51st over: England 248-3 (Root 37, Brook 71) Kraigg Brathwaite brungs himself on for the last over of the day. As occasional offspinners go, he’s not the worst occasionally offspinner and has 29 Test wickets.
The 30th will have to wait for another day. Brook late cuts another boundary, as if to goad Seales, and keeps strike for tomorrow with a single off the last ball.
That’s been a good day for England, who finish with a lead of 207. That’s all we’ve got time for today, but we’ll have a match report on the site shortly. Goodnight!
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50th over: England 242-3 (Root 36, Brook 66) Brook skilfully deflects Seales between slip and gully for consecutive boundaries. Super batting to bring up the hundred partnership from 132 balls. A strong Yorkshire and all that.
The partnership has doubled England’s lead, which now sits at a healthy 201. Brook misses another attempted late cut and gets a mouthful from Seales.
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49th over: England 232-3 (Root 35, Brook 57) Alzarri Joseph takes out his slips and goes into short-ball mode – not just to Brook but also to Root, who is beaten trying to hook. The rest of the over is handled comfortably.
“Tomorrow,” begins Niall Mullen, “you’d have to imagine England will be like the try-hard on a stag do, just continuously serving up shots even though it’s Sunday and you’ve already been going for three days.”
Hair of the dog Woakesy!
48th over: England 229-3 (Root 34, Brook 55) Brook jabs a wide grubber from Seales into the ground, with the ball bouncing through Hodge in the slips. He hurts his finger in the process and leaves the field at the end of the over.
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47th over: England 224-3 (Root 32, Brook 52) Brook drives Alzarri sweetly through mid-off for four to reach another arresting half-century from 62 balls. You never know for sure in cricket, but Brook’s potential is almost infinite.
Harry Brook reaches 50 in style 👏 pic.twitter.com/RETUkiHpqJ
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2024
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46th over: England 219-3 (Root 32, Brook 47) Seales replaces Sinclair and bowls a good maiden to Root, including one delivery that growls off the seam to beat the outside edge.
Twenty minutes to go. If England don’t lose any wickets they’ll be in the box seat.
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45th over: England 219-3 (Root 32, Brook 47) Mark Wood is putting his pads on, which suggests he’s inherited Stuart Broad and Rehan Ahmed’s role as nighthawk. If anyone can match Robin Marlar’s feat of being stumped second ball for six, it’s probably Wood.
Alzarri Joseph, who took the wickets of Pope and Duckett in an excellent spell, returns to the attack for the last half-hour of the day. He rips one back to hit Brook in the ribs, the third or fourth time he’s worn one in that general area. Brook seizes on the next ball, slamming a pull through midwicket for four. His hand speed can be thrilling.
Brook backs away next ball, misses a big slap and is glad to see the ball bounce over the stumps. Alzarri turns his nose up in disdain.
44th over: England 212-3 (Root 30, Brook 42) England are finding it too easy against Sinclair, milking him with ease and hitting the occasional boundary. Six from the over, not a risk in sight. This has been a very sensible partnership.
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43rd over: England 206-3 (Root 28, Brook 38) That short rain delay after tea means play will continue until 6.41pm. Brook slashes Holder deliberately over the slips for his third boundary. It feels like he’s hit more, possibly because the first two were so eye-catching.
Harry Brook doing Harry Brook things 🤩#ENGvWI #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/OjvuKJn22s
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) July 20, 2024
42nd over: England 201-3 (Root 28, Brook 33) A half-volley from Sinclair is scrunched superbly to the cover boundary by Root, who then pushes a single to bring up the 200. More importantly, England lead by 160.
41st over: England 193-3 (Root 22, Brook 31) Root tries unsuccessfully to persuade the umpires that they should go off for bad light. Holder has a big appeal for LBW turned down when Root falls over another nipbacker. “He’s a long way down” says the keeper Joshua Da Silva; the West Indies decide against a review.
40th over: England 192-3 (Root 21, Brook 31) Brook runs down the track to Sinclair, who sees it coming and tries to spear the ball down the leg side. Brook aborts his shot and the ball hits his toe before deflecting to third man. Brook sets off for a run, then realises he can’t because he didn’t play a shot. At least he’s still there; he could easily have been stumped.
“John Starbuck should know :-) that the two tickets purchased for Monday in the Hound Road stand cost £20 a pop,” says Kim Thonger, “and there were lower priced tickets in other stands, but regardless, blooming good value me duck.”
Duck’s orf!
39th over: England 189-3 (Root 20, Brook 29) Shamar tempts Root into the corridor and straightens one past the edge. He jumps wider on the crease for the next ball, an outswinger that Root clatters past cover for four. Lovely shot.
Later in the over a thick edge from Brook lands short of gully and runs away for two. The umpires meet to have a chat about the light, which elicits a few boos. Play will continue for now.
"Wow, the best of Joe Root!" 💫 pic.twitter.com/u8IUF3StVA
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2024
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38th over: England 182-3 (Root 15, Brook 27) A change of pace: Kevin Sinclair for Joe Root. He lured Brook into a fatal stroke in the first innings so it’s not a bad move.
Brook skids back to cut a single before Root reverse sweeps for another.
