Ali Martin's day two report
Close of play
The umpires have decided the light is no longer good enough, so that’s the end of a topsy-turvy day’s play. West Indies were 50 for none, then 95 for six before ending on 232 for eight, a very useful lead of 28. Joshua Da Silva played serenely for 54 not out, the first half-century of the match, and had excellent support from the lower order. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!
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86th over: West Indies 232-8 (Da Silva 54, Roach 25) Roach is beaten by a jaffa from Overton, full and swerving away. He edges the next ball - but it scuttles all along the ground for four more runs. West Indies lead by 28.
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85th over: West Indies 228-8 (Da Silva 54, Roach 21) A maiden from Woakes to Da Silva. The umpires check the light again, but they’re happy to continue.
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84th over: West Indies 228-8 (Da Silva 54, Roach 21) Four more to Roach, thick edged through the slips off Overton. And a single off the next ball brings up a precious fifty partnership from 89 balls. West Indies were in trouble at 95 for six and 128 for seven; now they have a really handy lead of 24.
83rd over: West Indies 221-8 (Da Silva 52, Roach 16) Roach is beaten, chasing a wide outswinger from Woakes. The rest of the over is a bit of a mess, with a couple of deliveries speared down the leg side.
82nd over: West Indies 221-8 (Da Silva 52, Roach 16) Craig Overton shares the new ball. His first ball is timed at 77mph - it’s been a long day - and his fifth is flicked emphatically through midwicket for four by Da Silva. That brings up an excellent half-century, the first of the match, from 143 balls. West Indies lead by 17.
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81st over: West Indies 215-8 (Da Silva 46, Roach 16) The umpires are happy with the light, so England are going to take the second new ball. Woakes strays onto the pads of Da Silva, who crashes the ball through backward square leg for four. He’s played really well, guiding West Indies from 95 for six to the relatively healthy position of 215 for eight.
80th over: West Indies 210-8 (Da Silva 41, Roach 16) Leach bowls the last over with the old ball. Da Silva helps himself to three more runs. The umpires are checking the light, so this could be it for the day.
“Prior or Stewart?” says Max Williams. “Feels like Stewart was the better player but Prior was perfect for his team. But then Stewart in that 2009-13 team might also have thrived whereas I think Matt would’ve found the 1990s tough.”
Yeah that’s a very tough question, made more complicated by Stewart being so good as a specialist opener. And, as you say, the quality of the teams in which they played also makes them hard to compare.
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79th over: West Indies 207-8 (Da Silva 38, Roach 16) Roach is beaten multiple times by Stokes and then edges for four to take West Indies into the lead. Stokes and Da Silva spent most of that over having a pop at one another, though the umpires didn’t feel the need to intervene.
“I’d agree with a lot of Kim’s points if it was only directed at T20 and The Hundred,” says Brendan Large. “I would say ODIs are often (nearly) the perfect middle-ground - to be compared more to a Guardian article that gives you the feeling of true enlightenment/joy but doesn’t take five days to read?”
I guess you haven’t read one of my Forgotten Stories.
78th over: West Indies 202-8 (Da Silva 37, Roach 12) Leach returns for a peedie spell before the second new ball is available. Da Silva, whose cautious approach has paid off, works a single to bring up the West Indies 200. Roach top-edges a sweep for two more.
“Speaking of somnolent sports and biomechanics – I wonder if baseball is the place to look for insights onto bowlers’/pitchers’ workloads,” says Nick G. “My recollection from two years of trying to avoid watching it was that a starting pitcher would typically pitch up to 100 pitches for a ‘full outing’ but could be less if they got pulverised. There would also be a 4/5 pitcher starting rotation, so a starter, in game conditions, might throw 100 pitches about every five or six days. Am guessing that there is some good science/biomechanics behind those decisions...”
77th over: West Indies 199-8 (Da Silva 36, Roach 10) Stokes goes wider on the crease to beat Roach, a clever bit of bowling. Roach squirts a square drive for two off the last ball of the over, which brings West Indies to within five of England’s total.
“Rafa Nadal does not serve in a similar way to a fast bowler at all,” says Tim Joyce. “The latter uses only his arm and the momentum imparted by his run-up. “The former is not only propelling a lighter ball but is doing so using the additional leverage of his high-tech racket, and the elasticity of the strings and of the ball itself.”
76th over: West Indies 196-8 (Da Silva 35, Roach 8) Mahmood is getting some nice reverse inswing, though it’s early swing and therefore slightly easier to defend. Saying which, Roach does very well to dig a lovely hooping yorker. There are still 14 overs remaining today, though there’s no chance we’ll get them all in.
“I too know nothing about biomechanics,” says Brian Withington. “In other news, is Jos Buttler being damned with faint praise when he is wistfully admired for the quality of his DRS advice? Foakes clearly needs to buck his ideas up on this front, but let’s not get too misty eyed about the JB red-ball era. I hope he refocusses on his white ball batting, assumes the captaincy and hangs up the old tin gloves for good.”
I don’t think anyone is too misty-eyed about it. We all know it didn’t work out, though he was very good for a while after he was recalled in 2018, and that it was time to move on.
