England’s iceman Gus Atkinson has revitalised their attack – James Anderson is not missed
The third Test is beautifully poised and a sold out Saturday at Edgbaston requires another dose of England’s new found refined batting if they are to take control of the match.
A terrific first day saw 13 wickets fall and bowlers dominate despite decent batting conditions and sunny Birmingham weather. It felt as though a well worn tale was unfolding when West Indies were bowled out for a below par 282, sustained by two fifties from their most experienced players, Kraigg Brathwaite and Jason Holder.
But it is wide open after some shaky England batting against a moving new ball as three fell for 38 leaving a job to be done by Joe Root and Ollie Pope to reproduce the calm accumulating that won the Trent Bridge Test last week.
For England the day belonged to Gus Atkinson. With two balls in the evening light, he confirmed his credentials as England’s find of the summer and one who has ensured that James Anderson is fondly remembered but not missed.
Atkinson, bowling his fourth spell of the day, ran in from Edgbaston’s City End to wake up the Hollies Stand with two deliveries of fast bowling purity. One jagged off the pitch at pace to bowl a well set Holder for 59, the other bounced out Gudakesh Motie, dismissing a tailender who top scored in the first Test.
After five innings in Test cricket, Atkinson has an incredible 20 wickets at 16.45 and it was no surprise one of the first to slap him on the back at the end of another solid England bowling performance on a flat pitch was Mark Wood, giving the seal of approval form fire-breathing fast bowler to fire-breathing fast bowler. Their partnership promises so much in Australia.
Sterner tests await than this West Indies team but in such a short space of time Atkinson has revitalised England’s attack. “He is making it look easy,” said an impressed Chris Woakes. Atkinson is still to take a new ball wicket but in Anderson has a fantastic mentor on hand to teach in those skills and is learning on the job, operating for his Surrey career as first or second change.
But with the older ball, bowling on flat pitches in Nottingham and Birmingham he has provided Ben Stokes with the kind of “weapon” director of cricket Rob Key forlornly admitted the England captain lacked in India. He has rapidly become Stokes’s most likely wicket-taker, his cutting edge. Relying on wobble seam, accuracy and a deceptive, nasty skiddy bouncer, combined with a chilled outer persona, he has far exceeded expectations and the nagging question is why was he not picked sooner?
Atkinson broke the opening stand of 76 between Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite, inspiring a collapse of five for 39. Atkinson had bowled wobble seam but reverted to a more conventional seam up delivery that Louis, failing to move his feet, could only edge to Jamie Smith. He had one gimme from Alick Athanaze, playing on trying to pull a short ball, before returning for the smart one-two on Holder and Motie with a ball 69 overs old to finish with four for 67.
PICK THAT ONE OUT ⚡
Gus Atkinson rips through Jason Holder for a well-made 59 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AQJYExva5G— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
His quiet nature led England to worry that he would perhaps be too timid for the cut and thrust of Test cricket. But it appears he just concentrates all his energy into his bowling, why waste energy on doing things for show? His iceman ways (so far) bode well for the Ashes and coping with the barracking from crowds and aggression from their batsmen.
Woakes bowled his best spell of the summer finding swing after lunch for three for 69 and he looks increasingly threatening the more he bowls, proving he does still have a role to play in a side in transition. He induced an error from Kavem Hodge, nipping the ball away three in a row, kidding him into shouldering arms at the inswinger.
Mark Wood’s 90mph cannon balls again only brought him limited contribution in terms of wickets but a threat level that scrambles minds. He bowled Kirk McKenzine with an inswinging full ball having pushed West Indies on the back foot with some brutish short balls, the kind of mixing it up that brings wickets.
West Indies were grateful for two stands after wasting early good work. The openers withstood the early barrage only for West Indies to collapse in a period either side of lunch. A repair job between Holder and Joshua Da Silva rectified a potential disaster, adding 109 for the sixth wicket, forcing England to work the bouncer theory with five catchers on the leg side to little avail. In the end it was Woakes returning to swing the ball conventionally that made the breakthrough, winkling out Da Silva caught behind for a bloody minded 49.
