 32) |
| Root wanders over to Billy Bowden and says, “I thought you said it was time to go?” Marlon Samuels butts in, “Look at him trying to sneak off, he’ll try anything”. The bowler then sends down three balls of rank filth, a good yard outside Ballance’s off stump and turning even further away. His last ball of the day is pushed for one and, with that, that’s your lot. | Root wanders over to Billy Bowden and says, “I thought you said it was time to go?” Marlon Samuels butts in, “Look at him trying to sneak off, he’ll try anything”. The bowler then sends down three balls of rank filth, a good yard outside Ballance’s off stump and turning even further away. His last ball of the day is pushed for one and, with that, that’s your lot. |
| 10.30pm BST | |
| 22:30 | |
| 37th over England 115-3 lead by 219 (Ballance 43, Root 32) | 37th over England 115-3 lead by 219 (Ballance 43, Root 32) |
| Holder lollops in half-heartedly from the other end and Ballance steers him to third man for an easy couple. It’s been a long session, three hours now, and so when Holder serves up a half volley, Ballance takes pity and leans on it for three rather than clobbering it for four. The players look expectantly at the umpire, hoping he’ll call time for the day. No luck. | Holder lollops in half-heartedly from the other end and Ballance steers him to third man for an easy couple. It’s been a long session, three hours now, and so when Holder serves up a half volley, Ballance takes pity and leans on it for three rather than clobbering it for four. The players look expectantly at the umpire, hoping he’ll call time for the day. No luck. |
| 10.24pm BST | |
| 22:24 | |
| 36th over England 109-3 lead by 213 (Ballance 38, Root 32) | 36th over England 109-3 lead by 213 (Ballance 38, Root 32) |
| Samuels continues his impression of the vicar coming in from the pub end, the villagers gazing on over full pints. Or at least that’s the general mood as the West Indies play for the close. Root and Ballance exchange singles. Only a couple of overs to go. | Samuels continues his impression of the vicar coming in from the pub end, the villagers gazing on over full pints. Or at least that’s the general mood as the West Indies play for the close. Root and Ballance exchange singles. Only a couple of overs to go. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.34pm BST | |
| 10.21pm BST | |
| 22:21 | |
| 35th over England 107-3 lead by 211 (Ballance 37, Root 31) | 35th over England 107-3 lead by 211 (Ballance 37, Root 31) |
| And here comes some pace at last. Holder interrupts the pleasant sense of ennui that has enveloped the early evening pleasantness in Antigua and sends one down which jags off the pitch. He tries to tuck Ballance up with his second, before three fuller balls at 80mph-ish are dealt with without much issue by the batsman. Ballance is not at his best, but he is still at the crease, grinding it out and getting nearer to some form. Or at least he was, until deciding to swish at a short, wide ball and failing to connect by quite some distance. A maiden. | And here comes some pace at last. Holder interrupts the pleasant sense of ennui that has enveloped the early evening pleasantness in Antigua and sends one down which jags off the pitch. He tries to tuck Ballance up with his second, before three fuller balls at 80mph-ish are dealt with without much issue by the batsman. Ballance is not at his best, but he is still at the crease, grinding it out and getting nearer to some form. Or at least he was, until deciding to swish at a short, wide ball and failing to connect by quite some distance. A maiden. |
| “Surely Pietersen’s role is as Banquo’s ghost?,” says Elliot Wilson, giving it some Scottish play. | “Surely Pietersen’s role is as Banquo’s ghost?,” says Elliot Wilson, giving it some Scottish play. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.21pm BST | |
| 10.15pm BST | |
| 22:15 | |
| 34th over England 107-3 lead by 211 (Ballance 37, Root 31) | 34th over England 107-3 lead by 211 (Ballance 37, Root 31) |
| Samuels stiffly turns his arm over down the other end, marking time, holding up an end with the three seamers grazing in the long grass. Samuels tosses one up, fishing for Ballance to hit out. Ballance is having none of it and continues to nudge and nurdle, mellow and easy. | Samuels stiffly turns his arm over down the other end, marking time, holding up an end with the three seamers grazing in the long grass. Samuels tosses one up, fishing for Ballance to hit out. Ballance is having none of it and continues to nudge and nurdle, mellow and easy. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.21pm BST | |
| 10.12pm BST | |
| 22:12 | |
| 33rd over England 104-3 lead by 208 (Ballance 35, Root 30) | 33rd over England 104-3 lead by 208 (Ballance 35, Root 30) |
| That’s the hundred up and a 50 partnership between these two. The West Indies team seem happy to let them tick over without putting too much pressure on them. It’s almost as if it’s early evening in the Caribbean and, well, come on. One moment of drama comes when Root attempts to cut Benn and misses it. Still, it’s not that dramatic. | That’s the hundred up and a 50 partnership between these two. The West Indies team seem happy to let them tick over without putting too much pressure on them. It’s almost as if it’s early evening in the Caribbean and, well, come on. One moment of drama comes when Root attempts to cut Benn and misses it. Still, it’s not that dramatic. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.20pm BST | |
| 10.09pm BST | |
| 22:09 | |
| 32nd over England 99-3 lead by 203 (Ballance 32, Root 28) | 32nd over England 99-3 lead by 203 (Ballance 32, Root 28) |
| The rest of Samuels’ over passes without incident, Root working a single and Ballance playing cautiously. Two off the over. | The rest of Samuels’ over passes without incident, Root working a single and Ballance playing cautiously. Two off the over. |
| “’Where does Pietersen play?’ If he’s any sense he’ll sign up to play for Yorkshire’s seconds, in the county championship,” chuckles Bob O’Hara. | “’Where does Pietersen play?’ If he’s any sense he’ll sign up to play for Yorkshire’s seconds, in the county championship,” chuckles Bob O’Hara. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.10pm BST | |
| 10.06pm BST | |
| 22:06 | |
| SAFE | SAFE |
| Root was hit outside the line, while the Hawkeye suggests the ball would have hit the stumps but that it was umpire’s call. Still, a tight one. | Root was hit outside the line, while the Hawkeye suggests the ball would have hit the stumps but that it was umpire’s call. Still, a tight one. |
| 10.05pm BST | |
| 22:05 | |
| REVIEW! | REVIEW! |
| A review. Samuels catches Root in front, wandering across the stumps from leg to off. Did it hit him outside the line? | A review. Samuels catches Root in front, wandering across the stumps from leg to off. Did it hit him outside the line? |
| 10.04pm BST | |
| 22:04 | |
| 31st over England 97-3 lead by 201 (Ballance 31, Root 27) | 31st over England 97-3 lead by 201 (Ballance 31, Root 27) |
| Balance and Root continue to look to be positive against Benn, having both played themselves in. Root is cutting and swishing, Ballance pushing. | Balance and Root continue to look to be positive against Benn, having both played themselves in. Root is cutting and swishing, Ballance pushing. |
| “If Animal comes in for Trott, then Dr. Teeth must surely replace Cook as captain,” reckons Simon McMahon. I think he’s probably more Beaker at the moment. Or is that Jonny Bairstow. | “If Animal comes in for Trott, then Dr. Teeth must surely replace Cook as captain,” reckons Simon McMahon. I think he’s probably more Beaker at the moment. Or is that Jonny Bairstow. |
| 10.00pm BST | |
| 22:00 | |
| 30th over England 92-3 lead by 196 (Ballance 30, Root 23) | 30th over England 92-3 lead by 196 (Ballance 30, Root 23) |
| The part-time spinner Marlon Samuels comes on, drifts one down the leg, and Root clatters him to the deep square boundary. West Indies are drifting a bit at the moment while England are looking to step on the gas. Ramdin’s captaincy is a bit odd at times - why bring on Samuels now, with Taylor and Holder fresh-ish? | The part-time spinner Marlon Samuels comes on, drifts one down the leg, and Root clatters him to the deep square boundary. West Indies are drifting a bit at the moment while England are looking to step on the gas. Ramdin’s captaincy is a bit odd at times - why bring on Samuels now, with Taylor and Holder fresh-ish? |
| “Re 29th over: Pietersen plays in his sand-pit,” chortles John Starbuck. | “Re 29th over: Pietersen plays in his sand-pit,” chortles John Starbuck. |
| 9.56pm BST | |
| 21:56 | |
| 29th over England 87-3 lead by 191 (Ballance 30, Root 18) | 29th over England 87-3 lead by 191 (Ballance 30, Root 18) |
| Root pushes Benn for two, then cuts him hard for four as he appears to have got to grips with the spinner. Not sure we’ll see too much more of him - can’t work out why Taylor is not on from this end. | Root pushes Benn for two, then cuts him hard for four as he appears to have got to grips with the spinner. Not sure we’ll see too much more of him - can’t work out why Taylor is not on from this end. |
| “We’ve got a young championship winning, player of the year, in the form of his life on the bench,” writes Thomas Bright of Adam Lyth. “I think he deserves a game! Drop Cook, tell him he’s still a massive part of our plans going forward and to pile on the runs for Essex before New Zealand come to town. If Trott, Ballance or Lyth aren’t scoring he comes straight into the side, not as captain though. That honour goes to young Joe Root, aggressive when needs be, he’s calm when under pressure and most importantly plays with a smile on his face! Graves at the top, Vaughn in above Moores and Root as captain, a good Yorkshire is good for England! Rant over.” | “We’ve got a young championship winning, player of the year, in the form of his life on the bench,” writes Thomas Bright of Adam Lyth. “I think he deserves a game! Drop Cook, tell him he’s still a massive part of our plans going forward and to pile on the runs for Essex before New Zealand come to town. If Trott, Ballance or Lyth aren’t scoring he comes straight into the side, not as captain though. That honour goes to young Joe Root, aggressive when needs be, he’s calm when under pressure and most importantly plays with a smile on his face! Graves at the top, Vaughn in above Moores and Root as captain, a good Yorkshire is good for England! Rant over.” |
| Where does Pietersen play? | Where does Pietersen play? |
| 9.53pm BST | |
| 21:53 | |
| 28th over England 80-3 lead by 182 (Ballance 30, Root 11) | 28th over England 80-3 lead by 182 (Ballance 30, Root 11) |
| Another lovely cut from Ballance, spanking Roach to the point boundary again. In the last couple of overs, Ballance has just started to resemble the batsman of last summer so, if that hasn’t jinxed him, it would be nice to see if he could play himself back into some form here. He tickles Roach for another four to fine leg, then works a two to reinforce the point. | Another lovely cut from Ballance, spanking Roach to the point boundary again. In the last couple of overs, Ballance has just started to resemble the batsman of last summer so, if that hasn’t jinxed him, it would be nice to see if he could play himself back into some form here. He tickles Roach for another four to fine leg, then works a two to reinforce the point. |
| 9.49pm BST | |
| 21:49 | |
| 27th over England 70-3 lead by 174 (Ballance 20, Root 11) | 27th over England 70-3 lead by 174 (Ballance 20, Root 11) |
| Root smears Ben through point but is thwarted by a sprawling stop. He is looking to be positive against the spinner, moving about in the crease and looking for runs. He gets a couple to leg before blocking out the over and shaking his head in resignation. | Root smears Ben through point but is thwarted by a sprawling stop. He is looking to be positive against the spinner, moving about in the crease and looking for runs. He gets a couple to leg before blocking out the over and shaking his head in resignation. |
| “Just back from work, late in the day etc etc just seen the Buddy Rich link,” emails Rob Watson. “How long before the selectors put the muppet drummer in for Trott?” | “Just back from work, late in the day etc etc just seen the Buddy Rich link,” emails Rob Watson. “How long before the selectors put the muppet drummer in for Trott?” |
| 9.46pm BST | |
| 21:46 | |
| 26th over England 68-3 lead by 172 (Ballance 20, Root 9) | 26th over England 68-3 lead by 172 (Ballance 20, Root 9) |
| Having just embarked in the much-missed, ceremonial Rob Smyth jog to the loos and back during the drinks break, I missed Ballance carving Roach to the point boundary. Also there may be some score confusion. Sky gave Root a six for that slog sweep to midwicket and had them two ahead of me so we’ll go with them since our scores are jiggered. | Having just embarked in the much-missed, ceremonial Rob Smyth jog to the loos and back during the drinks break, I missed Ballance carving Roach to the point boundary. Also there may be some score confusion. Sky gave Root a six for that slog sweep to midwicket and had them two ahead of me so we’ll go with them since our scores are jiggered. |
| 9.39pm BST | |
| 21:39 | |
| 25th over England 62-3 lead by 165 (Ballance 16, Root 7) | 25th over England 62-3 lead by 165 (Ballance 16, Root 7) |
| Ballance nurdles a single to fine leg off Benn before Root gets down on knee and thrashes the spinner through midwicket for four. That’s what England need. They are a little becalmed at the moment and could do with upping the run rate. Tricky if the score is 62-3, admittedly, but the lead is 168-3 which is a far better platform from which to slog. | Ballance nurdles a single to fine leg off Benn before Root gets down on knee and thrashes the spinner through midwicket for four. That’s what England need. They are a little becalmed at the moment and could do with upping the run rate. Tricky if the score is 62-3, admittedly, but the lead is 168-3 which is a far better platform from which to slog. |
| Updated | |
| at 10.17pm BST | |
| 9.36pm BST | |
| 21:36 | |
| 24th over England 57-3 lead by 160 (Ballance 15, Root 3) | 24th over England 57-3 lead by 160 (Ballance 15, Root 3) |
| Taylor is sending the ball down at 88mph-ish, with the swing variable. Sometimes it hoops, sometimes it does not. Can’t help feel that it would be more consistent with the cross breeze on his side. One from the over, worked off Ballance’s hip to square leg. | Taylor is sending the ball down at 88mph-ish, with the swing variable. Sometimes it hoops, sometimes it does not. Can’t help feel that it would be more consistent with the cross breeze on his side. One from the over, worked off Ballance’s hip to square leg. |
| 9.31pm BST | |
| 21:31 | |
| 23rd over England 56-3 lead by 159 (Ballance 14, Root 3) | 23rd over England 56-3 lead by 159 (Ballance 14, Root 3) |
| Root clips Benn through midwicket but not quite to the boundary and so runs three. Benn would prefer to be bowling to Ballance, what with all that rough outside the left-hander’s off stump but Ballance gets off strike with a single. | Root clips Benn through midwicket but not quite to the boundary and so runs three. Benn would prefer to be bowling to Ballance, what with all that rough outside the left-hander’s off stump but Ballance gets off strike with a single. |
| 9.28pm BST | |
| 21:28 | |
| 22nd over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) | 22nd over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) |
| Taylor continues from the wrong end but does get the ball to swing in towards the base of Ballance’s stumps. His line is full and straight/outside off and it’s relentless too (or was, until the fifth delivery strayed a little too wide of off). Ballance is watchful, until the last ball of the over when he dabs outside off rather than leaving Taylor well alone. | Taylor continues from the wrong end but does get the ball to swing in towards the base of Ballance’s stumps. His line is full and straight/outside off and it’s relentless too (or was, until the fifth delivery strayed a little too wide of off). Ballance is watchful, until the last ball of the over when he dabs outside off rather than leaving Taylor well alone. |
| 9.24pm BST | |
| 21:24 | |