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75th over: West Indies 195-8 (Da Silva 34, Roach 8) “Evening Rob,” says Kim Thonger. “Trying to decide whether red-ball cricket is more or less valuable or interesting than white-ball cricket is like comparing the novel to the tweet. Everybody likes a good tweet now and then, but does even an unusually striking tweet ever really transport us to a new place or make us re-evaluate everything we thought we knew with certainty? I don’t think so. But novels do. Not every novel, but definitely the great ones and often the good ones and sometimes even the workmanlike ones have moments of enlightenment. Tweets (and white-ball cricket) are instant gratification. Novels (and red-ball cricket) are life enhancing life changing explosions of joy. Somebody tell the ECB. Before it’s too late.”
It’s a very good point, but could you edit it down to 280 characters for me?
74th over: West Indies 194-8 (Da Silva 33, Roach 8) Too straight from Mahmood, and Roach tickles the ball round the corner for four. West Indies are drip-drip-dripping their way towards a first-innings lead.
“In relation to your comment about Prior being a great judge of DRS, the more time he’s spent retired the more I’ve realised how brilliant he was altogether,” says Tom van der Gucht. “Strange how again (like most wicketkeepers) he wasn’t appreciated at the time and spent a lot ot time copping flak for his diamond earrings and looking over his shoulder as people pushed for Ambrose or Kieswetter. Will we ever learn?”
I’m not sure about that. Or, at least, that’s not how I remember it. He was criticised heavily in his first spell as wicketkeeper, and much of that was fair enough as he was a bit too cocky and a bit too iron-gloved. But from 2009-13 he was palpably, truly, madly, deeply world-class. I thought he was an outstanding cricketer and character. He’s also an extremely good pundit.
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73rd over: West Indies 188-8 (Da Silva 32, Roach 3) Overton is trying to bounce out Roach, to no great effect thus far. One from the over, West Indies trail by 16.
“Dear Rob,” says Clare Dowding. “Re your comment in the 70th over that ‘We’re moving inexorably towards a one-innings shootout that will decide the match, the series and maybe, just maybe, reveal the meaning of life’, are you thinking that England will be all out for 42?”
I was thinking more that Kraigg Brathwaite’s next innings will last 7.5 million years.
72nd over: West Indies 186-8 (Da Silva 31, Roach 2) Da Silva whips Mahmood through midwicket for three to move into the thirties and, more importantly, reduce the deficit to 18. It may have been a somnolent evening session, but the match is beautifully poised as a result.
“I’m not sure about wicketkeepers-as-actual-cheerleaders but Rod Marsh must surely have been one of the most vocal,” says Christopher Moss. “One of my all-time favourite cartoons was of him keeping wicket in the Lillee-Thomson Ashes era. It must have been by Gerald Scarfe or Ralph Steadman.
“Beautifully reduced to the essentials, it just showed the stumps and his nose between his cap and pads, being showered in a stream of blood. I remember using it as my folder picture in my biology A-level form. Cut from the Radio Times, but I’ve never been able to track down a proper print since. Much to my despair.”
Can anyone help? Surely one of you must have a comprehensive index of 1970s editions of the Radio Times.
71st over: West Indies 182-8 (Da Silva 28, Roach 1) There’s no suggestion of Da Silva trying to farm the strike. He takes a single off Overton’s second ball, Roach does likewise off the fifth, and that’s drinks.
“I too know nothing about biomechanics,” says Mark Gristock. “Ronnie O’Sullivan plays lots of frames of snooker and his arm hasn’t fallen off.”
70th over: West Indies 180-8 (Da Silva 27, Roach 0) We’re moving inexorably towards a one-innings shootout that will decide the match, the series and maybe, just maybe, reveal the meaning of life.
A lovely inswinging yorker from Mahmood is confidently defended by Da Silva, who forces the next ball through the covers for a couple. Maybe he’ll go into white-ball mode now that Joseph has been dismissed. A single brings Roach on strike, and he survives a slightly peculiar LBW appeal after defending a Mahmood yorker with the middle of his bat.
69th over: West Indies 177-8 (Da Silva 24, Roach 0) “Maybe not as much body weight on the serve; but it is much faster,” says Nigel Phillips. “He puts loads more body weight into running forehands etc. though. Maybe the running up to bowl fast and the immediately trying to stop your momentum is bad for your legs, back etc? Also, I bet Nadal would bowl spin.”
So what’s an elf?
WICKET! West Indies 177-8 (Joseph c Foakes b Overton 28)
An important breakthrough for England. Joseph makes room outside leg stump to have a swipe at Overton, gets a bottom edge and is well caught just above the ground by Foakes.
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68th over: West Indies 174-7 (Da Silva 22, Joseph 27) Leach off, Mahmood on. Joseph walks down the track to his first two deliveries, which is likely to impress Saqib about as much as the Headingley crowd singing Sweet Caroline, and flicks the second ball for a single. Da Silva does likewise off the final delivery to move to 22 from 109 balls. Joseph has 27 from 57.
“I also know nothing about biomechanics,” says Nigel Phillips. “But 32 overs week is easy. 192 balls. Rafa Nadal serves (in a very similar way) about 270 times in a match. Inbetween serving he is running around the court against some guy hitting the ball at 100mph. In a week’s tennis tournament he has expended at least seven times as much explosive energy as a fast bowler. These bowlers are either not fit enough, or have the wrong technique to last.”
Surely Nadal puts nowhere near the same bodyweight into a serve as a fast bowler does into a delivery?