Chris Woakes makes the important breakthrough for England 💪
Joshua Da Silva falls for 49 😬 pic.twitter.com/JT6cuHmO9I— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
With Atkinson doing the rest from the other end, England were firmly in control but instead what unfolded was the kind of half hour passage Stokes hoped for when he declared on the first day of the last Edgbaston Test 12 months ago against Australia. His funkiness that night did not reap rewards, Australia batting the day out, top toeing around the trap. But England played end of term, lazy shots brought on by having the series in the bag.
Zak Crawley creamed some wonderful drives but chased a wide ball to Holder at slip. Ben Duckett is an experienced Test player now but cannot resist a ball outside off stump. Next delivery, he dragged on a ball he struggled to reach.
England sent in Wood as their nighthawk, but he was rapidly hunted down, edging a full ball from Alzarri Joseph to Holder at slip. Thoughtless cricket had brought West Indies back into the Test. It was a wonderful day of yo-yoing cricket, not of the highest quality, but at least a contest is brewing.
WEST INDIES ARE RUNNING RIOT AT EDGBASTON 💥
Nightwatchman Mark Wood falls to Jayden Seales and England are in trouble late on Day One 😬 pic.twitter.com/9C5DaNKHEq— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
England vs West Indies, day one: As it happened
06:39 PM BST
Chris Woakes speaks after play
The quad was a little bit sore. I’m hoping it was cramp. I managed to bowl a few overs after. We had a big day at Trent Bridge on day two, with back to back Test matches feeling the wear and tear. Fighting for a bit of rhythm, particularly in the first Test at Lord’s. I feel like I’ve got better as the series has gone on. Generally better with overs under my belt. Getting some rewards now, which is nice.
06:37 PM BST
STUMPS: ENG 38/3 trail West Indies (282) by 244 runs
Well, England had it all their own way in the first Test. Had to fight a bit in the second Test before skittling West Indies in the fourth innings. Might West Indies make things harder still for England in the third Test at Edgbaston?
06:33 PM BST
OVER 7: ENG 38/3 (Pope 6 Root 2)
One that keeps low nearly does for Pope... there was a bit of that in West Indies innings, but not to that extent. These two will just want to survive until tomorrow. And that is what they do.
06:29 PM BST
OVER 7: ENG 38/3 (Pope 6 Root 2)
Pope throws in a bit of cheer for England fans with a straight drive for four. Think we might see one more over after this. The day’s play has not exactly been rapid and England are in no rush to get the overs in with the bat being three down for not very many... much as they failed to do with the ball. Root is off the mark with two.
06:26 PM BST
OVER 6: ENG 31/3 (Pope 0 Root 0)
A glorious start for the West Indies, who have England back to their pre-Bazball traditional score of 30-odd for three, still 250-odd behind.
06:24 PM BST
WICKET! Wood c Holder b Seales 0
Good delivery but an even better catch! A ball on off stump, Wood defends and an edge flies low to Holder in the slips who takes a sharp one with two hands.
FOW 31/3
Jason Holder has such great hands at slip. Have we seen some hubris from England? The nighthawk, the impudent drives from the two openers.
06:20 PM BST
OVER 5: ENG 30/2 (Wood 0 Pope 0)
Ollie Pope has to come out, though, even though “his” nightwatchman is still out there. England in a spot of bother and will need to recover from this. 282 from West Indies is not a huge total but 30 for two is not a good start from England. Obviously.
06:15 PM BST
WICKET! Duckett b Joseph 3
He doesn’t like to leave, does Ben Duckett. It was wide-ish and Duckett threw his bat at it and played onto his stumps via an inside edge. Thwack! And he has to go.
FOW 29/2
06:14 PM BST
OVER 4: ENG 29/1 (Duckett 3 Wood 0)
Mark Wood in as nightwatchman. Have we stopped all the nighthawk nonsense?
06:13 PM BST
WICKET! Crawley c Holder b Seales 18
Crawley stands tall and delivers with an imperious cover drive. Slightly on the up but gets on top of it enough. He makes it two boundaries in the over this time on the leg side with a low-pull from outside off through to deep midwicket for four more. A third, now! This one was on the pads but not for long as Crawley clips with force off his legs to keep England’s start motoring along. But it’s all over soon after.
But Seales has the last laugh with the last ball of the over! This one is wide and full-ish, slightly moving away. Crawley throws his arms at it and can only edge it to Holder behind. He has to go.