“Kim Thonger should be aware that Monday might well be a freebie day at Trent Bridge,” says John Starbuck. “I well recall Notts saying ‘we did it for cricket’ to justify not charging for entry on the final day, reasoning that they’ll make enough from the catering to cover costs. Still a Good Thing, though.”
Didn’t they let everyone in free when Jonny Bairstow smashed New Zealand to smithereens in 2022?
37th over: England 180-3 (Root 14, Brook 26) “This has developed into a reassuringly excellent Test match, Rob,” writes Guy Hornsby. “Both sides really up for giving it a red-hot go. And just when you think a side is on top, something turns up and kicks momentum in the knackers. And after the Lord’s shellacking, I don’t think it’s patronising to say how brilliant it is to see West Indies tear back into it. Sinclair is possibly my new favourite player, and right at the centre of it. I couldn’t tell you how it’s likely to end. More of this, please!”
Drinks The ball has been changed again during the drinks break; I think that’s the fifth replacement in this Test.
36th over: England 179-3 (Root 14, Brook 25) The non-striker Root calls Brook through for a quick single, something he has done so well throughout his career. It’s an underrated skill.
There’s a break in play while Kraigg Brathwaite tries to get the ball changed. Rod Tucker isn’t having it. Shamar Joseph has also hurt his shoulder while throwing the ball in from the outfield.
Brook ends the over by clipping a half-volley through midwicket for three. He looks in good touch.
35th over: England 172-3 (Root 13, Brook 19) The man who won them that famous game in Adelaide in January, Shamar Joseph, continues his spell. Root defends or leaves a few tempting channel balls.
“Rob can we give Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club a shout out for running this Test Match with supreme efficiency?” shouts Kim Thonger. “Enjoyed a perfectly run day yesterday, everything, the ticketing, entry, security, signage and bar worked like clockwork, and all staff super friendly to boot. And I just got a text message from them inviting me to buy a ticket for a thrilling climax tomorrow or Monday, which I did, simply and cheaply within a few minutes. Bravissimo!!”
There’s an apocalypse out West but Nottingham looks likely to avoid the worst. Final hour could get gloomy though … #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/j6OQeyZjwx
— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) July 20, 2024
34th over: England 170-3 (Root 12, Brook 18) Another nasty nipbacker from Holder rams Brook in the stomach. He clearly didn’t think much of Brook walking down the track to him.
This is a really interesting battle, with the match beautifully poised. Another 50 runs and England are well on top; two quick wickets and the West Indies will be eyeing another famous victory.
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33rd over: England 169-3 (Root 12, Brook 18) A double bowling change, with Shamar Joseph returning to the attack. He hits Root straight in the babymaker, a blow that Root takes remarkably well. While Brook has started in a flurry of boundaries, Root is doing his usual efficient milking.
32nd over: England 166-3 (Root 9, Brook 18) Brook walks at the new bowler Holder and hammers him through mid-off for four. At times there’s an otherworldly brilliance to his strokeplay that evokes Kevin Pietersen.
An unimpressed Holder gives Brook a ‘drive that’ ball, one that jags back to hit him in the breadbasket.
™️ Harry Brook pic.twitter.com/VUeAwQfVIg
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2024
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31st over: England 159-3 (Root 6, Brook 13) Brook does well to keep out a straight delivery from Seales that keeps low; not the full Carl Hooper but still awkward.
Seales then goes up for LBW when Root clips fine for four. We’ve all done it.
30th over: England 151-3 (Root 2, Brook 10) Brook gets his first boundary with a quite brilliant uppercut off Alzarri. That was so skilful. He barely moved, just swayed back slightly and produced the necessary wristwork to steer it over the slips.
He tries a similar shot later in the over, but this time Alzarri follows him and the ball flashes just over the head of Sinclair in the gully. Careful now.
29th over: England 144-3 (Root 2, Brook 3) Seales beats Brook with a lovely delivery in the channel. This is turning into a tough post-tea session for England.
“Duckett joins the list of ‘victims of OBO curse’,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “Eh!”
That list could fill a Wisden.
28th over: England 142-3 (Root 1, Brook 2) Brook pulls confidently for two to get off the mark. Looks like West Indies are going to go at him with some short stuff.
“Excited for the prospect of an Aphex Twin test match concept album,” writes Tom Banham. “ Featuring tracks like Come to Hadlee. (Mind the) Windowslicker. Tennis Bouncing Ball. And, of course, his ode to the 90s England test team, T69 Collapse. Backed with a series of The Gabba remixes by Square-Leg-Pusher.”
Weirdly enough, the song titles on Drukqs are pretty much my internal monologue during day five of the Adelaide Test in 2006.
Duckett is out! Yep, three reds and Duckett walks off after another very good innings. West Indies are right back in this.
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We’re still waiting. The slow handclaps have started.
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WICKET! England 140-3 (Duckett LBW b A Joseph 76)
And he’ll be doubly irritated to get out in the seventies again! Not that he did much wrong: it was a sizzling yorker from Alzarri that hit him on the toe.
Duckett has reviewed, just in case the angle from round the wicket was taking it past leg stump. There’s a delay with the ball-tracking but I’m pretty sure this is out.