67th over: West Indies 172-7 (Da Silva 21, Joseph 26) Joseph chases a tempter from Overton and is beaten. England are trying everything to end this partnership, but the old ball is doing almost nothing off the pitch.
“Is there anywhere that keeps stats on DRS usage?” says Will Padmore. “It would be interesting to see, it certainly seems to me that England have got worse with their reviews without Buttler.”
That’s an interesting point, and they’ve been hopeless with them today. The keeper is so important when it comes to DRS. I always thought Matt Prior was a brilliant judge of whether to review.
66th over: West Indies 171-7 (Da Silva 21, Joseph 26) Joseph drives Leach for three more. He’s a really accomplished lower-order batter, with a highest Test score of 86 against New Zealand, and he has led the way in this important eighth-wicket partnership.
65th over: West Indies 168-7 (Da Silva 21, Joseph 23) “At what point,” says Peter McLeod, “does this officially become a ‘low-scoring thriller’?”
When it starts thrilling? It’s been a bit underwhelming so far, but it could/should/is hopefully building towards a dramatic runchase in the fourth innings.
JOSEPH IS NOT OUT It was missing leg, so England are out of reviews. They’ve sprayed them up the wall today.
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ENGLAND REVIEW FOR LBW! Joseph walks down the track to successive deliveries from Overton, a sign of how soft the ball has become. An affronted Overton rams a bouncer past his noggin and then nips one back to hit the pad in front of middle and leg. Overton goes up for LBW, the umpire says no, and Joe Root gambles with England’s last review. I think this is umpire’s call at best for England.
64th over: West Indies 166-7 (Da Silva 20, Joseph 23) “Steve Harmison is banging away on the radio and TV about bowlers’ workloads, highlighting young quick Jayden Seales,” says Gary Naylor. “With time to prepare and condition prior to the series and to recover afterwards, he’s bowling about 32 overs per week. That doesn’t strike me as too much to ask of a professional sportsperson. These narratives are not challenged enough by journalists.”
Possibly because they don’t know enough about biomechanics. Who knows? Not me, or them. What was the question again?
63rd over: West Indies 165-7 (Da Silva 19, Joseph 23) Overton replaces Woakes and has an LBW shout against Joseph turned down. There was a big inside-edge, without which Joseph would have been in trouble.
“I was over the moon for Foakes to get the chance to strut his stuff as our best keeper,” says Gabriel Walsh. “But after three Tests of hearing ‘that’s nice Leechy!’ as if he’s selling the Evening Standard, I’m starting to feel nostalgic for the more peace-loving Buttler.”
I wonder who the first wicketkeeper-cheerleader was. I can’t imagine Les Ames was shouting “bowling, Hedley!” in the 1930s.
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62nd over: West Indies 164-7 (Da Silva 18, Joseph 23) Da Silva, hitherto strokeless, walks down the pitch and drags Leach over mid-on for four. Still 18 overs until the second new ball, so this is a decent chance for West Indies to take an unlikely first-innings lead. They are 40 runs behind.
61st over: West Indies 159-7 (Da Silva 13, Joseph 23)
60th over: West Indies 158-7 (Da Silva 12, Joseph 23) Joseph moves into the twenties with a graceful back-foot drive for four off Leach. This is a good comeback from the West Indies, who at one stage were 95 for six. Their innings has followed a very similar pattern to England’s.
59th over: West Indies 153-7 (Da Silva 11, Joseph 19) A maiden from Woakes to Joseph. There’s been a feeling of stalemate in this evening session. That suits West Indies more than England, who want to get batting again as soon as possible. If West Indies can creep into the lead, there will be a lot of third-innings pressure on England.
58th over: West Indies 153-7 (Da Silva 11, Joseph 19) Leach has a hopeful LBW appeal against Da Silva turned down. It was missing leg. Da Silva remains very watchful against Leach, and the result is another maiden.
57th over: West Indies 153-7 (Da Silva 11, Joseph 19) Woakes has changed ends and will replace Stokes. Two from the over. Surviving on this pitch is much easier against the older ball, and Da Silva and Joseph look pretty comfortable right now.
56th over: West Indies 151-7 (Da Silva 10, Joseph 18) Leach has a big shout for LBW against Joseph turned down. It was probably missing leg and Joe Root decides not to waste England’s last review. One from the over; West Indies trail by 53.
The players are back on the field, and Jack Leach is going to bowl.
Rain stops play
55th over: West Indies 150-7 (Da Silva 10, Joseph 17) Joseph drives Stokes towards mid-off, where Mahmood saves three runs with a tumbling stop. It has started raining, a lively shower, so the players are going off. It should blow through pretty quickly.
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54th over: West Indies 148-7 (Da Silva 9, Joseph 16) “All about the red ink here!” shouts Stokes as Da Silva plays another defensive stroke off Woakes. Graham Thorpe was memorably suckered by a similar comment from Ian Healy in 1993, but there’s no sign yet of Da Silva taking the bait. He takes a single to move to 9 from 61 balls, and then Joseph pulls Woakes handsomely for six! These are very useful runs for West Indies, who are inching towards England’s total of 204.
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53rd over: West Indies 141-7 (Da Silva 8, Joseph 10) Joseph drags Stokes in the air but wide of midwicket for three, and a handful of singles make it a productive over for West Indies. But Joseph is lucky to survive the last delivery, which beats his wild hack and just misses the off stump.