FOW 29/1
06:08 PM BST
OVER 3: ENG 17/0 (Crawley 6 Duckett 3)
Dropped! Duckett drives straight back to Joseph, who stucks out a left paw but he grounds it. Would have been a great catch but it is exactly what West Indies need right now.
Joseph then strays from around the wicket, nudging it off his hips for four? Well, four runs added to the total but down as leg byes it seems. I thought he got something on it, but apparently not. A play and a miss final ball. A hard drive.
06:03 PM BST
OVER 2: ENG 13/0 (Crawley 6 Duckett 3)
England’s positive start continues, with sixruns off the second over bowled by Jayden Seales.
05:58 PM BST
OVER 1: ENG 7/0 (Crawley 1 Duckett 2)
Crawley gets England off the mark and new father Ben Duckett, who made two 50s at Trent Bridge, will face his first ball in the first over. Alzarri Joseph sends a rocket down the leg-side and it beats keeper Da Silva and England take four byes. Duckett gets off the mark by nudging a straight one off his pads for two. He then nearly plays on, going onto his back foot. An inswinger to the left-hander from round the wicket.
05:55 PM BST
England’s bowling figures
Woakes 18-3-69-3
Atkinson 20-1-67-4
Wood 16-2-52-2
Stokes 11-0-29-0
Bashir 10.1-0-55-1
05:46 PM BST
END OF INNS: West Indies 282
Two good partnerships for West Indies, then. The first lasted 76 runs and there was a century stand between Da Silva and Jason Holder. Just 97 runs scored from the other eight wickets, though.
05:45 PM BST
WICKET! Joseph c Crawley b Bashir 16
Joseph plays one shot too many. It’s not too far off a six but does not have enough length and Zak Crawley makes his way around to long on to takes a simple catch and Shoaib Bashir has his first wicket.
FOW 282ao
05:43 PM BST
OVER 75: West Indies 282/9 (Seales 7 S Joseph 16)
Four to Seales off Atkinson who, for his fifth ball, sends in a slower full toss which is just patted back to him. Was it slower? Again, not getting (m)any speed gun readings today.
A shout for caught behind with his sixth ball but it’s off the body, I think. England do not review. Or bat hitting pad. Yes, most likely.
05:41 PM BST
OVER 74: West Indies 278/9 (Seales 3 S Joseph 16)
Shamar Joseph motoring now in an attempt to get the West Indies to a respectable total. A four – with a sweep – and then two twos for the No 11 who appears actually pretty handy with the willow in his hand.
05:37 PM BST
OVER 73: West Indies 270/9 (Seales 3 S Joseph 8)
Just two runs to Seales in Atkinson’s latest over.
05:33 PM BST
OVER 72: West Indies 268/9 (Seales 1 S Joseph 8)
Indeed it is Bashir, to the two left-handers, which makes sense. No final wicket yet, though.
05:32 PM BST
‘A slip catch like no other’
Don’t think I’ve seen a slip catch quite like the one that Joe Root has taken – directly behind the wicketkeeper. You see slips running back to catch skiers but not right behind the keeper, as happened here, after Jamie Smith had leapt but could not reach the bouncer which Motie gloved. Wonder how the conversation would have gone if this had happened a year ago, when Jonny Bairstow was keeping wicket? “Thanks, Joe.” “You are welcome Johnny.”
05:30 PM BST
OVER 71: West Indies 262/9 (Seales 1 S Joseph 2)
England will want this finished in short order and it looks like Bashir will return.
05:26 PM BST
WICKET! Motie c Root b Atkinson 8
Atkinson digs one in, Motie tries to get out of the way but leaves his bat dangling out there in the front of his face and it’s either glove or bat that is hit. The ball loops up behind the stumps. Smith cannot get there but Root, his view of the ball surely slightly obscured by the wicketkeeper, dives to his right to take a catch just inches from the ground, one-handed. Superb stuff.
JOE ROOT, TAKE A BOW 😮💨
Atkinson is causing some real trouble for the West Indies' tail 💪 pic.twitter.com/ErhO3ALIyy— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
FOW 259/9
05:23 PM BST
OVER 70: West Indies 255/8 (Seales 0 Motie 8)
Woakes continues. Motie is going to have a swing. Two fours in two balls for the spinner. He will not die wondering here. Free the arms and have a swipe - one on the off-side one on the leg-side. Those eight runs and a leg bye in the over as England seek to finish off this innings.