🟥🟥🟥 Three reds and Duckett has to walk pic.twitter.com/Kcm23u98sU
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2024
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27th over: England 140-2 (Duckett 76, Root 1) Duckett kitchen-sinks Seales over the cordon for four more. He was irritated to miss out on a ton in the first innings and will be doubly determined to get one today.
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26th over: England 131-2 (Duckett 71, Root 1) That delivery from Alzarri swung away ever so slightly, so maybe it was the replacement ball wot dunnit.
Oh hello! Root is beaten by a delivery that trampolines from back of a length. Maybe things are starting to happen for West Indies.
Duckett clunks a pull down the ground for two and is hit on the pad by an attempted yorker. West Indies went up for LBW, just un case, but everyone knew it was missing leg.
Look at those celebrations from Kevin Sinclair 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/HMdWUpqgUO
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 20, 2024
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WICKET! England 127-2 (Pope c Sinclair b A Joseph 51)
Alzarri Joseph strikes straight after the ball change! Pope edges a drive to gully, where Sinclair takes a smart low catch.
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The ball is out of shape and will be changed. Could be a game-changer too, who knows.
25th over: England 127-1 (Duckett 69, Pope 51) After hitting Holder at backward point on multiple occasions, Duckett finally gets Seales past him and away for four. Duckett, who loves the problem-solving element of batting, will be relishing this challenge.
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24th over: England 119-1 (Duckett 62, Pope 50) Pope flicks Alzarri Joseph for a single to reach another excellent half-century from 64 balls. He needed runs in this series; so far he has 228 at an average of 114.
Alzarri continues Plan Duckett and beats his man with consecutive deliveries from round the wicket. Duckett punches a single down the ground.
“Afternoon Rob,” writes Simon McMahon. “In a sentence that I never thought I’d type, Scotland are currently playing Namibia in an ODI in Dundee, the Namibians currently 76-1 from 17, chasing 291 to win, with opener Lohan Louwrens the man out for a 23-ball duck. Duckett made 50 from not many more on Thursday in a Test match. It’s a crazy world we live in.”
A 23-ball duck in 2024 is quite something.
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23rd over: England 117-1 (Duckett 61, Pope 49) Seales, who has really struggled from the Radcliffe Road End, has switched ends. The lights are on and it’s cloudy, so now’s the time for West Indies to strike.
They have a 7/2 field in an attempt to dry Duckett up, with two backward points. It works in that over, with just a single to Pope off the first ball.
The covers are coming off and play will resume in the next 2-3 minutes. Woot woot!
“Irritating,” says Gary Naylor, but for once he’s not appraising my writing style. “The only umbrella visible in the ground is being held by an umpire in the middle.”
The players are on the boundary edge ready to go. But there’s a bit of rain in the air and the hovercover is being wheeled on.
Tea
22nd over: England 116-1 (Duckett 61, Pope 48) England milk Sinclair for five runs to complete a terrific session in which they recovered from Zak Crawley’s early run-out to reach 116 for one, a lead of 75.
21st over: England 111-1 (Duckett 60, Pope 44) Shamar Joseph has bowled much better in this game, and he remains the man most likely to take two or three wickets in a hurry. His last over before tea is a good one, apart from a no-ball right at the end.
“Wotcha Bob,” says Mac Millings. “Is ‘England 05=1‘ (18th over) some sort of code. What could it mean? 2005 was England cricket’s greatest ever year? Or maybe Foden + Bellingham + Mainoo + Rice + Gallacher = 1 Rodri?”
I’ve been listening to a lot of Aphex Twin lately. And I can’t type.
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20th over: England 109-1 (Duckett 60, Pope 43) A decent second over from Sinclair, four singles from it. The third of those brings up an assured, dominant century partnership from 110 balls.
19th over: England 105-1 (Duckett 58, Pope 41) Shamar Joseph returns, with West Indies in increasingly urgent need of a wicket. Duckett flails another boundary through backward point – it was in the air but well wide of the fielder at gully. A load of singles make it 10 runs from the over. The tea break, a chance to regroup, will come at a good time for West Indies.
Duckett has scored 36 off his last 27 balls.
18th over: England 95-1 (Duckett 52, Pope 37) Time for the offspin of Kevin Sinclair, and time for Ben Duckett to make a statement. He sweeps three fours in the over to hurry to another terrific half-century, this one from 55 balls.
“I’m a big fan of Duckett and his bristling busyness (if that’s a word),” says Tom Van der Gucht. “In years to come, when the dust has settled and we look back on this cricketing era, do you think Duckett might be remembered as the definitive Bazballer? I know Stokes has been the spiritual progenitor, but his achievements straddle so many periods with highs and lows that define him elsewhere. Duckett, however, was brought in and flourished during the era - his attacking opening being statistically more successful than Crawley, making him the defining player of this dynasty.”
I think it might be Bairstow, because of the symbolism of his astonishing summer in 2022. But you make a very good case for Duckett; he was also the first new batter they brought into the team, which counts for plenty. Maybe Bairstow is the original Bazballer and Duckett the definitive.