52nd over: West Indies 135-7 (Da Silva 6, Joseph 6) Chris Woakes returns to the attack, needing two wickets for his first five-for in an overseas Test. Alzarri Joseph, who has decent technique for a No9, works a short ball round the corner for a single.
“I’m really not sure what to think of this Test, let alone series,” says Guy Hornsby. “We have gone from two dead tracks where we got runs but couldn’t bowl the West Indies out, to a livelier one where we proceed to fall like a deck of cards, only saved by an entertainingly unlikely Jack and Saq. Now our bowlers - and the opposition’s - are doing much better, but what’s the real learnings here? It’s been great to see Mahmood and Fisher, with runs from Lawrence and Crawley finally to support Root, and defiance from Lees. But there’s still some strange captaincy and our two main strike bowlers are injured. Not to mention poor Matt Parkinson. It’s good to see us not getting humped, but perhaps I’m just too miserable these days to really see the light. What’s your thoughts?”
Nothing much to add really. England will hope that a journey of a thousand miles begins with an underwhelming series in the Caribbean, as it did in 2009. There have been some plusses, but there was never going to be a quick fix. I don’t think we should begin to pass judgement on the great reset until the end of the English summer.
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Teatime reading
Tea
51st over: West Indies 134-7 (Da Silva 6, Joseph 5) Leach replaces Mahmood for the final over before tea. Da Silva, who has been trapped LBW by Leach twice in the series, defends with the utmost care. Another maiden, and that’s the end of a good session for England: 26 overs, 63 overs and four vital wickets.
See you in 15 minutes for the evening session.
50th over: West Indies 134-7 (Da Silva 6, Joseph 5) Joseph plays a loose stroke at Stokes and is beaten. Another maiden.
“What have we learned from this?” says Robert Ellson. “Don’t pour coffee on the computer (or any liquids). But other than that? Saqib looks like a real prospect, but the rest is old news, isn’t it? Our right-arm medium bowlers look dangerous when the pitch is doing something, otherwise, not so much. Our batters look ok when the pitch is flat, but have a tendency to collapse when it’s doing something. I could go on. Meet the reset, same as the old set.”
Dan Lawrence has caught the eye, though I agree there are still doubts about him against the moving ball, especially at No4. I was surprised at how much England blew their own trumpet before this game. There have been some encouraging signs, but ultimately they’re drawing 0-0 against one of the worst teams in the world.
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49th over: West Indies 134-7 (Da Silva 6, Joseph 5) Saqib Mahmood, on for Jack Leach, almost takes a wicket with his first ball when Joseph flashes just wide of slip for four. Mahmood seems to have a problem with his right leg, though he is able complete the over and will be able to have it checked during the upcoming tea break. West Indies trail by 70.
48th over: West Indies 129-7 (Da Silva 6, Joseph 1) Stokes has quietly had a good series with the ball - seven wickets at 23, with an economy rate of 1.87.
WICKET! West Indies 128-7 (Mayers c Mahmood b Stokes 28)
Ben Stokes does the needful. Mayers chips a full delivery tamely to mid-on, where Saqib Mahmood takes an easy catch. It was a useful innings from Mayers, 28 from 39 balls, and he’ll be annoyed that it ended like that.
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47th over: West Indies 128-6 (Mayers 28, Da Silva 6) A maiden from Leach to the watchful Da Silva. This partnership, 33 runs and counting, is becoming irksome to England.
46th over: West Indies 128-6 (Mayers 28, Da Silva 6) Ben Stokes replaces Craig Overton, who has disappointing - nay, distressing - figures of 11-0-45-1. Mayers, pushing tentatively outside off stump, edges wide of first slip for four more. It didn’t carry and it was well wide of Root anyway.
45th over: West Indies 124-6 (Mayers 24, Da Silva 6) Earlier inthe over, Da Silva made room to back cut Leach classily for four.
“Hi Rob,” says Gary Naylor. “We’re often told that power-hitting and the reverse sweep in the white-ball game are low-risk options because players practise them so much. (This is true - insofar as we see them doing so before the matches start.) So do they not practise technique against the short ball? It seems one area of batting that is well below the standards of the past - curiously so when even club players can access a bowling machine and set it accordingly to groove muscle memory. Perhaps too many batsmen are like boxers who refuse to spar.”
Hmm, that’s a good point. I know some old players think helmets have made batters lazy when it comes to the short ball.
DA SILVA IS NOT OUT! It pitched outside leg stump, so we didn’t even see whether it straightened enough. England have one review remaining.
ENGLAND REVIEW FOR LBW AGAINST DA SILVA!
I’ll level with you, I’m not confident. Da Silva missed a vigorous sweep but I don’t think the ball straightened enough.
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44th over: West Indies 120-6 (Mayers 24, Da Silva 2) This time yesterday, England were 67 for seven and in all sorts. Funny how things work out. Mayers takes a leg-bye off Overton’s first delivery, and Da Silva works a single off his last. He has 2 from 30 balls, Mayers 24 from 31.
43rd over: West Indies 118-6 (Mayers 24, Da Silva 1) Jack Leach comes into the attack for the first time. Mayers misses a big drive and then plays a more sensible push to mid-on for a single. No sign of significant turn or bounce for Leach in that over. West Indies trail by 86.