05:19 PM BST
OVER 69: West Indies 246/8 (Seales 0 Motie 0)
Two new batsmen at the crease. England into the tail. We will likely see Crawley and Duckett before the day is over.
05:17 PM BST
WICKET: Holder b Atkinson 59
Gudakesh Motie is the man at No 9. A half-decent bat with a 25 average at first-class level. Can he stick around to support Holder?
Well, no... but only because Holder has to depart after Gus Atkinson rips his off stump out of the ground with one that swings away ever so slightly. Holder played across the line but did not connect.
FOW 246/8
05:10 PM BST
OVER 68: West Indies 244/7 (Holder 57)
And that is the over. 350 looking a lot further away now for the visitors.
Roars of “Oh Jimmy, Jimmy,” from the crowd as, er, Chris Woakes runs in and then dismissed Alzarri Joseph to a very tame drive. The roars continue after.
05:07 PM BST
WICKET! Joseph c Stokes b Woakes 15
Woakes bowls a beauty to Joseph, which squares him up and just misses the outside edge. Woakes bowls a slower ball but it’s a slower no-ball and he has to bowl another, which is edged down to the boundary for a couple. And that one is also a no-ball! Unacceptable, Chris Woakes.
That said, it works! Woakes bowls a full one just outside off and Joseph toe-ends it up towards Ben Stokes at mid-off, who takes a very simple catch. Just as well, in a way.
FOW 244/7
05:03 PM BST
OVER 67: West Indies 238/6 (Holder 56 A Joseph 12)
Joseph continues to play his shots and slices one down to wide third man for a single.
05:00 PM BST
OVER 66: West Indies 237/6 (Holder 56 A Joseph 11)
Woakes, bowling well here, finds the outside edge of Alzarri Joseph. It’s a thick one and it goes down towards Zak Crawley at second slip but is a yard or so short of him. Not a drop, not a chance.
04:55 PM BST
OVER 65: West Indies 236/6 (Holder 56 A Joseph 10)
Atkinson strays down the leg side and Joseph glances it behind square and gets four for his shot. A yelp from the bowler and he knows it was a bad ball.
04:51 PM BST
OVER 64: West Indies 231/6 (Holder 56 A Joseph 5)
What will West Indies be aiming for here? As many as possible is the obvious and short answer but you think they’d be delighted with another 125 to take them to 350 after that post- and pre-lunch collapse. A swipe for Joseph off the final ball suggests he will hit anything that is there to be hit. It’s off the toe a bit and a little miscued but he gets a few for it.
04:47 PM BST
OVER 63: West Indies 225/6 (Holder 55 A Joseph 0 )
Atkinson returns, replacing Wood and he finds some movement with the older ball. He gets one to leave Joseph, who hangs his bat outside off stump but, fortunately for him, does not edge it. A big shout for LBW but it was either edged into the pads or going down leg but a good first over back from Gus Atkinson.
04:44 PM BST
OVER 62: West Indies 224/6 (Holder 54 A Joseph 0 )
Can England make further, quick inroads now?
04:41 PM BST
WICKET! Da Silva c Smith b Woakes 49
Woakes sends one wide down the leg side. An inswinger that ends up going down there, really. Smith cannot get there and it’s four byes. Good to see a bit of movement out there, though, because there has been a lack of that in the last couple of hours.
Next ball raps Da Silva on the pads. A cry from Woakes and a couple of fielders but not out and no review. Going down leg again, much like the review that England burned earlier.
And then it’s the outswinger that works! Da Silva feathers behind just one short of a 50 and England end a tricky partnership. Much needed, you might say.
FOW 224/6
04:37 PM BST
OVER 61: West Indies 220/5 (Holder 54 Da Silva 49)
Three runs from Mark Wood’s latest six balls of short stuff.
04:35 PM BST
Watch: Holder brings up his 50
50 for Jason Holder 🔥 pic.twitter.com/U8npodGMut
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
04:33 PM BST
‘Holder is growing into the series’
Important 50 from Jason Holder: a nice tempo to his innings, picking his moment to attack against Shoaib Bashir. With Da Silva nuggety and Holder more expansive, these two have a fine rapport together. The impression was that Holder was too high at number six but he has grown into the series, progressively increasing his score in each innings after beginning with a golden duck at Lord’s.
