It is almost impossible to know where this Test, a decider, sits at the close on day one. Is England’s 204 a good score, having been asked to bat first? Is the pitch, so lively earlier on, actually just getting flatter? Only time will tell.
All we can say with absolute certainty is that from the depths of 67 for seven and 90 for eight and 114 for nine, with numbers two to seven in the batting order all recording single figure scores (the first time England have done that since 1950), the tourists end the day much happier than once seemed likely.
For that, they had their bowlers to thank. First Chris Woakes, who made 25, having come in when, immediately after lunch, three quick wickets fell with the score on 53. Then Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood, No10 and 11, batted more than 36 overs in a stubborn and at times stylish partnership worth 90. The scorecard looked like it was doing a handstand.
By then, West Indies, so lively earlier, looked out on their feet. Having dropped Veerasammy Permaul for a fifth seamer, Kyle Mayers, they missed a spinner to bowl grunt overs. Across 10 days’ of tough cricket on flat wickets, the other four seamers, who were all excellent, looked out on their feet. Some of the fielding was slack.
It had been such a different story earlier on. Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss for the first time in the series, and stuck England in. There was movement immediately, but Alex Lees and Zak Crawley patiently set about building England’s highest first innings partnership of the winter – do not get too excited, it is 23 – across the first 55 minutes.
Then came the first of a series of very poor dismissals. Mayers bowls floaty swingers, county style, and Crawley could not resist a booming, uppish drive. He smacked it straight to cover. That exposed Joe Root who, later in Mayers’ opening spell of 5-5-0-2, was done by a touch of nibble, and caught behind for a duck.
Lees and Dan Lawrence stuck around until shortly before lunch, when Jayden Seales went wide on the crease and trapped the Essex batter in front. He took a review with him, at the start of a collapse of four for seven. Shortly after the restart, Ben Stokes was caught and bowled pulling Alzarri Joseph, who promptly had Jonny Bairstow caught behind for nought. By then, Lees’ vigil had been ended by Kemar Roach.
At this stage, it felt as if the pitch was misbehaving, especially when Ben Foakes and Craig Overton (who did at least make double figures), were bowled by ones they expected to bounce more. In truth, they misread the length.
Woakes began the rebuild, before handing over to Leach and Mahmood immediately after tea. It was a joyous partnership, led by Leach’s obduracy before Mahmood upped the scoring. This is his highest first-class score (formerly 34), and he played some stunning shots, including clouting Mayers for six and moving to 49 in the final over of the day by tracking Jermaine Blackwood.
Alas next ball, Mahmood was bowled looking for a single. Leach was left stranded 59 short of a maiden century.
Both men had had moments of luck, with Leach dropped on 10 and Mahmood on 15. But they had done one hell of a job for their team, though, and kept them in the game. On Friday, it will be up to the bowlers once more.