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17th over: England 83-1 (Duckett 40, Pope 37) Holder is slightly too straight to Duckett, who puts him away through midwicket. He’s so efficient when a bowler errs in line or length.
16th over: England 77-1 (Duckett 35, Pope 36) The ball isn’t doing much and Duckett and Pope look comfortable. I don’t suppose you can ever say an England batter looks immovable, given how they play, but they’re playing well.
15th over: England 75-1 (Duckett 34, Pope 35) Three singles from Holder’s third over. He’s slowed England down a touch; 20 runs from the last six overs.
14th over: England 72-1 (Duckett 32, Pope 34) Thanks Daniel, afternoon everyone. Jayden Seales returns to replace Shamar Joseph, and his first ball is larruped to the cover boundary by Duckett. He moves into the thirties, as does England’s lead. Another punishing drive doesn’t beat the infield.
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13th over: England 67-1 (Duckett 27, Pope 34) There’s another boundary but it’s from a genuine edge that Holder extracts from Duckett’s blade. Much, much better from the West Indian bowlers.
And now my watch has ended. I’m handing over to Rob Smyth who will see you to the close. Thanks to everyone for dropping in. Enjoy!
12th over: England 60-1 (Duckett 21, Pope 33) Another good over from the West Indies. Just the single off that, and to a midfield at mid-on as Duckett plays a neat looking drive down the ground. String a few more miserly overs like that and we could start to see the England batters try their hand.
11th over: England 59-1 (Duckett 20, Pope 33) Tidy start from Holder who’s getting a bit of lift from a good length. He over pitches twice and Pope smokes two drives straight at the fielder. So the over costs just one run as Duckett bunts from his toes to deep point.
Bowling change. And not a moment too soon. It’s the former skipper Jason Holder. Can he exert some much needed control?
10th over: England 58-1(Duckett 19, Pope 33) Another productive over as Duckett gets a couple down to fine leg and a single to deep third. One ball on a good length angles into Pope and hits him on the pad. Might have been bat but was always going over. Still, that’s the first time he’s looked troubled. A marginally better over from a West Indian bowler though the bar has been set quite low this innings.
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9th over: England 55-1 (Duckett 16, Pope 33) Duckett plays his best shot of the innings as he pounces on a full ball from A Joseph and sweetly times it to the cover fence. Pope also hits the rope with a cover drive from a loose ball with enough width to free the arms. The tall bowler just hasn’t been able to find a consistent area and is offering at least one boundary ball an over while giving up easy singles.
8th over: England 45-1 (Duckett 11, Pope 28) It looks a little too easy for England who are rotating the strike with control and confidence. Superb fielding near the rope by Louis at fine leg saves three runs as Pope clips S Joseph in front of square. Three off the over though as England’s busy batters get to work.
7th over: England 41-1 (Duckett 10, Pope 27) It didn’t take long to wipe out the deficit. England are hurtling along at just under six an over. There are plenty of singles available with boundary riders offering protection. The West Indies haven’t been very accurate and have ben unable to hold their line.
6th over: England 38-1 (Duckett 9, Pope 25) Seales’ profligacy means he’s out of the attack after just two overs. Is that the equivalent of subsituting a footballer after just 20 minutes? Whatever it is, Shamar Joseph has the ball. He’s a little tighter but does lose his length which allows Duckett to punch off the back foot past point for three. Another short ball is cut by Pope but there’s a man on the fence so it’s worth just one.
Was Crawley unlucky or loose? The former says Nick Parish who is picking up on Lawrence Booth’s criticism:
Hi Daniel. Yes, both harsh and unrealistic from former OBO-er Booth. If it’s scrappy to be run out in that way, that means the non-striker can never back up, and must not set off until the batsman has actually hit the ball. That seems unrealistic to me - and probably not the percentage play given how rarely the run-out via a deflection off the bowler actually happens.
5th over: England 33-1 (Duckett 6, Pope 23) The Windies bowlers haven’t found their areas just yet. A Joseph strays down the leg and Pope clips him fine for four. The centurion from the first innings is racing along with 23 from 15. A single off his hips keeps him on strike for the next over.
4th over: England 28-1 (Duckett 6, Pope 18) Loose from Seales and Pope punishes him. Three fours to start the over. The first is a great cover drive but the next two are gimmes. A short wide ball is slashed behind point and then a spray down the leg side is clipped fine of fine leg. The final delivery spits off a back of a length and catches a thick edge off the shoulder of the bat. But it lands safely as Pope takes a single. They’re going at seven an over!
3rd over: England 15-1 (Duckett 6, Pope 5) It’s all happening. A Joseph pitches up and invites the drive. Pope is late on it and just about gets wood on it as the toe explodes. The first ball with his new blade pings off the middle as he unleashes a lovely cover drive to the rope.
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I reckon this is harsh from the editor of the Wisden Almanack. What do you think?
Another piece of scrappiness from England, as Zak Crawley is run out at the non-striker's end via a deflection from Jayden Seales's fingertips. I don't buy the argument that's unlucky.