42nd over: West Indies 116-6 (Mayers 23, Da Silva 1) A short ball from Overton is heaved through mid-off for four by Mayers, a remarkable shot that impresses the bowler not one jot. The next delivery is a sharper, straight bumper that forces Mayers to snap his head out of the way. Overton gives him a stare; Mayers smiles. And he has the final word, at least for this over, with a stylish, wristy flick through midwicket for four more.
“Rob,” says John Starbuck. “Isn’t using a reverse batting order what happens in a village or other small club match, when both sides have already cocked it up with too much time left? It gives the bowlers a chance to show what they can do without fear or favour and the batters some time to put their feet up. In some cases, they spend a lot more on beer and other comestibles, improving the enjoyment.”
I guess so, though it did also happen on sticky wickets back in the day. Don Bradman famously did it in 1936-37.
41st over: West Indies 108-6 (Mayers 15, Da Silva 1) Mahmood misses a chance to run out Da Silva off his own bowling. It was a dodgy call from Mayers, and Da Silva would have been out with a direct hit. That’s the only run from the over. Mayers has 15 from 21 balls, a strokeless Da Silva 1 from 22.
“Evening Rob, evening everyone,” says Darrien Bold. “Mahmood’s dig yesterday reminded me of Andy Caddick’s knock of 49 against the Aussies in 2001. What a bizarre side that was! Afzaal at 7. Butch as the fifth bowler. Ian Ward! I could go on...”
That game was such a miserable reacquaintance with reality. In England’s defence, they had a very settled XI in mind for the series, and then half of them got injured. Had they been fit I’m sure Vaughan, Thorpe and Cork would have played. And we’d still have been thrashed. In fact that whole weekend was pretty desperate - the Lions lost in Australia, Tim Henman was beaten in the Wimbledon semi-final and I fell asleep before Radiohead came on at South Park.
40th over: West Indies 107-6 (Mayers 14, Da Silva 1) Overton returns in place of Woakes and starts hammering just back of a length. Nothing much happens, and on we go.
Not sure if Jos would have caught that, but I'm 100% certain that if he hadn't, everyone would have been saying "Foakes would have caught that".
— Tom Evans (@TomEvansEcho) March 25, 2022
39th over: West Indies 106-6 (Mayers 13, Da Silva 1) The impressive Mahmood continues to harass the stumps. There’s a soupcon of reverse swing which, along with the uneven bounce, makes him very dangerous. Another probing maiden to Da Silva, including an edge on the bounce to gully, gives Mahmood figures of 11-7-18-1.
“Hiya, long time lurker here, it’s my first time emailing you,” says Stephen Nichols. “If this was the 1930s, in the second innings we’d open with Leach and Lees, with Woakes at No3, to soak up the first tricky 30 overs, then have numbers 2-7 batting. Is there any possibility Root is thinking the same as me?”
I suspect there is approximately 0.00 per cent chance he is thinking the same, though I love the idea. Test captains aren’t funky enough with their batting order. Quite why England didn’t troll the Aussies in 2013-14 by opening the batting with Stuart Broad at Brisbane I’ll never know.
38th over: West Indies 106-6 (Mayers 13, Da Silva 1) Mayers fiddles Woakes through the slips for four to take West Indies into three figures, then ducks under a short ball that goes through to Foakes on the second bounce. The next ball sits up nicely, outside off stump, and Mayers dumps a swaggering pull over midwicket for six. Shot!
Thanks Niall, evening everyone. After groundhog draws in Antigua and Barbados, this game is progressing at a more agreeable pace. We’ve had 16 wickets in a day and a half, and batting is unlikely to get much easier.
37th over: West Indies 96-6 (Mayers 3, Da Silva 1) Chris Woakes has figures of 3-22, and England are pushing for a decent first-innings lead. The Windies middle order have helped, yet to find anything close to a settled partnership after starting 50-0. Mahmood offers another over of scudding menace, aiming square at the stumps. Maiden.
Time to hand over to the one and only Rob Smyth, who will guide you through the rest of the day’s play.
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WICKET! Blackwood lbw b Woakes 18 (West Indies 95-6)
Woakes bowls straight and true, smack on to Blackwood’s pad – it was rising sharply, but its given! The hosts review, DRS has it clipping the top of leg – umpire’s call.
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A couple of let-offs there for Blackwood – and with every seam bowler taking a wicket today, how refreshing to revisit England’s problems in the field.
Woakes continues, Blackwood squeaking a nervous edge all the way through for four – but every ball feels dangerous just now ...
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35th over: West Indies 90-5 (Mayers 2, Blackwood 14) England’s tails are up, and Mahmood so nearly shifts Blackwood first-ball, clipped to within inches of the diving fielder at midwicket. And now a drop from Foakes! Blackwood edges through but the diving wicketkeeper lets it slip through his fingers. Not a complete gimme, but he’ll be disappointed.
34th over: West Indies 86-5 (Mayers 2, Blackwood 10) Mayers gets away with one here – trying to play through the off-side, an ugly inside edge just misses the stumps. Otherwise, just a wide in another solid Woakes over. Time for Mahmood ...