04:31 PM BST
OVER 60: West Indies 217/5 (Holder 53 Da Silva 47)
Chris Woakes returns and Jason Holder moves to 50 with a lovely stroke through the off-side for three. He has steadied the ship for West Indies since lunch and with that he also brings up the 100 for the partnership.
What does Stokes do here? Needs something different but that is never a guarantee and can often end up making things worse if you try too hard to force it. Not the most threatening over from Woakes, playing on his home ground.
04:26 PM BST
OVER 59: West Indies 213/5 (Holder 49 Da Silva 47)
Wood bowls one that rears up at Da Silva who is square up, hits the splice of the bat and down to where a short leg would have been... but isn’t. No man in at silly point or short leg which feels like there should be with wood bowling like this. It’s a maiden for Wood. Will that be the end of his spell?
04:23 PM BST
OVER 58: West Indies 213/5 (Holder 49 Da Silva 47)
Still the partnership builds and England are frustrated. Still probably ahead of the game but West Indies have got themselves back into the equation.
04:17 PM BST
OVER 57: West Indies 210/5 (Holder 48 Da Silva 45)
Wood gets one to lift and go through with pace. Holder tries to swat a pull but misses... or so he hopes. Wood and keeper Smith appeal as the ball hit something but the umpire is unmoved and England decide not to review. Possibly shoulder or helmet. Replays show it was the shoulder.
04:13 PM BST
OVER 56: West Indies 207/5 (Holder 48 Da Silva 44)
Bashir continues; Da Silva miscues. Plays across the line and without any real conviction. It goes in the air on the off side but is nowhere near any fielder.
04:10 PM BST
OVER 55: West Indies 207/5 (Holder 47 Da Silva 43)
Wood continues with his leg-side field and short-pitched bowling. A cross-seam ball is flicked behind square by Da Silva for four. Getting right on top of it. I think the pitch has flattened out and looks preeeeetty slow right now. Looks a bit easy for Da Silva, right now as he approaches 50. Both men with a similar and healthy strike rate, 42 off 77 for Holder and 43 off the same number of balls for Da Silva.
That is upped to 46 off 78 for Holder, who frees his arms to swat a short Wood ball for four forward of square. Magnificent, imposing, tonked. 200 up for West Indies now, too.
04:06 PM BST
OVER 54: West Indies 195/5 (Holder 42 Da Silva 36)
Just a single off Bashir’s first over back and the hint of a chance as the ball was deflected down the leg side, but just out of reach of an England fielder, I think...
04:04 PM BST
Tea verdict: West Indies aiming for a total that gives them a sniff
Josh Da Silva and Jason Holder showed how good conditions are for batting with a 24 over stand that kept West Indies in the fight after a collapse of five for 39. Da Silva and Holder dug in for 79 runs unbroken before tea to lift West Indies from 115 for five to 194 giving them hope of posting a total that gives them a sniff, but it feels like England are just one wicket from taking a firm hold of the Test.
After a flurry of two wickets shortly after lunch with Brathwaite caught down the legside hooking Wood, a wicket the result of a bruising morning session facing England’s quickest bowler, and Kavem Hodge misjudging a straight one from Woakes, it felt like another low score was on the cards.
But Hodler and Da Silva drew on their experience forcing England to work harder for a breakthrough on another good pitch for batting. Stokes turned to spin, bowling Bashir with the field up, tempting Holder to hit over the top. He took it on successfully three times but it was a good workout for trying to take wickets on flat pitches, waiting for the miscue off the one that turns more. Wood came back for a third spell bowling round the wicket to the right handers with four catchers on the leg side, testing the courage of Hodler and Da Silva. Expect more bombing after tea.
03:42 PM BST
OVER 53: West Indies 194/5 (Holder 42 Da Silva 35)
How to play Wood is a different proposition altogether for Holder, though. A tall man, he is getting them into his ribs here. Wood bowled some ferociously quick spells in the previous Test match but this looks a little slower – though it could be the pitch. The speed gun figures are not so readily appearing on the screen after every delivery.
That will be tea. First 20 minutes of the session was all England but West Indies have fought back here.