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) July 20, 2024
2nd over: England 8-1 (Duckett 4, Pope 0) Crawley will be livid. Not with himself, or with his partner. Just at the cricket gods for being so cruel. Seales’ first ball to Duckett was a leg side half volley that was rightly flicked to tghe midwicket boundary. His fourth ball was also a half volley but straighter and Duckett drove it back down the pitch. Seales stuck a hand out, made contact with the ball and ran out Crawley at the bowler’s end.
WICKET! Crawley run-out Seales 3 (England 8-1)
Just the worst way to get out! Crawley isn’t back in time and is run-out at the non-striker’s end! A full ball from Seales us firmly punched back by Duckett. The bowler stopped and got a hand to it, diverting the ball back onto the stumps. Crawley turns and tries to put his bat down in time but can’t, that’s how quickly it all happened. Just three runs in the match for Zak and the Windies have their first.
Oooh, they’re going upstairs for a run-out at the non-striker’s end. Duckett drove back to Seales who got a hand on it before the ball hit the stumps. I think Crawley could be in trouble here….
1st over: England 4-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 0) A Joseph finds some early movement through the air. Crawley is off the mark with a controlled punch down the ground that is hauled in just before the rope at mid-off. Three runs to the lanky opener. After Duckett gets off strike thanks to a leg-bue off his pad, Crawley is beaten on the outside edge.
Right then, what can England muster in response to the West Indies’ late flourish?
Zak Crawley has a bat in his hand. Alzarri Joseph is holding a ball. It’s time to get cracking.
Hi again. Have you been pondering deep thoughts during the interval?
Mark Steward in Kyoto has mediated on pressing matters:
This lunch break has taught me two things. Stuart Broad is the Oracle of bowling analysis and trousers come in an amusing range of length measurements.
Not quite what I had in mind but all thoughts, no matter how, um, odd, are welcome.
I’m going to go grab a bite.
While you nibble on your lunch take a read of this exclusive from Matt Hughes.
The Hundred could become a bog-standard T20 competition but will keep it’s name. Confused? Take a gaze at this:
WICKET! S Joseph c Atkinson b Wood 29 (West Indies all-out for 457)
Wood finally gets one! The ball before Joseph was almost bowled as he swiped at a full ball from Wood. That prompted a talking to from Da Silva who told his number 11 to stay calm. But the next ball off a length found a leading edge that spooned to Atkinson at mid-on. Da Silva, on his haunches, remains not-out on 82. What a remarkable knock from him.
A 10th wicket stand of 71 takes the West Indies to a lead of 41.
That’ll be lunch.
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111th over: West Indies 453-9 (Da Silva 82, S Joseph 29) 4,4,4,6! Da Silva takes Root to the cleaners to hammer the final four balls to the fence. The first boundary and the six off the last ball were lofted swats towards long-on. Between them two sweeps found acres of space backward of square. A 10th wicket stand now worth 67 has catapulted the tourists into a 37 run lead.
Couldn’t agree more. Stokes has made a mess of this.
England have lost the plot the last half hour or so. Negative tactics to Da Silva straight out of the Cook playbook, Shamar Joseph now cracking on and the WI have a lead after trailing by 30 when nine down. We have a game
— Chris Stocks (@StocksC_cricket) July 20, 2024
110th over: West Indies 435-9 (Da Silva 64, S Joseph 29) Da Silva gets a single and then Joseph tickles Bashir’s arm ball fine on the leg side for four runs. The England spinner holds his head in his hands. What a dramatic shift in this game. England had a 30 run lead when the ninth wicket fell. They’re now trailing by 19.
109th over: West Indies 430-9 (Da Silva 63, S Joseph 25) Root’s first over is pretty innocuous. Just one run for Da Silva who will face Bahsir first up. This really has been a tremendous knock from Da Silva who calls for the baggy maroon cap with spin at both ends. A partnership of 44 now for the 10th wicket.
That was Tino Best with 95 in Birminghmam, btw.
T
Just saying, the last time England fielded an XI in a home Test that included neither Stuart Broad nor James Anderson, a West Indian broke the record for the highest score by a No.11
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) July 20, 2024
We’ll play an extra half hour before taking lunch.
Or England will pick up the one wicket they need. Whichever comes first.
Joe Root into the attack. Maybe Stokes is reading the OBO?
108th over: West Indies 429-9 (Da Silva 62, S Joseph 25) Da Silva picks up three runs and keeps the strike for the next over. He gets two with a swat into the deep on the leg side that splits the two boundary riders. Then Stokes brings the field up and Da Silva slogs over the top. It’s an ugly stroke, but he got enough on it to clear the ring field.
“Any idea why Joe hasn’t been given the ball at all?”
It’s a good question, Evelyn Williames. I was starting to wonder why the front-line spinner, Shoaib Bashir, hadn’t got a go yet.
But he’s got his cap off and is twirling the ball between his fingers for a little crack before lunch.
Besides a slip in place, every other fielder is on the rope.
107th over: West Indies 426-9 (Da Silva 49, S Joseph 25) Shamar Jospeh, the West Indies number 11 with a first class average of 9.61, spanks two mighty sixes from outrageous pull shots against Atkinson. He’s into position so early and with a flashing blade crunches two of the best examples of the stroke you’ll ever see. Atkinson sticks with the short ball and Joseph catches a top edge that flies over Smith’s head for four. The West Indies have a 10 run lead!