“I have discovered the single greatest advantage of working in a Parisian office as a cricket fan,” writes Robert Wilson. “I’ve got the Windies livestream openly going in a not very small window on my giant computer screen and my exclusively French colleagues all genuinely believe that it is a justified part of my working day – some vestige of in-depth research on whatever obscure British or Commonwealth thing I’m working on. My boss just walked past and tapped me amiably on the shoulder.”
NB. The live stream (and watching cricket at your desk) may not be available in the UK.
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33rd over: West Indies 85-5 (Mayers 2, Blackwood 10) A potentially game-changing double for Chris Woakes, well deserved for a much sharper afternoon spell. Kyle Mayers, the all-rounder who triggered England’s collapse yesterday, is welcomed to the crease by Ben Stokes – a bouncer into the body is gingerly pushed away.
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WICKET! Holder c Bairstow b Woakes 0 (West Indies 82-5)
In a word, no. Woakes gets his second wicket of the over, another short ball that Holder tries to pull, lobbing haplessly to Bairstow, running in to take the catch!
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32nd over: West Indies 82-4 (Holder 0, Blackwood 9) Another disappointing innings for Bonner, who looked less comfortable the longer he was in. Can he steady the ship? ...
WICKET! Bonner c Foakes b Woakes 4 (West Indies 82-4)
Just as it seemed we were drifting into an early afternoon lull, Woakes gets his wicket! A short ball that Bonner tries to duck under – but he gloves it through to Foakes. Not one he’ll want to watch back.
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31st over: West Indies 82-3 (Bonner 4, Blackwood 9) A spectator decked out in the glorious colours of the Grenada flag shouts for a four. She may be disappointed, with Bonner and Blackwood digging in.
Oooh, a hurried swipe from Bonner flies towards short leg – but Bairstow has been moved and it bobbles away for a single.
30th over: West Indies 81-3 (Bonner 3, Blackwood 9) The umpires check the battered ball with their pocket gauge, but it pops through without a problem. Woakes works the off-side gamely, before targeting the stumps last ball. Bonner flicks away for a single, taking him to a glacial three-from-26.
29th over: West Indies 80-3 (Bonner 2, Blackwood 9) A maiden over, with all Stokes’ expected blood and thunder on a pitch that looks a touch more predictable than it did before lunch.
28th over: West Indies 80-3 (Bonner 2, Blackwood 9) A couple of singles after that successful review and now Stokes, who has looked uncomfortable between deliveries, will continue ...
Not out! Woakes with a very similar effort to that hasty review, angling across Bonner’s body and flicked through to Foakes – and the umpire raises the finger! The Windies review immediately, and neither bat nor glove were involved. Decision overturned.
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27th over: West Indies 78-3 (Bonner 1, Blackwood 8) Here comes Ben Stokes, who forced the breakthrough earlier amid trips to the pavilion for treatment. Stokes serves up a couple of floaters, the second of which is driven away by Blackwood for four. He reverts to straight and full, and Blackwood prods at it, sending it close to Bairstow (I think), in at short leg.
26th over: West Indies 72-3 (Bonner 1, Blackwood 2) A lively start from Woakes, movement off the seam giving Blackwood problems – and a big appeal for caught behind third ball. England review – Foakes thinks he heard two noises – but it only hit the pad. A bit of a stretch, that one – but Woakes looking much sharper.
Here we go again – can England make a stronger start to the afternoon session than they did this morning? Root opens with, er, Chris Woakes ...
In the Women’s World Cup, England face a dilemma. They must beat Bangladesh in their final group game to reach the semi-finals – but a big win might help them avoid Australia in the last four. Should they go for broke?
And why not tackle our sport quiz of the week?
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On the other side of the world, the Indian Premier League returns with two new teams, looking to recover from two Covid-hit seasons. Anand Vasu reports:
Lunch: West Indies 71-3, trail by 133 runs
The hosts will be mighty relieved to hear the lunch bell ring, as improbable as that seemed just 45 minutes ago. An intriguing, dare I say unmissable, afternoon sesh coming up.
25th over: West Indies 71-3 (Bonner 1, Blackwood 1) Mahmood continues, the field inching in, the temperature rising. The final ball has Bonner beaten all ends up, jagging beyond the bat and whistling over the bails!
24th over: West Indies 71-3 (Bonner 1, Blackwood 1) Craig Overton is a very different prospect now, getting the ball to spit high off the surface at will and giving the two new arrivals at the crease plenty to think about.
WICKET! Campbell c Foakes b Overton 35 (West Indies 69-3)
TV replays quickly establish that Campbell gloved it on its way through. A pity for the batter, who never got comfortable again after that first hit to the helmet – and now the hosts are under some pre-lunch pressure ...
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Out? A big shout from Ben Foakes, who thinks Campbell has edged Overton through to him. The umpire Joel Wilson says no, but Joe Root will review ...
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23rd over: West Indies 68-2 (Bonner 0, Campbell 35) Nkrumah Bonner is next to the crease – player of the match in the first Test, out for single figures twice in Barbados. Wicket-maiden for Mahmood, and England digging out a foothold here.
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WICKET! Brooks lbw b Mahmood 13 (West Indies 68-2)
Mahmood finds Brooks’ front pad, and races away in the celebrappeal style. Brooks and Campbell can’t decide whether to review – it was close to going down leg – and in the end, opt not to. The replay justifies their decision.