| 21st over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) | 21st over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) |
| Then again, Benn is finding turn at the other end and his first delivery to Root turns from middle and off past the edge of the bat. But Root is attempting to play positively, attempting to cut him when he can but getting in a big stride when he can’t. A maiden nonetheless. | Then again, Benn is finding turn at the other end and his first delivery to Root turns from middle and off past the edge of the bat. But Root is attempting to play positively, attempting to cut him when he can but getting in a big stride when he can’t. A maiden nonetheless. |
| Re. the 16th over: | Re. the 16th over: |
| @tombry You'd only feel like Cook if it happened every day for two years, you wore the same coat, said it's fine & slagged off Morgan's coat | @tombry You'd only feel like Cook if it happened every day for two years, you wore the same coat, said it's fine & slagged off Morgan's coat |
| 9.21pm BST | |
| 21:21 | |
| 20th over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) | 20th over England 52-3 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Root 0) |
| What a mix-up for that run out. Bell set off, Ballance half set off then stopped. Bell carried on for a bit, turned around, and was then well short of his crease. As he wandered off, he gave Ballance something of a look. | What a mix-up for that run out. Bell set off, Ballance half set off then stopped. Bell carried on for a bit, turned around, and was then well short of his crease. As he wandered off, he gave Ballance something of a look. |
| Meanwhile Taylor returns, but from the other end than the one in which he claimed the wickets of Cook and Trott and with the wind against him. He sends down an in-swinging yorker, against the prevailing breeze, which Ballance digs out. The next two balls go down the leg, his line a little off, so he comes around the wicket but can’t get the ball to swing against that breeze again. Seems odd he’s not bowling from the other end. | Meanwhile Taylor returns, but from the other end than the one in which he claimed the wickets of Cook and Trott and with the wind against him. He sends down an in-swinging yorker, against the prevailing breeze, which Ballance digs out. The next two balls go down the leg, his line a little off, so he comes around the wicket but can’t get the ball to swing against that breeze again. Seems odd he’s not bowling from the other end. |
| In other news: Chris Gayle appear to be auditioning for the role of OBO writer now. | In other news: Chris Gayle appear to be auditioning for the role of OBO writer now. |
| Big wicket, Bell run out! Ballance was off balance so told Bell wait up. | Big wicket, Bell run out! Ballance was off balance so told Bell wait up. |
| 9.14pm BST | |
| 21:14 | |
| WICKET! Bell run out 11 (England 52-3) | WICKET! Bell run out 11 (England 52-3) |
| That is spectacularly shoddy. Bell nudged the arm ball from Benn to leg and should probably have been caught by short leg. Then, in the ensuing panic, decided to run. Ballance did not and sent him back but he was well short and is comprehensively run out | That is spectacularly shoddy. Bell nudged the arm ball from Benn to leg and should probably have been caught by short leg. Then, in the ensuing panic, decided to run. Ballance did not and sent him back but he was well short and is comprehensively run out |
| Updated | |
| at 10.14pm BST | |
| 9.13pm BST | |
| 21:13 | |
| 19th over England 52-2 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Bell 11) | 19th over England 52-2 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Bell 11) |
| Benn continues as Taylor watches on, having taken two wickets in five overs and bowled stunningly. Odd that he’s not still in the attack - perhaps he has a niggle. Still, Benn is finding turn and very nearly clips the top of Bell’s off stump with the batsman well beaten. And then ... | Benn continues as Taylor watches on, having taken two wickets in five overs and bowled stunningly. Odd that he’s not still in the attack - perhaps he has a niggle. Still, Benn is finding turn and very nearly clips the top of Bell’s off stump with the batsman well beaten. And then ... |
| 9.10pm BST | |
| 21:10 | |
| 18th over England 52-2 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Bell 11) | 18th over England 52-2 lead by 156 (Ballance 13, Bell 11) |
| For some reason, the stump mics are turned right up in this Test and what is coming over loud and clear is quite how much Bell talks at the crease. He appears to be in constant communication with the umpires, asking how many balls are left, checking decisions and, at one point, bemoaning England’s luck in having Blackwood caught off a no ball in the Windies’ first innings. Bell pulls Holder for one before Ballance drives elegantly to the mid off boundary - a boundary which requires a little third umpire adjudication. And that’s the 50. | For some reason, the stump mics are turned right up in this Test and what is coming over loud and clear is quite how much Bell talks at the crease. He appears to be in constant communication with the umpires, asking how many balls are left, checking decisions and, at one point, bemoaning England’s luck in having Blackwood caught off a no ball in the Windies’ first innings. Bell pulls Holder for one before Ballance drives elegantly to the mid off boundary - a boundary which requires a little third umpire adjudication. And that’s the 50. |
| 9.05pm BST | |
| 21:05 | |
| 17th over England 47-2 lead by 151 (Ballance 9, Bell 10) | 17th over England 47-2 lead by 151 (Ballance 9, Bell 10) |
| Time for some spin and Sulieman Benn comes on to twirl a few balls at Ballance. Can a 6ft 7in spinner twirl? Probably not. But he does have some rough to aim at outside Ballance’s off stump and turns one into the batsman’s pads and another which has the two short legs sprawling for a catch. Ballance responds with four to fine leg. | Time for some spin and Sulieman Benn comes on to twirl a few balls at Ballance. Can a 6ft 7in spinner twirl? Probably not. But he does have some rough to aim at outside Ballance’s off stump and turns one into the batsman’s pads and another which has the two short legs sprawling for a catch. Ballance responds with four to fine leg. |
| Chris Gayle appears to be conducting some kind of Twitter Q+A. Asked why he’s not here today, this is his answer: | Chris Gayle appears to be conducting some kind of Twitter Q+A. Asked why he’s not here today, this is his answer: |
| Why u chat so much?! https://t.co/KpkctOXDy2 | Why u chat so much?! https://t.co/KpkctOXDy2 |
| 9.01pm BST | |
| 21:01 | |
| 16th over England 43-2 lead by 147 (Ballance 5, Bell 10) | 16th over England 43-2 lead by 147 (Ballance 5, Bell 10) |
| Holder sends down another extraordinary delivery - though this one is less impressive. He swings it from pretty much the edge of the cut strip through second slip for five wides. Harmison-esque. A leg bye to fine leg is followed by Bell pushing a couple through the covers. | Holder sends down another extraordinary delivery - though this one is less impressive. He swings it from pretty much the edge of the cut strip through second slip for five wides. Harmison-esque. A leg bye to fine leg is followed by Bell pushing a couple through the covers. |
| “I must confess to feeling a little bit like Cook,” emails Paul Withall. “As I walked through the pre-dawn, looking forward to another 12 hours of employment happiness, I was crapped on by not one but two birds. It’s not even six in the morning here in Brisbane yet I feel the tone for my day has been set already.” You’d only be in the same boat as Cook if it happened to you every single time you went to work for the next two years. | “I must confess to feeling a little bit like Cook,” emails Paul Withall. “As I walked through the pre-dawn, looking forward to another 12 hours of employment happiness, I was crapped on by not one but two birds. It’s not even six in the morning here in Brisbane yet I feel the tone for my day has been set already.” You’d only be in the same boat as Cook if it happened to you every single time you went to work for the next two years. |
| Updated | |
| at 9.06pm BST | |
| 8.55pm BST | |
| 20:55 | |
| 15th over England 35-2 lead by 139 (Ballance 5, Bell 8) | 15th over England 35-2 lead by 139 (Ballance 5, Bell 8) |
| During drinks, Roach needed a little treatment from the West Indies’ physios but he returns now and looks well enough, despite not really having hit his stride. He draws Bell into a loose drive, the batsman stretching just a little too far out of his comfort zone. Ramdin catches and there is half an appeal. Bell responds by cutting Roach over Blackwood’s head at point for four. Roach thought it was a chance but Bell seemed to have it under control. | During drinks, Roach needed a little treatment from the West Indies’ physios but he returns now and looks well enough, despite not really having hit his stride. He draws Bell into a loose drive, the batsman stretching just a little too far out of his comfort zone. Ramdin catches and there is half an appeal. Bell responds by cutting Roach over Blackwood’s head at point for four. Roach thought it was a chance but Bell seemed to have it under control. |
| 8.52pm BST | |
| 20:52 | |
| 14th over England 31-2 lead by 135 (Ballance 5, Bell 4) | 14th over England 31-2 lead by 135 (Ballance 5, Bell 4) |
| Holder, who managed to get a ball to bounce off middle and deviate to first slip just a moment ago, decides to come around the wicket to Ballance now. Frankly, if he can keep getting it to move that much from over the wicket, I’d keep trying it. Then again, he does get a ball to lift sharply into Ballance’s bat handle from a good length coming round the wicket, so maybe he knows best. Down the other end, Bell is now lecturing Billy Bowden on that overthrown four he should have given to Cook. Bowden looks uncertain, if we’re being honest. Two from the over, from a Ballance clip to leg. | Holder, who managed to get a ball to bounce off middle and deviate to first slip just a moment ago, decides to come around the wicket to Ballance now. Frankly, if he can keep getting it to move that much from over the wicket, I’d keep trying it. Then again, he does get a ball to lift sharply into Ballance’s bat handle from a good length coming round the wicket, so maybe he knows best. Down the other end, Bell is now lecturing Billy Bowden on that overthrown four he should have given to Cook. Bowden looks uncertain, if we’re being honest. Two from the over, from a Ballance clip to leg. |
| 8.42pm BST | |
| 20:42 | |
| 13th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) | 13th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) |
| Roach is getting a little away swing but his line is not terribly threatening. He’s wide outside off, allowing Bell to leave him well alone. Taylor wanders over for a quick chat in between deliveries but to little avail - his next ball is full and wide again. But then, all of a sudden, he brings one sharply back into the stumps that Bell inside edges onto his pads plum in front. Another maiden and that’s drinks. | Roach is getting a little away swing but his line is not terribly threatening. He’s wide outside off, allowing Bell to leave him well alone. Taylor wanders over for a quick chat in between deliveries but to little avail - his next ball is full and wide again. But then, all of a sudden, he brings one sharply back into the stumps that Bell inside edges onto his pads plum in front. Another maiden and that’s drinks. |
| 8.38pm BST | |
| 20:38 | |
| 12th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) | 12th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) |
| Holder continues to Ballance, and Ballance continues to struggle with a line that is shortish and just outside off stump. Holder has a knack of hitting the seam, something which is causing the batsman some issues at the moment. A second maiden for Holder. | Holder continues to Ballance, and Ballance continues to struggle with a line that is shortish and just outside off stump. Holder has a knack of hitting the seam, something which is causing the batsman some issues at the moment. A second maiden for Holder. |
| “Talking of Buddy Rich ...”, emails someone who, as far as I can tell, is called Pewarstoat, and then offers this: | “Talking of Buddy Rich ...”, emails someone who, as far as I can tell, is called Pewarstoat, and then offers this: |
| 8.34pm BST | |
| 20:34 | |
| 11th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) | 11th over England 29-2 lead by 133 (Ballance 3, Bell 4) |
| Another odd one. Taylor, who has scaring the bejesus out of the England top order, is off. Roach takes over, sending down his whippy, skiddy 80mph-ers. Bell attempts a cut, misses it, and the pulse rate of the keeper and the slips goes up a notch. A couple of balls later, Bell drives fluently to the cover boundary. Nonetheless, the thought of cranking out a quick 300 on a flat one to have a lead of 400 by tomorrow afternoon seems a distant dream. | Another odd one. Taylor, who has scaring the bejesus out of the England top order, is off. Roach takes over, sending down his whippy, skiddy 80mph-ers. Bell attempts a cut, misses it, and the pulse rate of the keeper and the slips goes up a notch. A couple of balls later, Bell drives fluently to the cover boundary. Nonetheless, the thought of cranking out a quick 300 on a flat one to have a lead of 400 by tomorrow afternoon seems a distant dream. |
| “I can’t see the selectors dropping Ballance for Trott after all the runs he harvested last summer,” argues Tom Van Der Gucht. “Especially after Trott’s low scores here, it would be totally unjust. It’s good that Trott has fought back and reclaimed his place so valiantly, but at the moment he has more to prove than Ballance.” | “I can’t see the selectors dropping Ballance for Trott after all the runs he harvested last summer,” argues Tom Van Der Gucht. “Especially after Trott’s low scores here, it would be totally unjust. It’s good that Trott has fought back and reclaimed his place so valiantly, but at the moment he has more to prove than Ballance.” |
| 8.30pm BST | |
| 20:30 | |
| 10th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) | 10th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) |
| Holder replaces Roach, who looked a little ragged in his last over. Ballance is beaten all ends up by a lifter that has him both prodding and attempting to get out of the way all at the same time. He doesn’t look happy at all. And then there is an utterly extraordinary ball. Holder sends one down that pitches on middle and veers away - Ballance prods at it and the ball is taken by first slip. Ballance was nowhere near actually hitting it, however, it’s just that the delivery took off. Very odd. | Holder replaces Roach, who looked a little ragged in his last over. Ballance is beaten all ends up by a lifter that has him both prodding and attempting to get out of the way all at the same time. He doesn’t look happy at all. And then there is an utterly extraordinary ball. Holder sends one down that pitches on middle and veers away - Ballance prods at it and the ball is taken by first slip. Ballance was nowhere near actually hitting it, however, it’s just that the delivery took off. Very odd. |
| Here’s Kevin Wilson: “Make that side: Lyth, Ali, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Tredwell, Broad, Plunkett, Anderson.” It says something for Tredwell’s performance in his first spell back that he’s now an automatic pick - he can’t get a game for Kent at the moment. As for dropping Cook, it clearly won’t happen but it would be nice to see if Lyth can replicate his county form | Here’s Kevin Wilson: “Make that side: Lyth, Ali, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Tredwell, Broad, Plunkett, Anderson.” It says something for Tredwell’s performance in his first spell back that he’s now an automatic pick - he can’t get a game for Kent at the moment. As for dropping Cook, it clearly won’t happen but it would be nice to see if Lyth can replicate his county form |
| 8.25pm BST | |
| 20:25 | |
| 9th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) | 9th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) |