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106th over: West Indies 410-9 (Da Silva 59, S Joseph 9) Da Silva lets out a cry of frustration as he can’t find the gap to keep the strike off the final ball. He had opportunities to take the single earlier in the Wood over, but declined. Or maybe Shamar Jospeh declined. Who can blame him?
Do you have a strong opinion about gifting the number 11 a single to keep him on strike? What about giving the set batter a single to make sure he gets off strike?
Anthony Bradley has some thoughts on the matter:
Hi Daniel. Am I the only one who thinks “giving a single” to a batter is arse about face as we say in Yorkshire? When I bowled at a modest level of league cricket I didn’t want to give the bloody batter anything. The best way to curb the scoring is to get the batter back in the hut.
105th over: West Indies 410-9 (Da Silva 59, S Joseph 9) Woakes is out of the attack – not five-for for him (yet). Atkinson comes on and is immediately spanked by Shamar Jospeh who plays a textbook perfect hook shot, threading the gap between the deep backward square and fine leg. He then takes a single, as does Da Silva as the partnership swells to 24 and the deficit shrinks to just six.
104th over: West Indies 404-9 (Da Silva 58, S Joseph 4) Da Silva backs away and swipes at a lifting short ball from Wood. He gets enough bat on it and it sails up and over the rope behind the keeper for six. They all count. That brings up the 400 for the West Indies. What a wonderful response this has been. They couldn’t bat for 90 overs across both innings at Lord’s. Now they’re 12 runs away from England’s first innings score.
103rd over: West Indies 398-9 (Da Silva 52, S Joseph 4) Woakes is around the wicket to S Joseph as he searches for a five-for. But the number 11 is up to the task. His firmly struck cut shot is well fielded by the man at point but there’s no one on earth tall enough to grab his lofted drive down the ground. A lovely flow of the bat shows he’s no mug. What a way to get off the mark. Only 18 runs separates the sides. That was Woakes’ 10th over. Even though he’s chasing a milestone I think that might be that. One more maybe if Stokes is feeling generous.
102nd over: West Indies 394-9 (Da Silva 52, S Joseph 0) Da Silva turns down the easy single off the pen ultimate ball of this Wood over and then whacks the final delivery for six over extra cover to bring up his fifty. He backs away, clears the front foot and carves an outrageous stroke off the middle of the bat. This has been a fantastic innings from the ‘keeper. Deficit cut down to 22.
10st over: West Indies 388-9 (Da Silva 46, S Joseph 0) On they go. Joseph survives as he swishes at a full ball that squeezes between bat and stumps. Da Silva, ticking along, picks up a single which means he’ll face Wood. The deficit is down to just 28. File these runs under V for ‘Valuable’.
Can anyone top this in the age old debate?
@danielgallan The best keeper vs best batsman debate goes back at least to the 30's. George Duckworth, test average 14, was thought the best keeper in the country. However, Les Ames had a test average of 40, so that was the end of that.
— Thasceles (@thasceles) July 20, 2024
100th over: West Indies 387-9 (Da Silva 45, S Joseph 0) Da Silva keeps the strike with a cut down to a wide deep third off the final ball of this Wood over. I think Stokes could have done more to avoid that happening with a tighter ring field. Da Silva is almost caught at a finer deep third after slashing at a fuller one, but it bounced just short of Root and ended with a dot ball after some confusion between the batters. Good result though for the tourists.
Six slips, a short leg and a man at midwicket. Can Woakes ge tthe five-for?
No! Because Shamar Joseph comes out of his crease and smothers the attempted yorker. Wonderful!
99th over: West Indies 386-9 (Da Silva 44, S Joseph 0)
WICKET! Seals b Woakes 0 (West Indies 386-9)
Woakes is on a hat-trick! Perfect to the new left hander. On a full length, angled back in through the gate and hitting the top of off. Lovely from Woakes.
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WICKET! A Joseph c Smith b Woakes 10 (West Indies 386-8)
Woakes gets another! A loose drive gets a feather and is safely pouched by Smith diving forward to his right. A rash shot from Joseph who just lost his shape to the teasing wobble ball. Jospeh didn’t walk and instead waited for the Adrian Holstock’s finger. That annoyed Woakes, not sure why. Anyway, Woakes is rewarded for his hard work this morning.
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Colum Fordham is following on from my favourite place in the world, a Greek beach!
Mate, I hope it’s delicious. Have a plate of crispy squid and an ice cold Mythos for me!
Morning Daniel,
Following the OBO from afar as this deliciously poised test match progresses. A lovely Greek beach and test cricket are as close to heaven as you can get, the only aesthetic diwnside being a Greek Trump doppelganger lounging in the water like an alligator with his hat on as Greeks are wont to do.
Woakes seems to be bringing his inner Hadlee to Trent Bridge and giving the Windies batsmen a fair few problems. Maybe time for Stokes to break this partnership with his own bowling?
Yes, I think Stokes could be a go here. Especially if it’s moving. One more at least from Woakes though.