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22nd over: West Indies 68-1 (Brooks 13, Campbell 35) Overton offers Brooks a freebie, gratefully accepted and driven away for four. The batters try to run two, but the ball is fired back to Overton, who attempts to slap it into the stumps, road tennis style. It’s reviewed, but Brooks got back in time. Another helmet-skimmer to end the over, Overton finding ways to threaten without getting close to a wicket.
More of your unthreatening attack openers:
“The Martin Bicknell/Mark Illott double whammy of 1993, followed up by the spin twins of Peter Such and John Emburey, was an Ashes low point,” writes Peter Peake.
“It must have happened in the late 70s/early 80s that Richard Hadlee missed a test match,” notes Ewan Glenton. “In that case NZ’s opening pair would have been any two from Gary Troupe, Ewen Chatfield, Martin Snedden, Lance Cairns…”
21st over: West Indies 60-1 (Brooks 8, Campbell 32) Stokes, by the way, went back off after that wicket, with Ollie Pope on as a sub fielder. Short stuff from Mahmood here, trying to capitalise on the unpredictable bounce – but Brooks is able to duck effectively. A better line and length has the batter almost playing, before lifting his bat at the crucial moment.
20th over: West Indies 58-1 (Brooks 6, Campbell 32) Overton sends another bouncer onto Campbell’s helmet – not quite as fierce as the first, but that won’t make the batter feel much better. When they resume, Brooks steers a full ball through mid-on. Shot! But then it’s his turn to absorb a painful one that leaps up into his ribs.
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“I can’t think of a less threatening opening pair since Prof. Simon “Ginger” Barton and I opened the bowling in the annual fixture between Cheriton Fitzpaine CC and the Imperial (Charing Cross) Medical School,” writes Charles Sheldrick.
“My career for CFCC has spanned the last 40 years and my figures as a bowler are 115.1 overs, three maidens, 853 runs conceded and 26 wickets. Strike rate of 26.58, but economy of 7.41 needs some work.”
19th over: West Indies 52-1 (Brooks 1, Campbell 32) A change of ends for Mahmood, and a steady maiden over, keeping new man Shamarh Brooks on his toes. We’re treated to an overhead shot of the Grenadian coastline. In the words of EM Lemon, I want to go to there.
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18th over: West Indies 52-1 (Brooks 1, Campbell 32) Overton with a ferocious bouncer that hits Campbell on the helmet – in fact, straight in the grill protecting his chin. That’s a nasty one – Overton straight over to Campbell, who is understandably shaken up and will take a moment.
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@niallmcveigh India had some toothless opening bowlers in the 70s. Here's the one they had during the infamous 4th Test v. Windies at Jamaica in 1976 : pic.twitter.com/IXaGCzFa7J
— Seeing The Lizards (@seethelizards) March 25, 2022
WICKET! Brathwaite lbw b Stokes 17 (West Indies 50-1)
Ben Stokes delivers, dislodging Kraigg Brathwaite with a dead straight delivery that skips low and connects with the back pad. England needed that.
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17th over: West Indies 50-1 (Brathwaite 17, Campbell 31) That’s the fifty partnership, off 99 balls – and a solid start for John Campbell, yet to make a half-century in this series. England need to make something happen ...
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16th over: West Indies 49-0 (Brathwaite 17, Campbell 30) Overton returns, with Brathwaite flicking a full one from under his feet, just past Foakes and away for four. Brathwaite runs four more in the over, almost doubling his tally.
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15th over: West Indies 41-0 (Brathwaite 9, Campbell 30) Stokes is back on, Campbell clipping him away for a couple of runs and prompting the bowler to try from around the wicket. Nothing much happens as a result, and that’s drinks.
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14th over: West Indies 39-0 (Brathwaite 9, Campbell 28) Mahmood finding a fuller length here, but Brathwaite fends him off with relative ease. Maiden, and the Windies skipper has nine from 47 – picking up where he left off in the dog days of Antigua.
13th over: West Indies 39-0 (Brathwaite 9, Campbell 28) Early signs are that the track isn’t quite as lively as on Thursday, and England may need to be patient. Stokes offers up a tighter over, but has to leave the field for treatment immediately after. His left knee was heavily strapped during the warm-up.
Overton and Woakes must be the least threatening opening attack in Test Cricket.
— Andy Oakes (@andyoakes) March 25, 2022
Not saying I agree, but would be interested to hear your nominations ...
“To be fair to Chris Woakes, as an opening bowler he makes a fine No 8 batter, and Mahmood and Leach are a splendid 10 and 11,” notes Brian Withington. “Whereas all poor Broad and Anderson can offer these days are wickets. Très passé.”
12th over: West Indies 37-0 (Brathwaite 8, Campbell 27) Mahmood around the wicket to Campbell, who flicks it away for four. That’s an excellent shot, but Mahmood makes it too easy for him next ball, a short and wide floater smashed away for a one-bounce four.
11th over: West Indies 28-0 (Brathwaite 8, Campbell 18) Ben Stokes replaces Woakes and has a little word in Brathwaite’s ear; that’s about as awkward as it gets for the Windies captain in this over.
10th over: West Indies 24-0 (Brathwaite 5, Campbell 18) Now we’re talking – Mahmood with an absolute beaut that cuts in off the seam, and so nearly catches Brathwaite’s outside edge.