| Taylor continues to find prodigious out-swing, his run-up as rhythmic as Buddy Rich. It’s also about as long as one of the great drummer’s solos. Bell plays him watchfully, angling those deliveries he does not leave down and into the slips/gully with soft hands. A maiden. | Taylor continues to find prodigious out-swing, his run-up as rhythmic as Buddy Rich. It’s also about as long as one of the great drummer’s solos. Bell plays him watchfully, angling those deliveries he does not leave down and into the slips/gully with soft hands. A maiden. |
| 8.20pm BST | |
| 20:20 | |
| 8th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) | 8th over England 25-2 lead by 129 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) |
| Roach sends down an over full and outside off. Ballance leave almost all of it, until he fishes dangerously at the last ball of the over and misses it. | Roach sends down an over full and outside off. Ballance leave almost all of it, until he fishes dangerously at the last ball of the over and misses it. |
| Suggestion for next Test from Dean Kinsella: | Suggestion for next Test from Dean Kinsella: |
| 1.Cook2.Ali3.Trott4.Bell5.Root6.Buttler7.Stokes8.Rashid9.Tredwell10.Anderson11.Plunkett. | 1.Cook2.Ali3.Trott4.Bell5.Root6.Buttler7.Stokes8.Rashid9.Tredwell10.Anderson11.Plunkett. |
| I like Plunkett in there - when the ball doesn’t swing, you need someone who is happy to send down pace and little else - but I’d keep Broad in over Rashid forhis bowling. Can Ballance really be dropped too? He had a stunning summer last year. | I like Plunkett in there - when the ball doesn’t swing, you need someone who is happy to send down pace and little else - but I’d keep Broad in over Rashid forhis bowling. Can Ballance really be dropped too? He had a stunning summer last year. |
| 8.16pm BST | |
| 20:16 | |
| 7th over England 24-2 lead by 128 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) | 7th over England 24-2 lead by 128 (Ballance 3, Bell 0) |
| Has Cook had it? Is he gone? Is he a Michael Owen, a Fernando Torres? All burned out. Feels worringly like it. Anyway, Ballance got off the mark with a three off his hips before that Cook wicket, before Bell got two absolute screamers from Taylor and could have been out to both of them in his first two balls. | Has Cook had it? Is he gone? Is he a Michael Owen, a Fernando Torres? All burned out. Feels worringly like it. Anyway, Ballance got off the mark with a three off his hips before that Cook wicket, before Bell got two absolute screamers from Taylor and could have been out to both of them in his first two balls. |
| Run through this batting line up Bobby Taylor. #WIvsENG | Run through this batting line up Bobby Taylor. #WIvsENG |
| 8.13pm BST | |
| 20:13 | |
| WICKET! Cook c Benn b Taylor 13 (England 20-2) | WICKET! Cook c Benn b Taylor 13 (England 20-2) |
| Oh dear. Taylor, from around the wicket, tempts Cook into a prod outside off. The ball flies to Benn in the gully. Cook thumps his pads as he walks off as well he might. | Oh dear. Taylor, from around the wicket, tempts Cook into a prod outside off. The ball flies to Benn in the gully. Cook thumps his pads as he walks off as well he might. |
| Updated | |
| at 8.32pm BST | |
| 8.08pm BST | |
| 20:08 | |
| 6th over England 17-1 lead by 121 (Cook 13, Ballance 0) | 6th over England 17-1 lead by 121 (Cook 13, Ballance 0) |
| Roach goes round the wicket and Cook prods unconvincingly outside off to much oohing and aahing behind the stumps. Cook gets another couple off his hips as Roach canfails to maintain the line. Watching Trott’s dismissal again, the batsman was all over the place - he walks towards the delivery, his head lolling about everywhere. It was full, straight and swinging - a good ball - but Trott’s balance is all wrong. | Roach goes round the wicket and Cook prods unconvincingly outside off to much oohing and aahing behind the stumps. Cook gets another couple off his hips as Roach canfails to maintain the line. Watching Trott’s dismissal again, the batsman was all over the place - he walks towards the delivery, his head lolling about everywhere. It was full, straight and swinging - a good ball - but Trott’s balance is all wrong. |
| Incidentally, you may well think the West Indies are still batting if you look at the scoreboard above the picture. It’s just an optical illusion, like one of those magic eye prints. It’s something the Guardian are experimenting with. If you squint hard enough it will tell you the correct score and that England are batting. | Incidentally, you may well think the West Indies are still batting if you look at the scoreboard above the picture. It’s just an optical illusion, like one of those magic eye prints. It’s something the Guardian are experimenting with. If you squint hard enough it will tell you the correct score and that England are batting. |
| Updated | |
| at 8.08pm BST | |
| 8.03pm BST | |
| 20:03 | |
| WICKET! Trott c Ramdin b Taylor 4 (England 15-1) | WICKET! Trott c Ramdin b Taylor 4 (England 15-1) |
| Same bowler, same problem for Trott as in the first innings. A full out-swinger has Trott leaning forward, footwork non-existent, and nicking. Ramdin takes a good low catch behind the stumps. | Same bowler, same problem for Trott as in the first innings. A full out-swinger has Trott leaning forward, footwork non-existent, and nicking. Ramdin takes a good low catch behind the stumps. |
| Updated | |
| at 9.10pm BST | |
| 8.02pm BST | |
| 20:02 | |
| 5th over England 15-0 lead by 119 (Cook 10, Trott 4) | 5th over England 15-0 lead by 119 (Cook 10, Trott 4) |
| Taylor swings a ball sharply into Cook’s off stump, but the England captain just about chops his bat down fast enough to block out the delivery. Excellent line and length from Taylor. His second ball brings more of the same, the seam upright and guiding the ball like a rudder towards the wicket. Cook’s had enough of that sort of him, and stops Taylor midway through his run up as he charges in for his third delivery. Taylor is piqued and offers him a short ball next up. Cook hooks it for four, which doesn’t much help Taylor’s mood. But then ... | Taylor swings a ball sharply into Cook’s off stump, but the England captain just about chops his bat down fast enough to block out the delivery. Excellent line and length from Taylor. His second ball brings more of the same, the seam upright and guiding the ball like a rudder towards the wicket. Cook’s had enough of that sort of him, and stops Taylor midway through his run up as he charges in for his third delivery. Taylor is piqued and offers him a short ball next up. Cook hooks it for four, which doesn’t much help Taylor’s mood. But then ... |
| Updated | |
| at 8.14pm BST | |
| 7.57pm BST | |
| 19:57 | |
| 4th over England 10-0 lead by 114 (Cook 6, Trott 4) | 4th over England 10-0 lead by 114 (Cook 6, Trott 4) |
| Roach sends down a bouncer to Trott. It’s short, wide and not terribly threatening but Trott drops quickly into a crouch and the entire West Indies side offer the bowler plenty of encouragement afterwards. Trott works a couple through midwicket and then sees out the over. | Roach sends down a bouncer to Trott. It’s short, wide and not terribly threatening but Trott drops quickly into a crouch and the entire West Indies side offer the bowler plenty of encouragement afterwards. Trott works a couple through midwicket and then sees out the over. |
| “Evening Tom,” writes Simon McMahon. “Must be a bit annoying when you know the laws better than the umpires. Copy of You Are The Umpire in the post for Mr Bowden.” | “Evening Tom,” writes Simon McMahon. “Must be a bit annoying when you know the laws better than the umpires. Copy of You Are The Umpire in the post for Mr Bowden.” |
| Updated | |
| at 7.57pm BST | |
| 7.53pm BST | |
| 19:53 | |
| 3rd over England 8-0 lead by 112 (Cook 6, Trott 2) | 3rd over England 8-0 lead by 112 (Cook 6, Trott 2) |
| Taylor continues to get swing and continues to bowl that line at Cook’s off stump. Cook is happy to see out a maiden. In the dressing room, Peter Moores is looking intently at a laptop. If ever a statue is made to him, it will feature him looking intently at a laptop. Curtly Ambrose, it will not surprise you, is not doing the same. | Taylor continues to get swing and continues to bowl that line at Cook’s off stump. Cook is happy to see out a maiden. In the dressing room, Peter Moores is looking intently at a laptop. If ever a statue is made to him, it will feature him looking intently at a laptop. Curtly Ambrose, it will not surprise you, is not doing the same. |
| “Being resident in the good ol’ US of A, I haven’t watched any of the Test, but the TMS podcast yesterday made a great deal of Stuart Broad being mentally unable to get behind the ball when batting because he’s scared of getting hit again,” says Ben Mimmack. “Isn’t there a case for sending him back to county cricket to regain his confidence rather than subjecting him to the rest of a tour of the West Indies where he’s unlikely to get much of a break from the short stuff?” | “Being resident in the good ol’ US of A, I haven’t watched any of the Test, but the TMS podcast yesterday made a great deal of Stuart Broad being mentally unable to get behind the ball when batting because he’s scared of getting hit again,” says Ben Mimmack. “Isn’t there a case for sending him back to county cricket to regain his confidence rather than subjecting him to the rest of a tour of the West Indies where he’s unlikely to get much of a break from the short stuff?” |
| I’d say there is a good case for him batting at 11 for a while. Jimmy Anderson is currently a much better batsman than Broad. | I’d say there is a good case for him batting at 11 for a while. Jimmy Anderson is currently a much better batsman than Broad. |
| 7.48pm BST | |
| 19:48 | |
| 2nd over England 8-0 lead by 112 (Cook 6, Trott 2) | 2nd over England 8-0 lead by 112 (Cook 6, Trott 2) |
| Taylor was fast and aggressive in the first over, finding plenty of swing too. Roach opens up from the other end and his first delivery does not maintain the pressure. Short and wide, Cook pulls him for four. Bowling short at Cook is not really a very good idea, so Roach gets back to the plan: full and just outside off stump. Cook prods a single to midwicket and there is a brief pause when a fielder hurls a ball back into the keeper, Ramdin misses it, and it goes over the boundary for four. Billy Bowden says it was a dead ball. Cook, very firmly, tells him it should have been a four and then he keeps on telling him. Then tells him a fourth and fifth time. He’s not going to get the benefit of any dubious LBW shouts from now on - but he was right, should have been a four. | Taylor was fast and aggressive in the first over, finding plenty of swing too. Roach opens up from the other end and his first delivery does not maintain the pressure. Short and wide, Cook pulls him for four. Bowling short at Cook is not really a very good idea, so Roach gets back to the plan: full and just outside off stump. Cook prods a single to midwicket and there is a brief pause when a fielder hurls a ball back into the keeper, Ramdin misses it, and it goes over the boundary for four. Billy Bowden says it was a dead ball. Cook, very firmly, tells him it should have been a four and then he keeps on telling him. Then tells him a fourth and fifth time. He’s not going to get the benefit of any dubious LBW shouts from now on - but he was right, should have been a four. |
| Updated | |
| at 7.48pm BST | |
| 7.43pm BST | |
| 19:43 | |
| 1st over England 3-0 lead by 107 (Cook 1, Trott 2) | 1st over England 3-0 lead by 107 (Cook 1, Trott 2) |
| Cook is off the mark first ball, a clip off his hips for a single off Taylor. The pitch is flat, and this will be a three hour session so the bowlers will be tired, so this surely represents Cook and Trott’s best chance to get going. Trott gets in a very firm stride to his first delivery but his feet don’t move for his second: chases a full, swinging ball and is lucky not to nick it to slip. He too gets off the mark with a clip to leg though and he’s off a pair. Though only just. | Cook is off the mark first ball, a clip off his hips for a single off Taylor. The pitch is flat, and this will be a three hour session so the bowlers will be tired, so this surely represents Cook and Trott’s best chance to get going. Trott gets in a very firm stride to his first delivery but his feet don’t move for his second: chases a full, swinging ball and is lucky not to nick it to slip. He too gets off the mark with a clip to leg though and he’s off a pair. Though only just. |
| 7.38pm BST | |
| 19:38 | |
| Curtly Ambrose is on the pitch giving his bowlers the pep talk off their life. Fist pumping, finger jabbing, spittle flying: it more or less has the lot. He finishes, turns on his heel and his halfway back to his seat before his side know what’s hit them. Right then, here comes the England innings with, arguably, the most out of form top three batsmen in world cricket. Settle in. | Curtly Ambrose is on the pitch giving his bowlers the pep talk off their life. Fist pumping, finger jabbing, spittle flying: it more or less has the lot. He finishes, turns on his heel and his halfway back to his seat before his side know what’s hit them. Right then, here comes the England innings with, arguably, the most out of form top three batsmen in world cricket. Settle in. |
| 7.32pm BST | |
| 19:32 | |
| And here’s the news on Moeen. | And here’s the news on Moeen. |
| 7.30pm BST | |
| 19:30 | |
| It’s Tea, incidentally. If Sky could replay the lunchtime interview they showed with Curtly Ambrose, the West Indies bowling coach, that would be excellent. Some highlights: | It’s Tea, incidentally. If Sky could replay the lunchtime interview they showed with Curtly Ambrose, the West Indies bowling coach, that would be excellent. Some highlights: |
| Nasser Hussain: “Are you a technical coach?” | Nasser Hussain: “Are you a technical coach?” |
| Curtly Ambrose: “No.” | Curtly Ambrose: “No.” |
| Ambrose followed it up with this: “I’m easy to get along with, despite my aggressive nature.” | Ambrose followed it up with this: “I’m easy to get along with, despite my aggressive nature.” |
| The man is absolutely wonderful and, within the soundbites, there was an awful lot of solid thinking about bowling - his main themes were of fine tuning his bowlers, and preaching patience and the importance of bowlers thinking for themselves. | The man is absolutely wonderful and, within the soundbites, there was an awful lot of solid thinking about bowling - his main themes were of fine tuning his bowlers, and preaching patience and the importance of bowlers thinking for themselves. |
| 7.25pm BST | |
| 19:25 | |
| Onto the Moeen question: “You could play Ali mainly as an opening batsman and drop Ballance, who has not convinced, with Trott at three,” emails John Starbuck. “I know it leaves you with six bowlers in theory but some of them can bat pretty well, notionally at least. Still a bit rough on Rashid, but maybe he can improve his batting too?” | Onto the Moeen question: “You could play Ali mainly as an opening batsman and drop Ballance, who has not convinced, with Trott at three,” emails John Starbuck. “I know it leaves you with six bowlers in theory but some of them can bat pretty well, notionally at least. Still a bit rough on Rashid, but maybe he can improve his batting too?” |
| One thing you’re forgetting John. The England mindset frequently appears to be this: “What would we have done in 1973? Send in blockers? Has cricket moved on since then? Nope. Righto, Trotty, Cooky, pad up.” | One thing you’re forgetting John. The England mindset frequently appears to be this: “What would we have done in 1973? Send in blockers? Has cricket moved on since then? Nope. Righto, Trotty, Cooky, pad up.” |
| Or there’s this - which isn’t an all bad idea. | Or there’s this - which isn’t an all bad idea. |
| @tombry given the success Tredwell is having, two spinners in the second Test might be a good shout. | @tombry given the success Tredwell is having, two spinners in the second Test might be a good shout. |
| Updated | |
| at 7.25pm BST | |
| 7.23pm BST | |
| 19:23 | |