98th over: West Indies 385-7 (Da Silva 43, Joseph 10) The end of the first hour and it’s drinks. Wood isn’t quite reaching the speeds he recorded yesterday but he is north of 90 mph. Smith concedes his first byes as a very full ball shoots through at ankle height and burst through he legs for four. Da Silva is not protecting his partner, taking a two off the first ball with a nudge off his hips and then a single past mid-on to a full ball. Joseph ducks under a menacing bouncer and looks comfortable for the rest of the set.
Wood into the attack!
Stephen Nicholson has this to say on the ‘best keeper versus the keeper-batter’ debate:
I mentioned on the first day of this test that the issue of the best wicket keeper v the best batter who could keep wicket was there in the 1960s with Jim Parks (who was the latter) and John Murray (who was the former). Reaching a few years further back into my childhood, can I offer you the Yorkshire wicket-keeper Jimmy Binks. Here are a couple of extracts from his entry in Wikipedia:
Although he was regarded by many as the best wicket-keeper of his generation, his limited batting ability restricted him to just two Test match appearances for England, both on the 1963-64 tour to India. Ironically, because of injuries to other players, he opened the batting in three of his four Test innings... Binks’ Yorkshire colleague Fred Trueman said that the “greatest injustice of all” (by the England selectors) was their limitation of Binks to only two Tests. In Trueman’s opinion, Binks was “far and away the best wicket-keeper in the country after Godfrey Evans“ and several of those selected ahead of him were “nowhere near as good”.
97th over: West Indies 378-7 (Da Silva 40, Joseph 10) Three more singles from this Woakes over. A bit of movement through the air when he pitches it up. Both batters are getting into a groove after those initial concerns around the fifth stump line.
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96th over: West Indies 375-7 (Da Silva 38, Joseph 9) They’re ticking along, the West Indians, taking three off this Atkinson over. They’re not dominating the attack but I like the way they’re staying in the fight. One wide at the top of the over after Atkinson misdirects a bouncer and a pair of singles are added to the score. Tight lines from England. They need to stay patient here.
95th over: West Indies 372-7 (Da Silva 37, Joseph 8) A bit of uneven bounce and movement both ways, this is a very different proposition for the batters today. Woakes is looking to bring the ball back into Da Silva after a couple of away seamers. Da Silva leans into a drive and gets an inside edge onto his pad. A single apiece takes two off the deficit, bringing it down to 44.
94th over: West Indies 370-7 (Da Silva 36, Joseph 7) Stokes puts down a catch in the covers! It was a very tough chance. Atkinson landed a back of a length ball to Joseph who tried to work it with the angle into the leg side. He caught it with a leading edge which spooned into the covers. Stokes ran in and dived at it with one hand but couldn’t hold on as his arm hit the turf. A half chance, but one we now expect Stokes to take every time.
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93rd over: West Indies 370-7 (Da Silva 36, Joseph 7) Woakes beats Da Silva’s edge twice in the over. How he hasn’t nicked one is beyond me. Woakes is angling in and straightening it off a good length. It really is terrific bowling. As a batter you just have to hope that you don’t get anything on it. He’s beaten again, but this time as he goes searching for a drive on the front foot. That’s five near misses for the Windies ‘keeper by my count.
Jamie Smith has been great behind the stumps.
Of course this means there’ll be plenty of discourse around his selection in the near future. As Tom V d Gucht points says:
Morning,
Great to see Jamie Smith starting so well. I must admit, I’d raised my eyebrows at his selection initially, but having watched the highlights, he looks impressive.
The only question now is who his wicket keeping nemesis will be in the eternal England duel between pure keeper and batsman keeper all-rounder. He joins the rich heritage including: Knot vs Taylor; Stewart vs Russell; Read / Foster vs Jones; Ambrose vs Prior; Bairstow vs Buttler; buttler vs Foakes; Bairstow vs Foakes.... I’m excited to see who picks up the mantle next.
92nd over: West Indies 369-7 (Da Silva 36, Joseph 6) Atkinson spins Da Silva like a top with a proper jaffa from short of a length, angling in and straightening off the deck. He goes fuller with the next delivery and beats the bat again. Top bowling. Joseph pickes up a single from an in-swinger that’s pushed towards square leg.
91st over: West Indies (Da Silva 36, Joseph 5) Alzarri Joseph clips his first ball for four through midwicket as if he were the second coming of Viv Richards. He played some gorgeous drives at Lord’s and that’s another delightful stroke. The fella can play! He’ll keep the strike with a single. Da Silva isn’t in farming mood yet as he ticks along with a single of his own.
WICKET! Sinclair c Brook b Atkinson 4 (West Indies 362-7)
A sharp grab in the cordon and the West Indies are teetering! Full from Atkinson from the final ball of the over, Sinclair couldn’t resist the width on offer. But he was playing from his crease so his head was nowhere near the ball. A thick edge flies towards Brook in a wide third slip position and he holds on well around head height.
90th over: West Indies 362-7 (Da Silva 35).
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89th over: West Indies 360-6 (Da Silva 34, Sinclair 3) There’s a run-out chance as Sinclair’s swishing cut is mistimed into the covers. Pope scampers to field and throws at the stumps from his knees. By his reaction it was pretty close. Sinclair had already given up as he ambled towards the non-striker’s end. A single for Da Silva at the top of the over is a sign that he won’t be farming the strike just yet. He might do against Atkinson and Wood.