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Ninth over: West Indies 21-0 (Brathwaite 4, Campbell 16) Woakes continues to offer up the odd short, wide ball, and John Campbell gratefully dispatches one through the covers. Rough start for England’s attack leader.
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“I can only assume Mahmood turned down the offer of taking the new ball,” ponders Geoff Wignall. “Unthinkable that it could be a captaincy decision to begin with anodyne rather than threatening bowlers.”
Eighth over: West Indies 17-0 (Brathwaite 4, Campbell 12) He gets his chance with Overton not threatening, and has Brathwaite playing at a couple around his feet. On the other hand, two scruffy-looking scudders spear well wide of off-stump. A mixed bag.
Seventh over: West Indies 16-0 (Brathwaite 4, Campbell 12) An uneventful maiden over for Woakes, and the openers are settling in. Perhaps Saqib Mahmood can change that ...
Sixth over: West Indies 16-0 (Brathwaite 4, Campbell 12) Playing the bad ball in evidence here, with Campbell seeing out five Overton dot-balls and cutting the wide ball effortlessly away for four.
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Fifth over: West Indies 12-0 (Brathwaite 4, Campbell 8) Perhaps it’s early to be talking Branderson, but Chris Woakes knows what’s required to make that stop. No joy here, an awkward Brathwaite drive earning three runs.
“When Branderson were dropped and Root retained the captaincy, I felt that what was unsaid amounted to: the presence of Branderson was somehow undermining Root’s plan for a brave new world, or otherwise affecting his ability to lead,” writes David Horn. “In effect, that the desire for Root to captain this side was stronger than the weight of wickets Branderson would inevitably bring.
“If we’re being generous we could say that Root’s captaincy has improved as it has aged, but not to the point where its impact outweighs the Branderson Contribution (TM’d for upcoming Bourne Identity style franchise). My question is: if Root is only captain in the absence of better candidates, wouldn’t it be better to give him the best options in attack regardless of his opinion?”
Fourth over: West Indies 8-0 (Brathwaite 1, Campbell 7) The green surface gives Campbell a problem, as he slips while turning for a second run. No harm done, and a few singles snatched as Overton tries to find his rhythm.
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Third over: West Indies 4-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 4) John Campbell steers Woakes away for what looks like four, but Alex Lees runs it down gamely, hooking it back before tumbling over the rope. Just three, and that’s it for the over and a group of schoolkids take their seats in the stand, the lucky blighters.
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2nd over: West Indies 1-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 1) Craig Overton, back in the attack after illness, will get the chance to make an impact. He takes a more direct approach, working Brathwaite with deliveries into the body, including one that thuds onto his thigh.
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1st over: West Indies 0-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 0) Plenty of swing for Woakes, although largely drifting well wide and not tempting Brathwaite, who does consider a prod at a straighter one to close a maiden first over.
Play!
Chris Woakes has the new ball in hand. Let’s go ...
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John Starbuck makes an entirely fair point: “Bringing Vaughan back could be seen as a calculated insult to West Indies players, implying that their matches are of much less importance than the Ashes. And at a time when Caribbean islands are having a serious debate about colonialism and slavery. Talk about a foot-in-mouth moment.”
Mark Butcher and Steve Harmison have been out for a look at the track, and can see plenty of “juice” out there for the fast bowlers. David Gower thinks there are “options for everyone” in the business of taking wickets. We’ll find out in five minutes or so.
Michael Vaughan is back in the BT Sport studio again today, three months after the same broadcaster ruled it “would not be editorially appropriate” for him to feature in their Ashes coverage. I think it’s fair to question what exactly has changed in the three months since.
When Saqib Mahmood walked out to the crease yesterday, he noticed that his England teammates were already getting ready to field.
“[When I got out to the middle] I did say to Leachy: ‘The cheeky fuckers have got their whites on. It did spur us on a little bit. I had a glance over later to see if some had taken them off but they had the whites on throughout. But yes, we did spot that.”
“The wicket certainly offered quite a bit for the bowlers,” says Chris Woakes on BT Sport. “Incredible by the guys at the end to put on that partnership, to get us up to hopefully what it is a competitive score. Hopefully today, we can do what the West Indies bowlers. It’s about doing the basics right – make the batsmen play shots. There’s a long way to go, and things can happen quickly on this pitch.”
Before we focus on the action here, Australia have just completed a dramatic series victory over Pakistan – read more here:
If you missed the first day of action – or even if you didn’t – Ali Martin’s pitchside report from Grenada is a must-read:
Preamble
Test Cricket, it’s a Funny Old Game. After 10 days of purgatory, England were determined to force a result here – and quickly set about getting skittled for double figures. If the slump to 90-8 felt grimly familiar for the tourists, what came next was almost unprecedented. Not since 1885 have the batsmen at 10 and 11 topped the run charts in a Test innings, but Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood did just that, with a rearguard recovery even more remarkable than the collapse that preceded it.
After that veritable cricketing carnival, the hosts will head out to bat today with the aim of building a match-winning lead. The Windies begin 204 runs behind, an entirely modest deficit that is double what it really should have been. If England’s beleaguered bowlers can chip away at that sense of missed opportunity, a Test and series that felt lost on Thursday may look winnable. Or the hosts may cruise into the distance. Either day, it should at least be fun finding out. Play starts at 2pm (GMT), 10am in Grenada.
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