| England have a lead of 104, which they’ll be relatively happy with. If they put the hammer down, could they put 300 on the board by tomorrow afternoon to lead by 400? A good effort from England in the field with the pitch flattening out and slowing. Tredwell probably deserved a five-for, but even four wickets should be enough to answer all those who questioned his selection. Anderson was consistent, Broad patchy, Stokes occasionally promising and Jordan still a bit iffy. For the Windies, Blackwood’s innings was a lot of fun - by turns risky, defiant, gritty and stylish. Bodes well for a man in his sixth Test. | England have a lead of 104, which they’ll be relatively happy with. If they put the hammer down, could they put 300 on the board by tomorrow afternoon to lead by 400? A good effort from England in the field with the pitch flattening out and slowing. Tredwell probably deserved a five-for, but even four wickets should be enough to answer all those who questioned his selection. Anderson was consistent, Broad patchy, Stokes occasionally promising and Jordan still a bit iffy. For the Windies, Blackwood’s innings was a lot of fun - by turns risky, defiant, gritty and stylish. Bodes well for a man in his sixth Test. |
| 7.19pm BST | |
| 19:19 | |
| WICKET! Benn c Root b Anderson 9 (West Indies 295 all out) | WICKET! Benn c Root b Anderson 9 (West Indies 295 all out) |
| Anderson angles one into Benn and the ball loops up into the air for Root to catch at short leg. Anderson gets one closer to Botham’s record (“I wish he’d just get on with it,” says Beefy in the commentary box). | Anderson angles one into Benn and the ball loops up into the air for Root to catch at short leg. Anderson gets one closer to Botham’s record (“I wish he’d just get on with it,” says Beefy in the commentary box). |
| Updated | |
| at 7.48pm BST | |
| 7.18pm BST | |
| 19:18 | |
| 113th over: West Indies 295-9 (Blackwood 112, Benn 2) | 113th over: West Indies 295-9 (Blackwood 112, Benn 2) |
| Anderson bowls an exquisite yorker at Blackwood, which he just manages to dig out. Lovely piece of bowling. It brings Benn to the crease, and he clips a nice leg glance in front of square for a couple to get off the mark. Anderson is not amused and chucks a short one at him. Benn responds by attempting the lesser spotted duck-sweep-slog. He has the good grace to laugh his head off when he sees the replay and then ... | Anderson bowls an exquisite yorker at Blackwood, which he just manages to dig out. Lovely piece of bowling. It brings Benn to the crease, and he clips a nice leg glance in front of square for a couple to get off the mark. Anderson is not amused and chucks a short one at him. Benn responds by attempting the lesser spotted duck-sweep-slog. He has the good grace to laugh his head off when he sees the replay and then ... |
| 7.13pm BST | |
| 19:13 | |
| 112th over: West Indies 292-9 (Blackwood 111, Benn 0) | 112th over: West Indies 292-9 (Blackwood 111, Benn 0) |
| “Lovely wind for a slog sweep,” is how Buttler welcomes Benn to the crease and the batsman looks tempted - having an almighty cut at his second delivery and nearly edging behind. England gets two wickets in three balls from Tredwell’s over and need just one more to wrap up the innings. | “Lovely wind for a slog sweep,” is how Buttler welcomes Benn to the crease and the batsman looks tempted - having an almighty cut at his second delivery and nearly edging behind. England gets two wickets in three balls from Tredwell’s over and need just one more to wrap up the innings. |
| 7.11pm BST | |
| 19:11 | |
| WICKET! Taylor run out 0 (Broad) (West Indies 292-9) | WICKET! Taylor run out 0 (Broad) (West Indies 292-9) |
| Roach’s wickets was a good reward for Tredwell who has bowled well all Test. Perhaps he could have tossed it up a little more to tempt some batsmen and induce some drift, but you’d forgive him for wanting to keep it tight on his return to Test matches. He brings Taylor to the crease, who has a Test century, and he very nearly gets him first ball. Next ball, Taylor gets a thick edge to point - runs wildly, gets sent back and doesn’t make it. Broad was the man who threw down the stumps. | Roach’s wickets was a good reward for Tredwell who has bowled well all Test. Perhaps he could have tossed it up a little more to tempt some batsmen and induce some drift, but you’d forgive him for wanting to keep it tight on his return to Test matches. He brings Taylor to the crease, who has a Test century, and he very nearly gets him first ball. Next ball, Taylor gets a thick edge to point - runs wildly, gets sent back and doesn’t make it. Broad was the man who threw down the stumps. |
| Updated | |
| at 7.47pm BST | |
| 7.08pm BST | |
| 19:08 | |
| WICKET! Roach c Buttler b Tredwell 5 (West Indies 292-8) | WICKET! Roach c Buttler b Tredwell 5 (West Indies 292-8) |
| Tredwell bowls it a little flatter, a little faster and finds Roach’s edge, who was propping forward. Four wickets for the spinner now. | Tredwell bowls it a little flatter, a little faster and finds Roach’s edge, who was propping forward. Four wickets for the spinner now. |
| Updated | |
| at 7.47pm BST | |
| 7.07pm BST | |
| 19:07 | |
| 111th over: West Indies 292-7 (Blackwood 111, Roach 5) | 111th over: West Indies 292-7 (Blackwood 111, Roach 5) |
| Anderson is feeding Blackwood full and wide deliveries to induce that flashing, airy drive. The batsman Chinese cuts his first ball within a few inches of the stumps. Another drive brings a single and takes him off strike. Anderson welcomes Roach to the crease with a good bouncer and then traps him in front of the stumps with a full ball. Could well have been curtains for Roach but for a bit of bat. It’s got Roach rattled though, and he flails at another short ball from Anderson, pulling wildly and getting away with it. Blackwood sees the over out with a great big hoik to cow corner for four. | Anderson is feeding Blackwood full and wide deliveries to induce that flashing, airy drive. The batsman Chinese cuts his first ball within a few inches of the stumps. Another drive brings a single and takes him off strike. Anderson welcomes Roach to the crease with a good bouncer and then traps him in front of the stumps with a full ball. Could well have been curtains for Roach but for a bit of bat. It’s got Roach rattled though, and he flails at another short ball from Anderson, pulling wildly and getting away with it. Blackwood sees the over out with a great big hoik to cow corner for four. |
| 7.01pm BST | |
| 19:01 | |
| 110th over: West Indies 286-7 (Blackwood 106, Roach 4) | 110th over: West Indies 286-7 (Blackwood 106, Roach 4) |
| Tredwell sends down another tight over to Roach, who blocks out a maiden. | Tredwell sends down another tight over to Roach, who blocks out a maiden. |
| @TomBry hope that if Moeen plays in 2nd test it's instead of Stokes not Tredwell. Stokes nowhere near a test standard bowler yet. | @TomBry hope that if Moeen plays in 2nd test it's instead of Stokes not Tredwell. Stokes nowhere near a test standard bowler yet. |
| I suppose it’s a toss up between having an attack made up of four seamers and a spinner and three seamers and two spinners. The latter feels quite defensive - especially the way Tredwell bowls. | I suppose it’s a toss up between having an attack made up of four seamers and a spinner and three seamers and two spinners. The latter feels quite defensive - especially the way Tredwell bowls. |
| 6.58pm BST | |
| 18:58 | |
| 109th over: West Indies 286-7 (Blackwood 106, Roach 4) | 109th over: West Indies 286-7 (Blackwood 106, Roach 4) |
| Again Blackwood swings at a wide, full ball from Anderson. Again, the ball balloons up into the air - this time over point. Again, Blackwood gets away with it and runs two. The batsman seems to have an internal trigger - full and wide = slog. It’s worked on a number of occasions but Anderson seems to be getting his number in this spell and has twice tempted him with the delivery and twice nearly got a result. Four from the over, all from Blackwood’s bat | Again Blackwood swings at a wide, full ball from Anderson. Again, the ball balloons up into the air - this time over point. Again, Blackwood gets away with it and runs two. The batsman seems to have an internal trigger - full and wide = slog. It’s worked on a number of occasions but Anderson seems to be getting his number in this spell and has twice tempted him with the delivery and twice nearly got a result. Four from the over, all from Blackwood’s bat |
| 6.55pm BST | |
| 18:55 | |
| 108th over: West Indies 282-7 (Blackwood 102, Roach 4) | 108th over: West Indies 282-7 (Blackwood 102, Roach 4) |
| Tredwell continues to cries of “Come on Tredders” from the irrepressible Buttler behind the stumps. Roach prods one uppishly to mid-off then blocks. Tredwell goes round the wicket, looking for a nick to the two slips he has in place. He nearly gets one too as Roach swipes at his last ball of the over and misses by a whisker. | Tredwell continues to cries of “Come on Tredders” from the irrepressible Buttler behind the stumps. Roach prods one uppishly to mid-off then blocks. Tredwell goes round the wicket, looking for a nick to the two slips he has in place. He nearly gets one too as Roach swipes at his last ball of the over and misses by a whisker. |
| 6.52pm BST | |
| 18:52 | |
| 107th over: West Indies 282-7 (Blackwood 102, Roach 4) | 107th over: West Indies 282-7 (Blackwood 102, Roach 4) |
| Jimmy Anderson is back into the attack after a lengthy rest. The ball has not been swinging, so he tries an unusual tactic - he throws down a wide one outside off and Blackwood has a big old swipe. The ball goes straight up, then lands tantalisingly close to Chris Jordan at deep cover. Can’t imagine Yorkshire will be happy about the Moeen news - they wanted Adil Rashid to return if Moeen went to the Caribbean but it appears he will not be released. | Jimmy Anderson is back into the attack after a lengthy rest. The ball has not been swinging, so he tries an unusual tactic - he throws down a wide one outside off and Blackwood has a big old swipe. The ball goes straight up, then lands tantalisingly close to Chris Jordan at deep cover. Can’t imagine Yorkshire will be happy about the Moeen news - they wanted Adil Rashid to return if Moeen went to the Caribbean but it appears he will not be released. |
| 6.47pm BST | |
| 18:47 | |
| 106th over: West Indies 280-7 (Blackwood 101, Roach 3) | 106th over: West Indies 280-7 (Blackwood 101, Roach 3) |
| Afternoon everyone. I arrive with a little news - England have confirmed that Moeen Ali will join the squad for the second Test and will not, apparently, be replacing anybody. James Tredwell, bowling now, has had a reasonable Test so far and sends down a tight over to concede just one. His last ball turns a bit from outside off, nearly nipping back into Roach’s stumps. | Afternoon everyone. I arrive with a little news - England have confirmed that Moeen Ali will join the squad for the second Test and will not, apparently, be replacing anybody. James Tredwell, bowling now, has had a reasonable Test so far and sends down a tight over to concede just one. His last ball turns a bit from outside off, nearly nipping back into Roach’s stumps. |
| Updated | |
| at 6.50pm BST | |
| 6.45pm BST | |
| 18:45 | |
| 105th over: West Indies 279-7 (Blackwood 100, Roach 3) | 105th over: West Indies 279-7 (Blackwood 100, Roach 3) |
| Jordan arrows one into Roach and strikes him on the thigh pad, sparking a half-hearted appeal but it’s too high. A bouncer at the tail-ender follows, but it’s easily avoided. And the next one can’t but not be – a wide full-toss speared down the legside. A maiden, but not a good one. And on that non-bombshell, I’ll hand over now. Tom Bryant will guide you through expertly to the close. Thanks for your company. Bye. | Jordan arrows one into Roach and strikes him on the thigh pad, sparking a half-hearted appeal but it’s too high. A bouncer at the tail-ender follows, but it’s easily avoided. And the next one can’t but not be – a wide full-toss speared down the legside. A maiden, but not a good one. And on that non-bombshell, I’ll hand over now. Tom Bryant will guide you through expertly to the close. Thanks for your company. Bye. |
| 6.40pm BST | |
| 18:40 | |
| 104th over: West Indies 279-7 (Blackwood 100, Roach 3) | 104th over: West Indies 279-7 (Blackwood 100, Roach 3) |
| Roach is the new man in, and he plays out his first two balls with some exaggerated forward-defensives, and a little push wide of slip for three. | Roach is the new man in, and he plays out his first two balls with some exaggerated forward-defensives, and a little push wide of slip for three. |
| 6.37pm BST | |
| 18:37 | |
| Wicket! Holder c Ballance b Tredwell 16, West Indies 276-7 | Wicket! Holder c Ballance b Tredwell 16, West Indies 276-7 |
| 103.3 overs: West Indies 276-7 (Blackwood 100) | 103.3 overs: West Indies 276-7 (Blackwood 100) |
| Hundred for Jermaine Blackwood! He pushes Tredwell down the ground, it beats the diving fielder, and he takes the single he needs for his maiden Test century. An excellent effort. But then a wicket! Holder drives low and square to Ballance at backward point, and he takes the catch comfortably | Hundred for Jermaine Blackwood! He pushes Tredwell down the ground, it beats the diving fielder, and he takes the single he needs for his maiden Test century. An excellent effort. But then a wicket! Holder drives low and square to Ballance at backward point, and he takes the catch comfortably |
| Updated | |
| at 7.03pm BST | |
| 6.34pm BST | |
| 18:34 | |
| 103rd over: West Indies 275-6 (Blackwood 99, Holder 16) | 103rd over: West Indies 275-6 (Blackwood 99, Holder 16) |
| Jordan’s lengthy spell goes on. Holder plays out the first two balls of the over. He induces a rash shot from the batsman who swats at a short one outside leg stump and misses rather inelegantly. It’s a maiden, so Blackwood will get a chance for his hundred off Tredwell. | Jordan’s lengthy spell goes on. Holder plays out the first two balls of the over. He induces a rash shot from the batsman who swats at a short one outside leg stump and misses rather inelegantly. It’s a maiden, so Blackwood will get a chance for his hundred off Tredwell. |
| One of the things I love about Test OBO-ing is the lengthy thread of debate: | One of the things I love about Test OBO-ing is the lengthy thread of debate: |
| 6.30pm BST | |
| 18:30 | |
| 102nd over: West Indies 275-6 (Blackwood 99, Holder 16) | 102nd over: West Indies 275-6 (Blackwood 99, Holder 16) |
| Tredwell carries on, round the wicket, looking to take advantage of a rightward breeze to take the batsman’s outside-edge. Blackwood remains positive, negating such calculation by advancing down the track to hammer the ball just over the umpire’s head for a four that takes him onto 98. This prompts a bit of time-wasting conferring and field-shuffling in a bid to psyche out the batsman. It doesn’t work, Blackwood cracking him past gully for his 99th run. Holder drives firmly to short mid-off for a single, giving Blackwood the strike for the final ball of the over. Every fielder is in on the one, which Blackwood is denied as he dabs it defensively. | Tredwell carries on, round the wicket, looking to take advantage of a rightward breeze to take the batsman’s outside-edge. Blackwood remains positive, negating such calculation by advancing down the track to hammer the ball just over the umpire’s head for a four that takes him onto 98. This prompts a bit of time-wasting conferring and field-shuffling in a bid to psyche out the batsman. It doesn’t work, Blackwood cracking him past gully for his 99th run. Holder drives firmly to short mid-off for a single, giving Blackwood the strike for the final ball of the over. Every fielder is in on the one, which Blackwood is denied as he dabs it defensively. |
| 6.24pm BST | |
| 18:24 | |
| 101st over: West Indies 269-6 (Blackwood 94, Holder 15) | 101st over: West Indies 269-6 (Blackwood 94, Holder 15) |
| Jordan carries on – there’s been no sign of Anderson for a good while now – and Blackwood works him away down to deep square leg for one. Cook rejigs again, bringing Root in to short leg, telegraphing the short ball that duly follows, though it’s not accurate enough to make the batsman play. Holder misses out on a wide one down leg side, failing to connect, and it’s now fairly unthreatening in general from England. | Jordan carries on – there’s been no sign of Anderson for a good while now – and Blackwood works him away down to deep square leg for one. Cook rejigs again, bringing Root in to short leg, telegraphing the short ball that duly follows, though it’s not accurate enough to make the batsman play. Holder misses out on a wide one down leg side, failing to connect, and it’s now fairly unthreatening in general from England. |
