[themaclad]

The Ageas Bowl: England 202 & 15-0, West Indies 318 - West Indies lead by 99 runs

West Indies are firmly in the ascendancy in the first Test against England at The Ageas Bowl after building a commanding lead over the hosts.

Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich both hit half-centuries as the tourists were bowled out for 318 on a docile pitch in Southampton.

Ben Stokes took 4-49 but could not prevent the Windies taking a 114-run lead into England's second innings.

Rory Burns and Dom Sibley batted out the final 10 overs to reach the close unscathed on 15-0 - but there remains plenty of work - not least another 99 runs to make West Indies bat again - for the hosts to do to turn the contest in their direction.

Stokes had earlier attempt to blast the Windies from their comfortable position by letting Jofra Archer and Mark Wood loose on the visitors' top order.

But though both men were testing the speed gun, they were out of sorts.

That was emphasised when Archer trapped Shai Hope lbw, only for DRS to highlight a front-foot no-ball. Dom Bess eventually did for the troubled No.3, but Brathwaite cashed in with a patient half-century.



The opener was eventually dismissed when he played all around one from Stokes, but Shamarh Brooks steadied the ship with a dogged 39 before James Anderson sent him packing.

Jermaine Blackwood hit out needlessly but Roston Chase and Dowrich put the West Indies into the lead with a sixth-wicket partnership worth 81.

Jason Holder was unable to provide any fireworks but some useful runs from Alzarri Joseph (18), before Stokes bowled him for his 150th Test scalp, pushed the lead to 114.

With around 50 minutes to survive until the close, Burns and Sibley batted nervously with the ball doing plenty in the early evening air.

Crucially, however, the opening pair persevered to leave all three results, with just two days remaining, still on the table.

[themaclad]

Might just be me but the lack of alcoholic fans has actually made watching the test more pleasurable

[Lord Snooty]

Cricket isn't cricket without somebody playing the trumpet.

[themaclad]

Athers has just beenstitched up in the comm box, it's traditional bit if is funny

Reading out club performance and Hugh Jardon has taken 6-9 for Cockermouth

[Lord Snooty]

And now it's Calypso Collapso.

[themaclad]

First Test, day four, Ageas Bowl
England 204 (Holder 6-42) & 284-8 (Crawley 76, Sibley 50, Stokes 46)
West Indies 318 (Brathwaite 65, Dowrich 61)
England lead by 170

Zak Crawley's 76, allied to 46 from Ben Stokes, looked to be batting England into a winning position.

Both fell in successive overs to begin the England slide as the tourists lifted themselves with the second new ball late in the day.

Pace bowler Alzarri Joseph removed Crawley and Jos Buttler after Jason Holder struck another blow in his battle with fellow captain and all-rounder Stokes.

Dom Bess survived being dropped and a tight lbw shout, only to be bowled by Shannon Gabriel, who had Ollie Pope play on four balls later.

Overall, England fell from 249-3 to 279-8, ultimately closing on 284-8 - a lead of 170.

With the pitch showing some uneven bounce, particularly from one end, England will have a chance of defending whatever target they set.

However, West Indies have been impressive throughout the match, and they have a superb opportunity to go ahead in the three-match series.

While there have been times when the behind-closed-doors environment has felt eerie and lifeless, a day when the two sides arm-wrestled for the initiative has set up what could be a grandstand finish.

England deserve credit for the way their batting improved from their first-innings 204 all out, albeit in conditions where they would have had no excuse for failing again.

There were times when West Indies were forced to retreat, but they never lost control, meaning they were only ever one or two wickets away from being on top.

Sunday morning will see England wanting to eke out as many runs as they can, but, whatever they set West Indies, all four results will be possible.

The final day will also reveal if England's strategy of batting first and omitting Stuart Broad was correct.

By choosing to bat on a damp first day, the hosts hoped they would reap the benefit of bowling last on a dry surface that would suit the extra pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, and turn for off-spinner Bess.