Krishna Moorthy is hedging his bets with these predictions:
Good morning Daniel
My take on who is the winner between day 1 and day 2
While WI scored 60 runs less, they managed to NOT lose an additional 5 wickets
All tge omens lead to a capitulation of England in the second innings and
1. WI winning the second test by knocking off the required runs by day 4
Or
2. WI implodes and give away a 2-0 lead.
88th over: West Indies 358-6 (Da Silva 33, Sinclair 2) Good pace from Atkinson. Unlike Wood he requires a few overs to get up to speed but he’s cranking it up. Sinclair picks up another single with a squirt past gully. Da Silva keeps the strike with a clip behind square.
87th over: West Indies 356-6 (Da Silva 32, Sinclair 1) Woakes has come under criticism this series but it’s his early wicket that has England up and running. Classic wobble seam on a good length. He makes it look simple when he gets it right. Sinclair, the new man in, gets off the mark with a single in the deep from a swiping pull shot.
WICKET! Holder c Smith b Woakes 27 (West Indies 355-6)
Got him! Woakes lands on one a good length, brings Holder forward and compels him to prod away from his body. It looks soft but one of those that either takes the edge or it doesn’t. This one does and Smith could have caught that with his eyes closed. Good start for England who are now into the bowlers.
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86th over: West Indies 355-5 (Holder 27, Da Silva 32) Atkinson opens up the Stuart Broad end and begins with a maiden. The highlight from that over was a great take from Smith behind the stumps with the gloves on. he’s had a terrific start to his Test career. He’s yet to concede a bye.
Gary Naylor is at Trent Bridge, sitting in the front row of the media centre (which is a great place to watch cricket) and is in a reflective mood:
“Muggy and oppressive, this is the kind of morning that Hadlee and Rice would roll Essex for 80-odd. A first hour of 30-1 might suit England more than 30-4, as I’m not sure I’d want to be batting for too long before lunch. Ben needs to ask Joe about how to set negative fields.”
85th over: West Indies 355-5 (Holder 27, Da Silva 32) Woakes opens up the day and is angling into Holder. His final ball of the over is a half volley and the big unit leans forward and unfurls a gorgeous drive down the ground. Fifty partnership up for these two.
Right, here we go! Start of the third day. It looks muggy out there. Could help the bowlers.
For the second day in a row, Simon Dennis emerges as a hero, providing the TMS link for overseas listeners.
Hat tip to you Simon. You’re doing the Lord’s work.
We’ve got our first email of the morning and it’s from Martin O’Donovan-Wright:
Morning Daniel,
Yes, I’m going to be that guy, the ‘keeper of the flame’ test addict, but I feel it’s defensible because it doesn’t get much better than this: an even contest, with a guy firing down thunderbolts from one end, a tweaker probing from the other, against two well set bats who have to re-establish themselves at the start of a new day... I bloody love test cricket.
“I’ve got a wife and kids!”
How good is this from Kaven Hodge, the West Indian centurion who faced up the unreal heat delivered by Mark Wood.
"I joked with him... I have a wife and kids!" 😅
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 19, 2024
Kavem Hodge on facing Mark Wood's 'brutal' 97mph bowling ⚡ #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/nF7QBbRtXO
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93.9, 96.1, 95.2, 92.2, 96.5, 95.2.
Those are the speeds recorded by Mark Wood yesterday in a single over.
As Simon Burnton writes, “It was the fastest over bowled by an English bowler in this country since records began in 2006, a title it held for something in the region of 10 minutes, the time it took for him to bowl a second. That record survived until he bowled his third”
England are sweating over mark Wood’s fitness. He was sensational yesterday, delivering some of the fastest bowling I’ve ever seen, hurtling overs that didn’t include a ball slower than 90mph.
Hopefully he’s OK.
Preamble
Sound the delicately poised klaxon, we’ve got a Test match on our hands!
And who’d have thought after the capitulation of the West Indian batters at Lord’s that we’d be here, at the start of day three of the second in the series, with the tourists trailing by a mere 65 runs with five wickets in hand on a great batting deck.
After England notched 416 on the first day, with Ollie Pope’s 121 leading the Bazball supercharge, the West Indies kicked off under brilliant blue skies in Nottingham and went to work.
Some soft dismissals curtailed their reply, but a controlled 175-run stand for the fourth wicket between the classy Alick Athanaze – dismissed for 82 – and the resolute Kavem Hodge – who peeled off a wonderful 120, his first ever Test ton – put the Islanders back in the game. It was a partnership built on gumption and guile as they repelled the searing heat of Mark Wood who reached blistering speeds of 97.5 mph.
Jason Holder (23*) and Joshua Da Silva (32*) survived some scares but will resume their union worth 46-runs. Reaching parity will be their primary aim. Do that and we could have an unlikely upset forming over the horizon.
I’m buzzing for this. If you are too then please feel free to drop me an email. I promise I read them all and welcome any thought you may have no matter how whacky or niche.
Play resumes at 11am BST. I’ll fill the blog with bits and bobs til then.
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