| As if to prove that Old West Indies exist as a kind of permanent nostalgia-repository for England fans (see lunchtime emails), here’s John Starbuck: “My most vivid earliest memory of the West Indies is when Wes Hall and Charlie Griffiths bowled unchanged for en entire day at a pretty sorry England side. I suspect this was the spark which led to the Fearsome Foursome strategy. Pity it takes so long for such a group to come together, but England have done it (2005) and Australia have come near. You probably need a very strong personality to bring this about, one who has a good scouting system and a readiness to experiment.” Resources and good management count too. | As if to prove that Old West Indies exist as a kind of permanent nostalgia-repository for England fans (see lunchtime emails), here’s John Starbuck: “My most vivid earliest memory of the West Indies is when Wes Hall and Charlie Griffiths bowled unchanged for en entire day at a pretty sorry England side. I suspect this was the spark which led to the Fearsome Foursome strategy. Pity it takes so long for such a group to come together, but England have done it (2005) and Australia have come near. You probably need a very strong personality to bring this about, one who has a good scouting system and a readiness to experiment.” Resources and good management count too. |
| 6.19pm BST | |
| 18:19 | |
| 100th over: West Indies 268-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 15) | 100th over: West Indies 268-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 15) |
| Cook brings Tredwell back into the attack to mix things up a bit. Holder opts to take him on though, and cracks him over wide mid-off for four, prompting more field-shuffling from the increasingly frustrated looking England captain. Holder hits another one hard square on the offside but straight to a fielder. Four from the over. | Cook brings Tredwell back into the attack to mix things up a bit. Holder opts to take him on though, and cracks him over wide mid-off for four, prompting more field-shuffling from the increasingly frustrated looking England captain. Holder hits another one hard square on the offside but straight to a fielder. Four from the over. |
| In the meantime, a short, but heartwarming, novel-ette from George Rogers: | In the meantime, a short, but heartwarming, novel-ette from George Rogers: |
| Yesterday I was on to a nonstarter. I’d left my keys at work the day before and ended up at a train station which was either 5 miles or two intermittent buses away from my home. I chose the walk over the wait and tried to stay chipper as I toiled, mostly uphill, in the hot sun. All the while wondering why I’d decided not to switch out my large winter coat for something more light weight, or ideally, completely non-existent. Upon arriving home, I discovered that my car, useless to me without my keys, was now, with my keys, still useless to me as one of the brand new (Less than two weeks, not part worn) tyres was flat. I sucked up my rage and decided to get on with changing the tyre now so that I could be underway in the morning without worry. Only to find that none of the nuts would move. My tiny Agila lifted from the floor as I struggled and strained but not one of those nuts budged an inch. | Yesterday I was on to a nonstarter. I’d left my keys at work the day before and ended up at a train station which was either 5 miles or two intermittent buses away from my home. I chose the walk over the wait and tried to stay chipper as I toiled, mostly uphill, in the hot sun. All the while wondering why I’d decided not to switch out my large winter coat for something more light weight, or ideally, completely non-existent. Upon arriving home, I discovered that my car, useless to me without my keys, was now, with my keys, still useless to me as one of the brand new (Less than two weeks, not part worn) tyres was flat. I sucked up my rage and decided to get on with changing the tyre now so that I could be underway in the morning without worry. Only to find that none of the nuts would move. My tiny Agila lifted from the floor as I struggled and strained but not one of those nuts budged an inch. |
| I am not a violent man and in spite of occasional flings with manic rage I’ve never been one to smash anything up. Preferring to strike objects with a low probability of breaking, like concrete walls and the like. But in that moment, standing next to my freshly crocked car, holding a useless tyre iron, the appeal of smashing the entire thing to pieces was unbearably compelling. But then I remembered the thought that had kept me moving at a brisk pace up the hills and through the fields. That right then, as I was stood there, England were playing Test Cricket and I could actually go and watch it being played live. | I am not a violent man and in spite of occasional flings with manic rage I’ve never been one to smash anything up. Preferring to strike objects with a low probability of breaking, like concrete walls and the like. But in that moment, standing next to my freshly crocked car, holding a useless tyre iron, the appeal of smashing the entire thing to pieces was unbearably compelling. But then I remembered the thought that had kept me moving at a brisk pace up the hills and through the fields. That right then, as I was stood there, England were playing Test Cricket and I could actually go and watch it being played live. |
| So my car remains crocked but resoundingly un-smashed. And I managed to relax and enjoy a lovely evening of sedately paced Cricket. Real Cricket. Test Cricket. What a pleasure. | So my car remains crocked but resoundingly un-smashed. And I managed to relax and enjoy a lovely evening of sedately paced Cricket. Real Cricket. Test Cricket. What a pleasure. |
| P.S Yes I do find Butler much more irritating than Prior. Prior always sounded like he meant it, whereas Jos constantly sounds like a man reading from a huge list of platitudinous compliments drawn up and agreed upon by a committee in advance. I understand the value of an on field motivator to keep the catchers sharp and the bowlers in the mood, but when it becomes a blatantly obligatory chore I feel it must lose some of its value. | P.S Yes I do find Butler much more irritating than Prior. Prior always sounded like he meant it, whereas Jos constantly sounds like a man reading from a huge list of platitudinous compliments drawn up and agreed upon by a committee in advance. I understand the value of an on field motivator to keep the catchers sharp and the bowlers in the mood, but when it becomes a blatantly obligatory chore I feel it must lose some of its value. |
| Also I find the faith in England’s grip on this match to be a little misplaced. Do you think it is beyond the mediocrity of our attack to fail to dismiss a second rate tail effectively? Or beyond a batting line up, which opens with three of the least in form players on the planet, to collapse from a winning position and set a very chase-able score for opposition who should never have been in with a sniff? | Also I find the faith in England’s grip on this match to be a little misplaced. Do you think it is beyond the mediocrity of our attack to fail to dismiss a second rate tail effectively? Or beyond a batting line up, which opens with three of the least in form players on the planet, to collapse from a winning position and set a very chase-able score for opposition who should never have been in with a sniff? |
| 6.15pm BST | |
| 18:15 | |
| 99th over: West Indies 264-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 12) | 99th over: West Indies 264-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 12) |
| Jordan’s looked quicker since lunch, but no more successful. He has a half-hearted leg-before appeal against Holder but it’s very obviously sliding down legside, and the batsmen take a leg-bye. Jordan tests Blackwood with a decent inswinging yorker but the batsmen digs it out well. | Jordan’s looked quicker since lunch, but no more successful. He has a half-hearted leg-before appeal against Holder but it’s very obviously sliding down legside, and the batsmen take a leg-bye. Jordan tests Blackwood with a decent inswinging yorker but the batsmen digs it out well. |
| 6.12pm BST | |
| 18:12 | |
| 98th over: West Indies 263-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 11) | 98th over: West Indies 263-6 (Blackwood 93, Holder 11) |
| Stokes continues, and is reasonably accurate, but Blackwood is seeing it really well now, and looks in less peril than at any point in his innings. To think, he was the one we didn’t think would hang around this morning, while Chanderpaul clung on out there. Blackwood demonstrates his overall control of the situation with an all-run four following a languid back-foot punch square on the offside. He’s into the 90s. | Stokes continues, and is reasonably accurate, but Blackwood is seeing it really well now, and looks in less peril than at any point in his innings. To think, he was the one we didn’t think would hang around this morning, while Chanderpaul clung on out there. Blackwood demonstrates his overall control of the situation with an all-run four following a languid back-foot punch square on the offside. He’s into the 90s. |
| 6.06pm BST | |
| 18:06 | |
| 97th over: West Indies 259-6 (Blackwood 89, Holder 11) | 97th over: West Indies 259-6 (Blackwood 89, Holder 11) |
| Holder scampers through for a single, taking advantage of the lack of a short leg for Jordan. Which also brings some admonishment from the commentary team – West Indies have certainly had the upper hand since lunch. It’s a zippier, pacier over from the bowler but it brings no joy. | Holder scampers through for a single, taking advantage of the lack of a short leg for Jordan. Which also brings some admonishment from the commentary team – West Indies have certainly had the upper hand since lunch. It’s a zippier, pacier over from the bowler but it brings no joy. |
| Updated | |
| at 6.07pm BST | |
| 6.03pm BST | |
| 18:03 | |
| 96th over: West Indies 257-6 (Blackwood 88, Holder 10) | 96th over: West Indies 257-6 (Blackwood 88, Holder 10) |
| Can Blackwood go on to a hundred here? I don’t wish to jinx but he’s playing really well and shows it in this over, finding the boundary three times. First off, he demonstrates his confidence with a sumptuous SIX – beautifully timed, holding the pose, showing the maker’s name, everything – over long-off. Stokes bites back with a sharp lifter that the batsman has to duck under, before Blackwood gets some more fortune (or perhaps not, as he had forced the field changes), edging through the now-vacant second slip area for four. Cook gets a light chiding from Nasser in the commentary box for that change. But Blackwood is loving it, and he on-drives the next ball gloriously for another four. | Can Blackwood go on to a hundred here? I don’t wish to jinx but he’s playing really well and shows it in this over, finding the boundary three times. First off, he demonstrates his confidence with a sumptuous SIX – beautifully timed, holding the pose, showing the maker’s name, everything – over long-off. Stokes bites back with a sharp lifter that the batsman has to duck under, before Blackwood gets some more fortune (or perhaps not, as he had forced the field changes), edging through the now-vacant second slip area for four. Cook gets a light chiding from Nasser in the commentary box for that change. But Blackwood is loving it, and he on-drives the next ball gloriously for another four. |
| Updated | |
| at 6.06pm BST | |
| 5.58pm BST | |
| 17:58 | |
| 95th over: West Indies 243-6 (Blackwood 74, Holder 10) | 95th over: West Indies 243-6 (Blackwood 74, Holder 10) |
| Jordan continues at Blackwood, and he mixes it up a little more, even trying a rare bouncer. It doesn’t work: it’s called wide, to the bowler’s consternation. Blackwood helps himself to a single with a legside push and Holder sees off the last ball with a confident forward-defensive. | Jordan continues at Blackwood, and he mixes it up a little more, even trying a rare bouncer. It doesn’t work: it’s called wide, to the bowler’s consternation. Blackwood helps himself to a single with a legside push and Holder sees off the last ball with a confident forward-defensive. |
| Updated | |
| at 6.03pm BST | |
| 5.52pm BST | |
| 17:52 | |
| Review! Holder lbw – not out | Review! Holder lbw – not out |
| 94th over: West Indies 241-6 (Blackwood 73, Holder 9) | 94th over: West Indies 241-6 (Blackwood 73, Holder 9) |
| There’s a change of bowling after all, Stokes rejoining the attack, probably desperate to finally get Blackwood, but he strays too far down the legside with his second ball and Blackwood helps it down to the fine leg boundary for four with an effortless flick. An attempt to repeat the stroke next up fails, however. Stokes then has a big appeal and a review for lbw, as a full delivery crashes into Blackwood’s pads as he attempts to clip it away on the legside. It’s very close, and is clipping – but only clipping – and stays with umpire’s call. A good over though. Stokes will get some luck soon surely. | There’s a change of bowling after all, Stokes rejoining the attack, probably desperate to finally get Blackwood, but he strays too far down the legside with his second ball and Blackwood helps it down to the fine leg boundary for four with an effortless flick. An attempt to repeat the stroke next up fails, however. Stokes then has a big appeal and a review for lbw, as a full delivery crashes into Blackwood’s pads as he attempts to clip it away on the legside. It’s very close, and is clipping – but only clipping – and stays with umpire’s call. A good over though. Stokes will get some luck soon surely. |
| Updated | |
| at 5.54pm BST | |
| 5.47pm BST | |
| 17:47 | |
| 93rd over: West Indies 235-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 7) | 93rd over: West Indies 235-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 7) |
| Cook sticks with Jordan first up. I wonder if the first session’s approach – Jordan pitching it up, Broad banging it in – will continue. Jordan finds some inswing – but very little bounce – with his first ball at Holder, who gets the first run of the session with a flick off his pads five balls in. It’s the only one of the over. Oh Lord, it’s Hotel California on the PA. | Cook sticks with Jordan first up. I wonder if the first session’s approach – Jordan pitching it up, Broad banging it in – will continue. Jordan finds some inswing – but very little bounce – with his first ball at Holder, who gets the first run of the session with a flick off his pads five balls in. It’s the only one of the over. Oh Lord, it’s Hotel California on the PA. |
| Back to one of the morning session’s big OBO Talking Points, Rob George has this: “With reference to your comment about Alec Stewart and his tiresome praise for Robert Croft’s average off-spin, my brother still sarcastically bellows “I LIKE THAT ONE ROBEEEERT!” at me whenever I do something that he considers worth mocking.” | Back to one of the morning session’s big OBO Talking Points, Rob George has this: “With reference to your comment about Alec Stewart and his tiresome praise for Robert Croft’s average off-spin, my brother still sarcastically bellows “I LIKE THAT ONE ROBEEEERT!” at me whenever I do something that he considers worth mocking.” |
| 5.41pm BST | |
| 17:41 | |
| 5.41pm BST | |
| 17:41 | |
| We’re back underway in a minute. During the interval, Sky rebroadcast their interview with Curtly Ambrose. Reviews, it’s fair to say, have been favourable: | We’re back underway in a minute. During the interval, Sky rebroadcast their interview with Curtly Ambrose. Reviews, it’s fair to say, have been favourable: |
| 5.21pm BST | |
| 17:21 | |
| Some lunchtime discussion: “As a West Indian, may I ask if it would be possible to have less whining from English cricket fans and journalists about West Indian cricket decline,” writes Michael Grazier. “It is not anything new and moaning about players in the IPL, nearly all of who would not have been selected/retired from Test cricket/not been selected for Tests in years, is disingenuous or unhelpful at best.” | Some lunchtime discussion: “As a West Indian, may I ask if it would be possible to have less whining from English cricket fans and journalists about West Indian cricket decline,” writes Michael Grazier. “It is not anything new and moaning about players in the IPL, nearly all of who would not have been selected/retired from Test cricket/not been selected for Tests in years, is disingenuous or unhelpful at best.” |