If the tourists were hoping to ram home their advantage, they were thwarted by some dogged England resistance in lovely batting conditions.

West Indies maintained their discipline, though. All of Holder, Kemar Roach and off-spinner Roston Chase kept a lid on England's scoring, and the rewards came.


Rory Burns was fluent for his 42 before he spooned Chase to point, Dom Sibley scored almost exclusively off his pads and was eventually caught down the leg side off Gabriel for 50, while Joe Denly's surrender to Chase was a gift.

When Crawley and Stokes were together, West Indies began to look tired and frustrated in the heat, but found inspiration when Holder got Stokes for the second time in the match.

Joseph yorked Buttler and could have had Bess twice, only for the fiery Gabriel to swing the match in his team's favour with a double strike.


With captain Joe Root isolating after being at the birth of his second child, England's choice between Kent team-mates Denly and Crawley - both part of the team that won in South Africa last winter - was delayed.

Denly, who kept his place at number three, appeared to be the man in possession, yet he failed to capitalise on another start, while Crawley went on to make the highest score of the match - and his Test career.

Denly, aged 33 and playing his 15th Test, veers from looking composed to edgy. When he tamely chipped Chase to short mid-wicket for 29 it was the sixth time in eight innings that he had passed 25 but not reached 40.

Crawley can be loose, but has youth on his side. His strokeplay is elegant, and this innings was built on on-drives, back-foot punches and the occasional reverse sweep.

He added 98 with the typically authoritative Stokes, but when Stokes pushed a Holder wide one to gully and Crawley was sharply caught and bowled by Joseph in successive overs, West Indies grabbed control.

[Lord Snooty]

West Indies need 200 to win. Game on!

[themaclad]

7-2 maybe not

[themaclad]

No complaints about the result better side won

First Test, day five, Ageas Bowl
England 204 (Holder 6-42) & 313 (Crawley 76, Gabriel 5-75)
West Indies 318 (Brathwaite 65) & 200-6 (Blackwood 95)
West Indies won by four wickets.

Chasing 200 on the final day in Southampton, the tourists were reduced to 27-3 and lost opener John Campbell retired hurt, mainly to a fired-up Jofra Archer.

But the nerveless Blackwood calmly combined with Roston Chase for a stand of 63, then added 68 with Shane Dowrich.

England had chances to dismiss Blackwood. Ben Stokes failed to get a hand on a tough opportunity at slip off Dom Bess, gully Rory Burns and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler both dropped catches off Stokes, and Zak Crawley could not gather the ball in the covers when Blackwood and Chase got in a mix-up running a single.

Stand-in captain Stokes threatened to inspire England yet again first by removing Dowrich, then Blackwood when only 11 were needed.

But a limping Campbell returned to join captain Jason Holder and scamper the winning run.

It means West Indies take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, while Stokes is condemned to defeat in his first match as skipper.

Joe Root will return to lead England when the second behind-closed-doors Test begins at Old Trafford on Thursday.

If the tourists avoid defeat there, they will retain the Wisden Trophy they earned with a series victory in the Caribbean 18 months ago.


This fluctuating contest was a wonderful start to an international summer that for so long was threatened by the coronavirus pandemic.

The only thing missing was a crowd. How might England have benefitted from home support as they pushed for victory in the still sunshine of a glorious Sunday afternoon.


That is to take nothing away from the performance of West Indies, who once again impressed with their attitude, application and determination. In the first part of this match, the tourists were quicker than England to adapt to the conditions, atmosphere and lack of preparation.For England, debate will surround the decision to omit Stuart Broad in favour of the extra pace of Archer and Mark Wood, but it was Archer's performance that kept them in the hunt on the final day.In reality, they paid the price for being bowled out for only 204 in their first innings.

[themaclad]

SECOND TEST 16/7/2020 TO 20/7/2020
OLD TRAFFORD, MANCHESTER