| And a cautionary observation from our man in Antigua: | And a cautionary observation from our man in Antigua: |
| Updated | |
| at 5.29pm BST | |
| 5.08pm BST | |
| 17:08 | |
| First session thoughts: That was a good, close passage of Test cricket, overall, nicely balanced between bat and ball. England are still shading it, having taken the important wicket of Chanderpaul, and having bowled fairly smartly all morning. Blackwood’s resilience will be an encouragement to West Indies – he’s shown that he can tough out some rough short stuff as well as score quickly and riskily – and if they can make it to 300 or even 350 they’ll be still very much in this. They’ll need to carry on knuckling down though. See you again in a bit. | First session thoughts: That was a good, close passage of Test cricket, overall, nicely balanced between bat and ball. England are still shading it, having taken the important wicket of Chanderpaul, and having bowled fairly smartly all morning. Blackwood’s resilience will be an encouragement to West Indies – he’s shown that he can tough out some rough short stuff as well as score quickly and riskily – and if they can make it to 300 or even 350 they’ll be still very much in this. They’ll need to carry on knuckling down though. See you again in a bit. |
| 5.04pm BST | |
| 17:04 | |
| Lunch: West Indies 234-6, trail by 165 | Lunch: West Indies 234-6, trail by 165 |
| 92nd over: West Indies 234-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 7) | 92nd over: West Indies 234-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 7) |
| Holder just lets a straight short ball crash into his upper arm – Broad knows what he’s doing here with his legside field – but so does Holder, and declines to fall into the trap, taking instead a squirted single square on the offside for one. Blackwood and the No8 take one more each to take the home side doggedly to lunch. | Holder just lets a straight short ball crash into his upper arm – Broad knows what he’s doing here with his legside field – but so does Holder, and declines to fall into the trap, taking instead a squirted single square on the offside for one. Blackwood and the No8 take one more each to take the home side doggedly to lunch. |
| One more, on the much-discussed (or even over-discussed) “decline” of West Indies cricket, from Paddy Blewer: | One more, on the much-discussed (or even over-discussed) “decline” of West Indies cricket, from Paddy Blewer: |
| I’m in my mid 30’s and I grew up watching and listening to some of the most incredible cricket ever played – brilliant batting from King Viv, Richie Richardson and GG, and bowlers I wanted to be but couldn’t as I lacked the skill and, as was said in the film, the Commitments, “do you not think we’re a little white for that?”. I particularly loved Ambrose, and even wore big white sweatbands when I played as a teenage quickish bowler. The thing is, the Windies haven’t gone down the pan. There’s still incredible talent in the region, as can be seen through their contribution to the IPL. It’s about organisation as much as anything else, across a disparate region where investment funds are limited. | I’m in my mid 30’s and I grew up watching and listening to some of the most incredible cricket ever played – brilliant batting from King Viv, Richie Richardson and GG, and bowlers I wanted to be but couldn’t as I lacked the skill and, as was said in the film, the Commitments, “do you not think we’re a little white for that?”. I particularly loved Ambrose, and even wore big white sweatbands when I played as a teenage quickish bowler. The thing is, the Windies haven’t gone down the pan. There’s still incredible talent in the region, as can be seen through their contribution to the IPL. It’s about organisation as much as anything else, across a disparate region where investment funds are limited. |
| True. Why, it’s the sort of thing a responsible, democratic, fair international cricketing governing body might seek to address. But since the team concerned are not called “India,” “Australia” or “England”, I suspect we’ll be having more of these discussions in the years to come. | True. Why, it’s the sort of thing a responsible, democratic, fair international cricketing governing body might seek to address. But since the team concerned are not called “India,” “Australia” or “England”, I suspect we’ll be having more of these discussions in the years to come. |
| 4.59pm BST | |
| 16:59 | |
| 91st over: West Indies 231-6 (Blackwood 68, Holder 4) | 91st over: West Indies 231-6 (Blackwood 68, Holder 4) |
| Jordan continues at Blackwood, and he’s finding a nice, mostly full-ish line and length now. Blackwood can’t do anything but play out a maiden. We’ll probably have time for one more over before lunch. | Jordan continues at Blackwood, and he’s finding a nice, mostly full-ish line and length now. Blackwood can’t do anything but play out a maiden. We’ll probably have time for one more over before lunch. |
| 4.52pm BST | |
| 16:52 | |
| Wicket! Ramdin c Buttler b Broad 9, West Indies 227-6 | Wicket! Ramdin c Buttler b Broad 9, West Indies 227-6 |
| 90th over: West Indies 231-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 4) | 90th over: West Indies 231-6 (Blackwood 69, Holder 4) |
| Broad again, short again, at Blackwood. He’s had to duck and dive with all this stuff but has done it with increasing composure, though he loves the occasional risk, as a mistimed flicked uppercut goes over gully and just short of fine leg, and it’s a single rather than a catching chance. Ramdin has looked less comfortable though, and he’s out – he can only glove a fiendish lifter from Broad behind to the keeper. That’s a big boost for England just before lunch. The one-day captain, Jason Holder, comes in to replace the Test captain, and starts like a one-day player, nonchalantly turning Broad off his hips and clumping it to the square leg boundary. And then another missed chance! Holder gloves it straight to Ballance’s right hand at short leg but he can’t get hold of it and spills it. | Broad again, short again, at Blackwood. He’s had to duck and dive with all this stuff but has done it with increasing composure, though he loves the occasional risk, as a mistimed flicked uppercut goes over gully and just short of fine leg, and it’s a single rather than a catching chance. Ramdin has looked less comfortable though, and he’s out – he can only glove a fiendish lifter from Broad behind to the keeper. That’s a big boost for England just before lunch. The one-day captain, Jason Holder, comes in to replace the Test captain, and starts like a one-day player, nonchalantly turning Broad off his hips and clumping it to the square leg boundary. And then another missed chance! Holder gloves it straight to Ballance’s right hand at short leg but he can’t get hold of it and spills it. |
| Oliver Smiddy, perhaps chastened by his 83rd-over confession, adds: “I really hope my wife doesn’t follow the OBO.” I do. For reasons entirely to do with wanting as wide an audience as possible for Test cricket-related live-blogging you understand. | Oliver Smiddy, perhaps chastened by his 83rd-over confession, adds: “I really hope my wife doesn’t follow the OBO.” I do. For reasons entirely to do with wanting as wide an audience as possible for Test cricket-related live-blogging you understand. |
| Updated | |
| at 4.57pm BST | |
| 4.47pm BST | |
| 16:47 | |
| 89th over: West Indies 226-5 (Blackwood 68, Ramdin 9) | 89th over: West Indies 226-5 (Blackwood 68, Ramdin 9) |
| Jordan continues, looking for improvement after a slightly rusty first over. He finds some with a pitched-up inswinger that Ramdin digs out in front of his pads. It’s clearly the delivery of choice to the West Indies captain, and he deals with it without looking completely comfortable. Until Jordan both oversteps and over-pitches and Ramdin drives the no-ball sweetly down the ground for four. | Jordan continues, looking for improvement after a slightly rusty first over. He finds some with a pitched-up inswinger that Ramdin digs out in front of his pads. It’s clearly the delivery of choice to the West Indies captain, and he deals with it without looking completely comfortable. Until Jordan both oversteps and over-pitches and Ramdin drives the no-ball sweetly down the ground for four. |
| One more on the new-ball decision, before that argument loses its currency: | One more on the new-ball decision, before that argument loses its currency: |
| Totally behind Cooks decision to take the new ball. The dangerman gone and a new man at the crease accompanying a slightly loose cannon… surely Jimmy with a swinging ball is a much more threatening option than playing him in with a spinner. | Totally behind Cooks decision to take the new ball. The dangerman gone and a new man at the crease accompanying a slightly loose cannon… surely Jimmy with a swinging ball is a much more threatening option than playing him in with a spinner. |
| Updated | |
| at 4.56pm BST | |
| 4.42pm BST | |
| 16:42 | |
| 88th over: West Indies 221-5 (Blackwood 68, Ramdin 5) | 88th over: West Indies 221-5 (Blackwood 68, Ramdin 5) |
| Broad finds his range with a properly good bouncer first up, just on off-stump that Blackwood ducks away from, but when offered one on a fuller length he clips him neatly through midwicket for two. Broad then tries to come round the wicket and pepper Blackwood with short stuff from a different angle – it’s a good examination for the West Indian, this, and he’s passing it at the moment, punching a fuller delivery through extra cover for four. It was in the air though, as so many of his scoring shots have been. | Broad finds his range with a properly good bouncer first up, just on off-stump that Blackwood ducks away from, but when offered one on a fuller length he clips him neatly through midwicket for two. Broad then tries to come round the wicket and pepper Blackwood with short stuff from a different angle – it’s a good examination for the West Indian, this, and he’s passing it at the moment, punching a fuller delivery through extra cover for four. It was in the air though, as so many of his scoring shots have been. |
| “I’m feeling slightly guilty for hoping for the W.Indies to do well even as an England fan,” confesses Krishnan Patel. “Look, I really appreciate the likes of Brathwaite and Blackwood digging in their heels and playing these gritty knocks while Gayle and Sammy are filling their pockets in the IPL. It’s always nice to see the opposition put up a bit of a fight don’t you agree?” As it happens, I do. Wholeheartedly. The decline of West Indies’ Test cricket is one of the sporting developments of the past two decades that most grieves me (and the competition is pretty stiff in that department). | “I’m feeling slightly guilty for hoping for the W.Indies to do well even as an England fan,” confesses Krishnan Patel. “Look, I really appreciate the likes of Brathwaite and Blackwood digging in their heels and playing these gritty knocks while Gayle and Sammy are filling their pockets in the IPL. It’s always nice to see the opposition put up a bit of a fight don’t you agree?” As it happens, I do. Wholeheartedly. The decline of West Indies’ Test cricket is one of the sporting developments of the past two decades that most grieves me (and the competition is pretty stiff in that department). |
| 4.38pm BST | |
| 16:38 | |
| 87th over: West Indies 215-5 (Blackwood 62, Ramdin 5) | 87th over: West Indies 215-5 (Blackwood 62, Ramdin 5) |
| Jordan replaces Anderson and begins with a wide away-swinger that no one in their right mind would attempt to hit – Blackwood doesn’t. After a couple of looseners, Jordan finds his range, a couple of inswingers keeping the batsman honest. He drives a half-volley down the ground for one off the fifth ball of the over. The next one isn’t pretty – wide from the bowler and stretched at and hacked through the slips for four by Ramdin. | Jordan replaces Anderson and begins with a wide away-swinger that no one in their right mind would attempt to hit – Blackwood doesn’t. After a couple of looseners, Jordan finds his range, a couple of inswingers keeping the batsman honest. He drives a half-volley down the ground for one off the fifth ball of the over. The next one isn’t pretty – wide from the bowler and stretched at and hacked through the slips for four by Ramdin. |
| One more on the Anderson v Johnson stramash, before I think it’s best this one is taken outside and discussed sensibly, in the street. | One more on the Anderson v Johnson stramash, before I think it’s best this one is taken outside and discussed sensibly, in the street. |
| 4.32pm BST | |
| 16:32 | |
| 86th over: West Indies 210-5 (Blackwood 61, Ramdin 1) | 86th over: West Indies 210-5 (Blackwood 61, Ramdin 1) |
| Cook brings a short leg in for Broad’s short stuff. The bowler duly clatters one into Blackwood’s upper arm that he just took his eye off, and he needs some treatment for this. A bit of squeezing and spraying follows from the physio and he’s OK to resume after a delay, having to duck straight away out of another straight lifter. There’s onlny one run from the over, a calm push down the ground. | Cook brings a short leg in for Broad’s short stuff. The bowler duly clatters one into Blackwood’s upper arm that he just took his eye off, and he needs some treatment for this. A bit of squeezing and spraying follows from the physio and he’s OK to resume after a delay, having to duck straight away out of another straight lifter. There’s onlny one run from the over, a calm push down the ground. |
| Fun facts, we got ‘em (or rather, Opta has): | Fun facts, we got ‘em (or rather, Opta has): |
| 4.25pm BST | |
| 16:25 | |
| 85th over: West Indies 209-5 (Blackwood 60, Ramdin 1) | 85th over: West Indies 209-5 (Blackwood 60, Ramdin 1) |
| Anderson continues, with his usual agreeable Anderson-ish line, length and strategy. He concedes a four though, when he bangs in one just a little too short and wide outside off-stump and it zips over the head of the despairing Buttler and down to the boundary. Blackwood then mis-times a fuller delivery and clumps it down by his toes, before hogging the strike with a push through the covers for one off the final ball of the over. | Anderson continues, with his usual agreeable Anderson-ish line, length and strategy. He concedes a four though, when he bangs in one just a little too short and wide outside off-stump and it zips over the head of the despairing Buttler and down to the boundary. Blackwood then mis-times a fuller delivery and clumps it down by his toes, before hogging the strike with a push through the covers for one off the final ball of the over. |
| 4.20pm BST | |
| 16:20 | |
| 84th over: West Indies 203-5 (Blackwood 59, Ramdin 1) | 84th over: West Indies 203-5 (Blackwood 59, Ramdin 1) |
| Broad is into the attack, as expected. Blackwood has the measure of things at the moment though, and essays a smart uppercut off a wide, short one high over the slips for four. The (nominal) follow-on is avoided. Just as one might be tempted to grumble, “typical Broad, banging too much in short” he has Blackwood in all sorts of trouble with a snorting lifter that the batsman gloves into the air just behind the stumps but Buttler can’t get there in time. A throw at the stumps ensues, prompting a run-out check but Blackwood’s bat was grounded. A glanced single completes the over. | Broad is into the attack, as expected. Blackwood has the measure of things at the moment though, and essays a smart uppercut off a wide, short one high over the slips for four. The (nominal) follow-on is avoided. Just as one might be tempted to grumble, “typical Broad, banging too much in short” he has Blackwood in all sorts of trouble with a snorting lifter that the batsman gloves into the air just behind the stumps but Buttler can’t get there in time. A throw at the stumps ensues, prompting a run-out check but Blackwood’s bat was grounded. A glanced single completes the over. |
| Dean Kinsella isn’t happy with the new ball being taken immediately: | Dean Kinsella isn’t happy with the new ball being taken immediately: |
| Cook has no faith in Tredwell at all. He’s just getting going, getting rhythm, getting their best batsman out and getting taken out of the attack. ‘NEW BALL MUST BE TAKEN AT EARLIEST OPPERTUNITY ON EVERY OCCASION’, is the robotic voice in Cook’s head. | Cook has no faith in Tredwell at all. He’s just getting going, getting rhythm, getting their best batsman out and getting taken out of the attack. ‘NEW BALL MUST BE TAKEN AT EARLIEST OPPERTUNITY ON EVERY OCCASION’, is the robotic voice in Cook’s head. |
| 4.15pm BST | |
| 16:15 | |
| 83rd over: West Indies 198-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) | 83rd over: West Indies 198-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) |
| Blackwood plays possibly his rashes shot of the morning, driving loosely and missing at a wide Anderson delivery that wobbles in slightly. The next delivery tucks him up nicely though, beating him for pace, keeping its line and rapping him just above the pad. Emboldened, Jimmy digs one in properly short and Blackwood has to fend it into the ground off his chest. A run is eked out of the final ball of the over, a leg bye down to fine leg. Good watchable, Test match bowling. | Blackwood plays possibly his rashes shot of the morning, driving loosely and missing at a wide Anderson delivery that wobbles in slightly. The next delivery tucks him up nicely though, beating him for pace, keeping its line and rapping him just above the pad. Emboldened, Jimmy digs one in properly short and Blackwood has to fend it into the ground off his chest. A run is eked out of the final ball of the over, a leg bye down to fine leg. Good watchable, Test match bowling. |
| “Speaking of vocal wicket-keepers,” says Oliver Smiddy, pitching to be featured in Guardian Weekend’s Blind Date section, “when I see a particularly attractive young lady, I sometimes hear a little Matt Prior voice in my head going, ‘Yes Monty, yes Monty!’ and the sound of wicket keeping gloves being clapped together enthusiastically. It’s very odd.” Ladies, form an orderly queue... | “Speaking of vocal wicket-keepers,” says Oliver Smiddy, pitching to be featured in Guardian Weekend’s Blind Date section, “when I see a particularly attractive young lady, I sometimes hear a little Matt Prior voice in my head going, ‘Yes Monty, yes Monty!’ and the sound of wicket keeping gloves being clapped together enthusiastically. It’s very odd.” Ladies, form an orderly queue... |
| 4.10pm BST | |
| 16:10 | |
| 82nd over: West Indies 197-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) | 82nd over: West Indies 197-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) |
| Stokes gets a go with the new cherry (why am I calling it the new cherry? What have I become?), but he deserves it, having bowled with nice variation and zest. Apart from one wayward (dot) ball down the legside, it’s a good over. It might be the last of his spell though, as Stuart Broad is limbering up in the outfield. | Stokes gets a go with the new cherry (why am I calling it the new cherry? What have I become?), but he deserves it, having bowled with nice variation and zest. Apart from one wayward (dot) ball down the legside, it’s a good over. It might be the last of his spell though, as Stuart Broad is limbering up in the outfield. |
| *Shudders at bad distant memories of tacky student discos* | *Shudders at bad distant memories of tacky student discos* |
| 4.05pm BST | |
| 16:05 | |
| 81st over: West Indies 197-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) | 81st over: West Indies 197-5 (Blackwood 54, Ramdin 1) |
| No pussy-footing around from England – the new ball is available and the new ball is taken, and handed to Anderson. He gets a go at the new man in, Ramdin, who’s off the mark with a scampered single on the offside. It’s regulation new-ball bowling and batting, in the main, until Blackwood takes on Anderson with an audacious lofted drive that bounces just in front of the ropes, and pretty much stops dead in its tracks, and they run a mere two. And it’s time for drinks – for the players, and for me, if the tea round comes back in time. | No pussy-footing around from England – the new ball is available and the new ball is taken, and handed to Anderson. He gets a go at the new man in, Ramdin, who’s off the mark with a scampered single on the offside. It’s regulation new-ball bowling and batting, in the main, until Blackwood takes on Anderson with an audacious lofted drive that bounces just in front of the ropes, and pretty much stops dead in its tracks, and they run a mere two. And it’s time for drinks – for the players, and for me, if the tea round comes back in time. |
| Back to Johnson v Anderson, if we must. “Ashes bantz? Moi?” protests a wounded Eamonn Maloney, “It’s an entirely impartial and well evidenced appraisal, old bean :) Any study of his mouth over the course of his career, and let us hope and pray that one is conducted soon, would more often find those lips arranged in a petulant pout or shaping some gutterspeak in the middle of a 0/80 in the Southern Hemisphere than adorned by a shushy finger.” The first morning of Boxing Day 2010 anyone? | Back to Johnson v Anderson, if we must. “Ashes bantz? Moi?” protests a wounded Eamonn Maloney, “It’s an entirely impartial and well evidenced appraisal, old bean :) Any study of his mouth over the course of his career, and let us hope and pray that one is conducted soon, would more often find those lips arranged in a petulant pout or shaping some gutterspeak in the middle of a 0/80 in the Southern Hemisphere than adorned by a shushy finger.” The first morning of Boxing Day 2010 anyone? |
| Updated | |
| at 4.06pm BST | |
| 3.58pm BST | |
| 15:58 | |
| 80th over: West Indies 194-5 (Blackwood 52, Ramdin 0) | 80th over: West Indies 194-5 (Blackwood 52, Ramdin 0) |
| Stokes continues, mostly impressively, until Blackwood punishes a loosener with a nice back-foot punch through the covers for two. The new ball is now due. | Stokes continues, mostly impressively, until Blackwood punishes a loosener with a nice back-foot punch through the covers for two. The new ball is now due. |
| “Is Jos Buttler more irritating behind the stumps than Prior?” wonders my co-commentator Tom Bryant, “Or is it just that the stump mic is really loud and all keeper are irritating?” I dunno, those of us whose senses were numbed by Alec Stewart’s “Good area, Crofty” providing the soundtrack to much of our lives during the mid-to-late 90s might beg to differ. | “Is Jos Buttler more irritating behind the stumps than Prior?” wonders my co-commentator Tom Bryant, “Or is it just that the stump mic is really loud and all keeper are irritating?” I dunno, those of us whose senses were numbed by Alec Stewart’s “Good area, Crofty” providing the soundtrack to much of our lives during the mid-to-late 90s might beg to differ. |
| Updated | |
| at 4.04pm BST | |
| 3.53pm BST | |
| 15:53 | |
| Wicket! Chanderpaul c Stokes b Tredwell 46, West Indies 192-5 | Wicket! Chanderpaul c Stokes b Tredwell 46, West Indies 192-5 |
| 79th over: West Indies 192-5 (Blackwood 50, Ramdin 0) | 79th over: West Indies 192-5 (Blackwood 50, Ramdin 0) |
| Chanderpaul may be a rock of askew-stanced defensiveness, but his fours can be as fine as anyone’s. He makes room and shapes to drive Tredwell beautifully for four. Then he’s gone! A big scalp. The plan pays off as Chanderpaul drives too uppishly to Stokes at extra-cover. What a breakthrough that could be just before the new ball, and Tredwell’s variations get a deserved reward. | Chanderpaul may be a rock of askew-stanced defensiveness, but his fours can be as fine as anyone’s. He makes room and shapes to drive Tredwell beautifully for four. Then he’s gone! A big scalp. The plan pays off as Chanderpaul drives too uppishly to Stokes at extra-cover. What a breakthrough that could be just before the new ball, and Tredwell’s variations get a deserved reward. |
| Updated | |
| at 4.14pm BST | |
| 3.50pm BST | |
| 15:50 | |
| 78th over: West Indies 188-4 (Chanderpaul 42, Blackwood 50) | 78th over: West Indies 188-4 (Chanderpaul 42, Blackwood 50) |
| Stokes sends down an awry full toss at Chanderpaul but it’s straight enough to go unpunished, the batsman able only to bunt it away to safety. Another, lower full-toss is cracked in the direction of short-ish gully, where Joe Root dives smartly to his left to save one, nay four. Chanderpaul nudges a single backward of square leg, the only run of the over. This has been a good morning for the home side thus far. | Stokes sends down an awry full toss at Chanderpaul but it’s straight enough to go unpunished, the batsman able only to bunt it away to safety. Another, lower full-toss is cracked in the direction of short-ish gully, where Joe Root dives smartly to his left to save one, nay four. Chanderpaul nudges a single backward of square leg, the only run of the over. This has been a good morning for the home side thus far. |
| Here’s one for the OBO classifieds, from Nicholas Clark: | Here’s one for the OBO classifieds, from Nicholas Clark: |
| The OBOcassionals (the team put together via the OBO) are organising for this season. Any chance you could post this? If people do reply requesting my email could you point them my way? If you aren’t happy with that arrangement then remove that sentence and we will just leave the facebook group up. | The OBOcassionals (the team put together via the OBO) are organising for this season. Any chance you could post this? If people do reply requesting my email could you point them my way? If you aren’t happy with that arrangement then remove that sentence and we will just leave the facebook group up. |
| “In honour of England’s first proper game of the year we are organising this year’s OBOcassional games. Following previous tours to Estonia and Finland we are remaining closer to home this year and it looks like we will taking part in a 20-20 charity day in sunny Brighton* on the 2nd August. All standards are welcome and already take part. No doubt some light refreshments will be served after, and during, the games. | “In honour of England’s first proper game of the year we are organising this year’s OBOcassional games. Following previous tours to Estonia and Finland we are remaining closer to home this year and it looks like we will taking part in a 20-20 charity day in sunny Brighton* on the 2nd August. All standards are welcome and already take part. No doubt some light refreshments will be served after, and during, the games. |
| If anybody is interested leave a message on https://www.facebook.com/groups/OBOccasionals/ or ask for my email from the OBO. | If anybody is interested leave a message on https://www.facebook.com/groups/OBOccasionals/ or ask for my email from the OBO. |
| Updated | |
| at 3.53pm BST | |
| 3.45pm BST | |
| 15:45 | |
| 77th over: West Indies 187-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 50) | 77th over: West Indies 187-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 50) |
| Tredwell concedes his first runs of the morning, and emphatically so, Blackwood coming down the pitch and thumping him in the air over extra-cover for four. Tredwell responds by turning one sharply past the right-hander’s pads and then sending down a slower, tossed-up delivery that Blackwood has to think twice about. He reaches his 50 next ball though, cutting away past point and profiting from a misfield to run the two needed for his half-century. A fine knock. | Tredwell concedes his first runs of the morning, and emphatically so, Blackwood coming down the pitch and thumping him in the air over extra-cover for four. Tredwell responds by turning one sharply past the right-hander’s pads and then sending down a slower, tossed-up delivery that Blackwood has to think twice about. He reaches his 50 next ball though, cutting away past point and profiting from a misfield to run the two needed for his half-century. A fine knock. |
| Odd choice of between-overs music on the PA system: overblown 80s coke-rock classic Africa by Toto, which I can’t imagine striking much of a chord with either sets of fans. More appropriate suggestions please... | Odd choice of between-overs music on the PA system: overblown 80s coke-rock classic Africa by Toto, which I can’t imagine striking much of a chord with either sets of fans. More appropriate suggestions please... |
| Updated | |
| at 4.12pm BST | |
| 3.41pm BST | |
| 15:41 | |
| 76th over: West Indies 181-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 44) | 76th over: West Indies 181-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 44) |
| Stokes has perhaps found more zip and lift than anyone else so far today, and digs a shorter one in at the advancing Blackwood, prompting some glares and “competitive attitude” from both. Blackwood is playing well though, and adds a deft-handed leg-side single, which proves the only scoring shot of the over. These two have added 82 now. | Stokes has perhaps found more zip and lift than anyone else so far today, and digs a shorter one in at the advancing Blackwood, prompting some glares and “competitive attitude” from both. Blackwood is playing well though, and adds a deft-handed leg-side single, which proves the only scoring shot of the over. These two have added 82 now. |
| “While checking to see whether Jimmy A’s bowling average remains below the arbitrary-but-useful-dividing-line of 30 (it does, just),” writes Martin Whitaker, “I realised that he and Stuart Broad have bizarrely identical bowling records across Average (29.75 v. 29.96), Economy (3.06 v 3.05) and Strike Rate (58.2 v. 58.9). Odd that such different bowling styles have resulted in such similar statistical results.” Indeed, though they’ve operated in tandem, and in similar conditions (both match situation and pitch), that perhaps it’s not such a surprise. Each have set the other up well at various different times. | “While checking to see whether Jimmy A’s bowling average remains below the arbitrary-but-useful-dividing-line of 30 (it does, just),” writes Martin Whitaker, “I realised that he and Stuart Broad have bizarrely identical bowling records across Average (29.75 v. 29.96), Economy (3.06 v 3.05) and Strike Rate (58.2 v. 58.9). Odd that such different bowling styles have resulted in such similar statistical results.” Indeed, though they’ve operated in tandem, and in similar conditions (both match situation and pitch), that perhaps it’s not such a surprise. Each have set the other up well at various different times. |
| 3.36pm BST | |
| 15:36 | |
| 75th over: West Indies 180-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 43) | 75th over: West Indies 180-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 43) |
| Tredwell continues. This is an interesting and challenging match for him, with Moeen Ali poised to return for the next one. He delivers a second consecutive maiden to Chanderpaul, who’s happy to just fend off some reasonably tight bowling. | Tredwell continues. This is an interesting and challenging match for him, with Moeen Ali poised to return for the next one. He delivers a second consecutive maiden to Chanderpaul, who’s happy to just fend off some reasonably tight bowling. |
| 3.34pm BST | |
| 15:34 | |
| 74th over: West Indies 180-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 43) | 74th over: West Indies 180-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 43) |
| Blackwood can only restrain himself so long, and has a go at Stokes’s first ball, lofting him high on the off-side for four. Then he’s dropped! – a thick edge squirts towards the diving Tredwell at second slip, he looks to have taken it brilliantly but spills it as he hits the ground. Genuinely unlucky. Stokes finds some inswing too, forcing Blackwood to dig out an attempted yorker. The bowler shouldn’t be discouraged by that over, despite being denied a scalp again. | Blackwood can only restrain himself so long, and has a go at Stokes’s first ball, lofting him high on the off-side for four. Then he’s dropped! – a thick edge squirts towards the diving Tredwell at second slip, he looks to have taken it brilliantly but spills it as he hits the ground. Genuinely unlucky. Stokes finds some inswing too, forcing Blackwood to dig out an attempted yorker. The bowler shouldn’t be discouraged by that over, despite being denied a scalp again. |
| One rider to the link in the previous over’s email: “it won’t work unless you set the seasons to ‘all’ and rank to ‘wickets taken’!” | One rider to the link in the previous over’s email: “it won’t work unless you set the seasons to ‘all’ and rank to ‘wickets taken’!” |
| 3.30pm BST | |
| 15:30 | |
| 73rd over: West Indies 176-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 39) | 73rd over: West Indies 176-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 39) |
| Spin for the first time, as Tredwell replaces Anderson. It’s accurate and probing but Chanderpaul is equal to it, as he usually is. A maiden. | Spin for the first time, as Tredwell replaces Anderson. It’s accurate and probing but Chanderpaul is equal to it, as he usually is. A maiden. |
| A follow-up email from The Exiles at Bridge: | A follow-up email from The Exiles at Bridge: |
| Would you also mind reminding the guys that tour theme meeting is taking place in the Unicorn this Saturday and that the last pre-season net is on Monday at the county ground.Only the first of these messages is REALLY important. Also - if you could congratulate our own Jimmy Anderson (Steve Wynn) on the birth of his daughter, I’d be financially grateful to a charity of your choice. | Would you also mind reminding the guys that tour theme meeting is taking place in the Unicorn this Saturday and that the last pre-season net is on Monday at the county ground.Only the first of these messages is REALLY important. Also - if you could congratulate our own Jimmy Anderson (Steve Wynn) on the birth of his daughter, I’d be financially grateful to a charity of your choice. |
| He’s here at number 6 (5 behind me).http://exilesbridge.play-cricket.com/website/web_pages/19803 | He’s here at number 6 (5 behind me).http://exilesbridge.play-cricket.com/website/web_pages/19803 |
| 3.28pm BST | |
| 15:28 | |
| 72nd over: West Indies 176-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 39) | 72nd over: West Indies 176-4 (Chanderpaul 41, Blackwood 39) |
| Unsurprisingly, Cook is thinking of the new ball – eight overs away now – so drags Broad from the attack and brings back Misfortune’s Ben Stokes, looking for the breakthrough he was denied yesterday by a no-ball call. I say misfortune, of course, but bowling a no-ball is of course a bowler’s mistake. Anyway, his first over this morning is steady and accurate. Chanderpaul pushes him through the covers for one, before Blackwood watchfully defends for the rest of the over, rather uncharacteristically. | Unsurprisingly, Cook is thinking of the new ball – eight overs away now – so drags Broad from the attack and brings back Misfortune’s Ben Stokes, looking for the breakthrough he was denied yesterday by a no-ball call. I say misfortune, of course, but bowling a no-ball is of course a bowler’s mistake. Anyway, his first over this morning is steady and accurate. Chanderpaul pushes him through the covers for one, before Blackwood watchfully defends for the rest of the over, rather uncharacteristically. |
| Some Jimmy/Ashes bantz appears to have been generated in my inbox. So it’s with a due sense of dread that I quote this, from Eamonn Maloney: | Some Jimmy/Ashes bantz appears to have been generated in my inbox. So it’s with a due sense of dread that I quote this, from Eamonn Maloney: |
| ...but can you have a discussion about him without referencing the fact that Mitchell Johnson continues to be well on top in their ongoing conversation, partly because of JA’s abject bowling record down under? That England’s key wickettaker over the last decade has been a fairweather horse, with an away average of 36, is key to their indifferent fortunes over that period, no? | ...but can you have a discussion about him without referencing the fact that Mitchell Johnson continues to be well on top in their ongoing conversation, partly because of JA’s abject bowling record down under? That England’s key wickettaker over the last decade has been a fairweather horse, with an away average of 36, is key to their indifferent fortunes over that period, no? |
| This correspondence may be closed at any given point. | This correspondence may be closed at any given point. |
| Updated | |
| at 3.28pm BST | |
| 3.22pm BST | |
| 15:22 | |
| 71st over: West Indies 175-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 39) | 71st over: West Indies 175-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 39) |
| Blackwood has taken runs on the leg-side off the first ball of every Anderson over this morning, and he gets two more here. There’s a shorter mid-off in, anticipating some recklessly uppish driving from Blackwood, of which there’s an example in the third ball of the over but it’s clear of any fielder. Two from the over to the West Indies No6. | Blackwood has taken runs on the leg-side off the first ball of every Anderson over this morning, and he gets two more here. There’s a shorter mid-off in, anticipating some recklessly uppish driving from Blackwood, of which there’s an example in the third ball of the over but it’s clear of any fielder. Two from the over to the West Indies No6. |
| 3.19pm BST | |
| 15:19 | |
| 70th over: West Indies 173-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 37) | 70th over: West Indies 173-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 37) |
| Blackwood hurries through for a single after driving Broad to mid-off, bringing Chanderpaul – now the seventh leading run-scorer in Tests – on strike. He looks completely unperturbed by anything outside off stump from Broad though has to dig out an awkward defensive stroke off the last ball of the over when the bowler brings one sharply in at him. Well dealt with though. | Blackwood hurries through for a single after driving Broad to mid-off, bringing Chanderpaul – now the seventh leading run-scorer in Tests – on strike. He looks completely unperturbed by anything outside off stump from Broad though has to dig out an awkward defensive stroke off the last ball of the over when the bowler brings one sharply in at him. Well dealt with though. |
| They’ll go untested on this occasion Gareth, as he’s already on 40, so I can presumably be as dull and formulaic in my descriptions as I like? | They’ll go untested on this occasion Gareth, as he’s already on 40, so I can presumably be as dull and formulaic in my descriptions as I like? |
| 3.15pm BST | |
| 15:15 | |
| 69th over: West Indies 172-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 36) | 69th over: West Indies 172-4 (Chanderpaul 40, Blackwood 36) |
| Blackwood turns Anderson past square leg for a single again before a Chanderpaul four! And cracked uppishly too, though extra-cover but between the fielders. England respond by bringing an extra man in on the offside but Chanderpaul is canny enough to put a spanner in that plan by adding four more on that self-same offside from the next ball, steering it wide of gully to the ropes. Anderson tries to vary things with a straightener into the batsman’s pads but Chanderpaul times a legside clip perfectly and gets two more. He won that particular battle with Anderson emphatically. | Blackwood turns Anderson past square leg for a single again before a Chanderpaul four! And cracked uppishly too, though extra-cover but between the fielders. England respond by bringing an extra man in on the offside but Chanderpaul is canny enough to put a spanner in that plan by adding four more on that self-same offside from the next ball, steering it wide of gully to the ropes. Anderson tries to vary things with a straightener into the batsman’s pads but Chanderpaul times a legside clip perfectly and gets two more. He won that particular battle with Anderson emphatically. |
| 3.09pm BST | |
| 15:09 | |
| 68th over: West Indies 161-4 (Chanderpaul 30, Blackwood 35) | 68th over: West Indies 161-4 (Chanderpaul 30, Blackwood 35) |
| Broad opens up from the other end, slanting it across the left-handed Chanderpaul, pretty innocuously initially as Shiv leaves his first three comfortably, before trying to pull a shorter one, but it’s straight to the fielder at midwicket. An over of dots to Chanderpaul it is. That certainty at a time of turbulence again, there. | Broad opens up from the other end, slanting it across the left-handed Chanderpaul, pretty innocuously initially as Shiv leaves his first three comfortably, before trying to pull a shorter one, but it’s straight to the fielder at midwicket. An over of dots to Chanderpaul it is. That certainty at a time of turbulence again, there. |
| “How can you possibly have a Jimmy tribute without this?” fingerjabs The Exiles At Bridge. The answer is you can’t. Here you go: | “How can you possibly have a Jimmy tribute without this?” fingerjabs The Exiles At Bridge. The answer is you can’t. Here you go: |
| 3.04pm BST | |
| 15:04 | |
| 67th over: West Indies 161-4 (Chanderpaul 30, Blackwood 35) | 67th over: West Indies 161-4 (Chanderpaul 30, Blackwood 35) |
| We’re underway then. And it’s Anderson to resume, Blackwood nudging him round the corner first ball for a single. Chanderpaul does likewise with his first delivery, leaning into an outswinger and dabbing it away on the off-side. Then there’s a minor chance, as Blackwood – continuing where he left off last night – clips it effortlessly in the air close to, but just past, Stuart Broad at mid-on and it races away for four. It was deliciously timed, to be fair, if risky. About six England fans belt out Jerusalem in the background, with a fair bit of gusto and persistence it must be said. Every verse. | We’re underway then. And it’s Anderson to resume, Blackwood nudging him round the corner first ball for a single. Chanderpaul does likewise with his first delivery, leaning into an outswinger and dabbing it away on the off-side. Then there’s a minor chance, as Blackwood – continuing where he left off last night – clips it effortlessly in the air close to, but just past, Stuart Broad at mid-on and it races away for four. It was deliciously timed, to be fair, if risky. About six England fans belt out Jerusalem in the background, with a fair bit of gusto and persistence it must be said. Every verse. |
| Updated | |
| at 3.09pm BST | |
| 2.52pm BST | |
| 14:52 | |
| “It’s a pleasure to work with the guys,” says Curtly Ambrose of his bowling charges in a nice forthright interview with Nasser Hussain on Sky. “They listen to me.” | “It’s a pleasure to work with the guys,” says Curtly Ambrose of his bowling charges in a nice forthright interview with Nasser Hussain on Sky. “They listen to me.” |
| On the subject of former bowling greats communicating with their countries’ current players, Ian Botham is tempted by 9-4 on Anderson overtaking his wicket tally in this innings: | On the subject of former bowling greats communicating with their countries’ current players, Ian Botham is tempted by 9-4 on Anderson overtaking his wicket tally in this innings: |
| 2.42pm BST | |
| 14:42 | |
| Conditions report: There was a burst of heavy rain early this morning, but it’s cleared now, and conditions are bright and sunny. | Conditions report: There was a burst of heavy rain early this morning, but it’s cleared now, and conditions are bright and sunny. |
| 2.36pm BST | |
| 14:36 | |
| Jimmy Anderson’s family have all been flown out for this, as the Burnley Bradman closes in on Ian Botham’s England Test scalps record, just to keep the pressure off. Still, sure they’re not complaining about bagging an Antiguan holiday. Here’s our own contribution to that pressure – some of his highlights: | Jimmy Anderson’s family have all been flown out for this, as the Burnley Bradman closes in on Ian Botham’s England Test scalps record, just to keep the pressure off. Still, sure they’re not complaining about bagging an Antiguan holiday. Here’s our own contribution to that pressure – some of his highlights: |
| 2.18pm BST | |
| 14:18 | |
| Preamble | Preamble |
| Afternoon/morning everyone. In this turbulent dysfunctional world of ours we need some certainties, something to keep us attached to our moorings. Such as the sight of Shiv Chanderpaul batting, for a long time. And Jimmy Anderson making the ball sing with his inviting away-swingers. We have the prospect of both of those this morning, in this quietly intriguing Test match. I’d still make England fairly comfortable favourites, having taken those four wickets yesterday, and with a foundation of a decent first-innings total provided by their three-man batting line-up. These are decent conditions for a seam attack such as England’s too, though much will depend on how long Chanderpaul can hang around, and who if anyone can hang around with him. | Afternoon/morning everyone. In this turbulent dysfunctional world of ours we need some certainties, something to keep us attached to our moorings. Such as the sight of Shiv Chanderpaul batting, for a long time. And Jimmy Anderson making the ball sing with his inviting away-swingers. We have the prospect of both of those this morning, in this quietly intriguing Test match. I’d still make England fairly comfortable favourites, having taken those four wickets yesterday, and with a foundation of a decent first-innings total provided by their three-man batting line-up. These are decent conditions for a seam attack such as England’s too, though much will depend on how long Chanderpaul can hang around, and who if anyone can hang around with him. |
| While we’re waiting, here’s Mike Selvey on the importance of those England seamers. | While we’re waiting, here’s Mike Selvey on the importance of those England seamers. |
| 12.10pm BST | |
| 12:10 | |
| Tom will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Mike Selvey’s day two report: | Tom will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Mike Selvey’s day two report: |
| Steadily England have been seizing back the initiative in the first Test after a first-innings collapse against the second new ball had threatened to undermine the fine work of Ian Bell, Joe Root and Ben Stokes in resurrecting things from potential disaster. By the close on the second day the bowlers had winkled out four wickets for 155 as West Indies responded to England’s 399, one of the wickets to Jimmy Anderson taking him a step closer – he still needs three more – to overtaking Ian Botham’s record of 383 as the country’s highest Test wicket-taker. | Steadily England have been seizing back the initiative in the first Test after a first-innings collapse against the second new ball had threatened to undermine the fine work of Ian Bell, Joe Root and Ben Stokes in resurrecting things from potential disaster. By the close on the second day the bowlers had winkled out four wickets for 155 as West Indies responded to England’s 399, one of the wickets to Jimmy Anderson taking him a step closer – he still needs three more – to overtaking Ian Botham’s record of 383 as the country’s highest Test wicket-taker. |
| It would have helped the cause further if Stokes, with the ball now, had not overstepped in inducing a slip catch from Jermaine Blackwood when on 21, something with which he has previous from before he had even taken a Test wicket. Blackwood was to finish the day unbeaten on 30 and a ring of steel round the England dressing room lockers, just to keep Stokes away from them, might have been in order. | It would have helped the cause further if Stokes, with the ball now, had not overstepped in inducing a slip catch from Jermaine Blackwood when on 21, something with which he has previous from before he had even taken a Test wicket. Blackwood was to finish the day unbeaten on 30 and a ring of steel round the England dressing room lockers, just to keep Stokes away from them, might have been in order. |
| Blackwood, not lacking confidence, had belted his second ball over long off for six, and looks to be the sort of fellow for whom the monumental patience of his batting partner would not come easily. But that mistake aside, he restrained himself admirably while still conveying an air of vulnerability. As ever, though, it seems England have to overcome the particular barrier that is Shivnarine Chanderpaul, for whom dynamite is normally required to remove from the crease, an area for which he is said to have a postcode and mailbox. | Blackwood, not lacking confidence, had belted his second ball over long off for six, and looks to be the sort of fellow for whom the monumental patience of his batting partner would not come easily. But that mistake aside, he restrained himself admirably while still conveying an air of vulnerability. As ever, though, it seems England have to overcome the particular barrier that is Shivnarine Chanderpaul, for whom dynamite is normally required to remove from the crease, an area for which he is said to have a postcode and mailbox. |
| You can read the rest by clicking here. | You can read the rest by clicking here. |