The Hollies Stand has woken up, as we approach tea. Zak Crawley, one of England’s more unflappable players, has been stationed down there and they are chatting “Have You Ever Seen Zak Crawley Have A Pint?”. He’s enjoying it, and might actually be the only person within about 50 yards who hasn’t had a pint today.
03:38 PM BST
OVER 52: West Indies 191/5 (Holder 41 Da Silva 33)
Bashir indeed does tempt the West Indies batsmen. One is tossed up but it is too wide and Da Silva latches onto it to add to his total. Bashir then sends one down right in the slot and Holder thrashes it through to the long-off boundary for four. Aerial, yes, but not really that risky given the field placing. Holder enjoying playing his shots here.
03:33 PM BST
OVER 51: West Indies 183/5 (Holder 36 Da Silva 30)
Mark Wood is back on, and I think a decent move as this partnership continues. A bit of pace is neeed and Wood indulges in the short stuff. Two runs from his 11th over.
‘Bashir and Stokes will continue to tempt Holder’
Shoaib Bashir applauded after Jason Holder’s four over mid mid-on – saluting Ben Stokes’ effort in the deep, and also signalling his intention to continue with his plan. The next ball, Holder launched Bashir for a straight six. But expect both Bashir and Stokes to continue with there plan of enticing Holder to hit over the fielders, who are stationed about two-thirds of the way towards the rope, in the belief that this will create a wicket.
03:29 PM BST
OVER 50: West Indies 181/5 (Holder 35 Da Silva 29)
Holder goes for the big heave but does not connect properly, instead the ball cannons into his legs off the bottom edge. Next one he does get, over the head of Ben Stokes at mid-on. Four runs but that is what he wants, it seems. Bringing chances and not just having Holder blocking and nudging. The next one is bludgeoned straight down the ground for six runs, though. A lot of energy behind the shot, but there was some grace in it, too.
03:24 PM BST
OVER 49: West Indies 170/5 (Holder 25 Da Silva 28)
Time for a bit of Mark Wood again? It probably will not happen that soon but I’d like to see it.
03:22 PM BST
‘Bashir should try to take inside or outside edge’
Shoaib Bashir began his first spell with a 5-4 off-side field, before switching to 4-5 for his second over. If we are experimenting ahead of the next Ashes, I’d like to see him bowl on and outside off stump on a flat pitch like this one, to explore the possibilities and both edges, rather than aim straight and get worked legside – which is Joshua da Silva’s bottom-handed strength.
03:20 PM BST
OVER 48: West Indies 161/5 (Holder 22 Da Silva 26)
Holder gets down to sweep Bashir for four and that brings up the 50-run partnership between these two. He didn’t get on top of it but didn’t need to, really. Intentionally sent aerially.
03:17 PM BST
OVER 47: West Indies 156/5 (Holder 15 Da Silva 24)
Atkinson returns and bowls a maiden as the afternoon lull at Edgbaston takes full effect.
03:13 PM BST
OVER 46: West Indies 156/5 (Holder 15 Da Silva 24)
Bashir’s second over is a bit better than his first or, at least, more economical with just two runs from it as the partnership reaches 40 runs. Much better from the West Indies, who have settled things down a little. Still a long way behind the game, mind you.
03:10 PM BST
OVER 45: West Indies 154/5 (Holder 14 Da Silva 23)
A boundary! It has been a while. Holder latches onto a wide one from Stokes and thrashes it through the covers for four.
03:05 PM BST
The hour West Indies needed
West Indies have had the sort of quiet hour they needed here, after losing their best batsmen, Kraigg Brathwaite and Kavem Hodge, in short order. Their two experienced heads, Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva, are in, and while there have been a couple of alarms and it’s been slow going, they have survived.
03:05 PM BST
OVER 44: West Indies 149/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 22)
Time for some spin as Shoaib Bashir comes on and is immediately heaved over to the midwicket boundary for four by Da Silva. Speaking of spin... there’s always place in cricket for nostalgia.
Tino Best facing the famous 'Mind the windows, Tino' delivery, twenty years to the day... 🤣@IGcom | #IGNetGains pic.twitter.com/W10a49s0jX
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 26, 2024
West Indies approach the 150 mark and the partnership moves towards the “slightly frustrating” mark, from England’s perspective.
03:01 PM BST
OVER 43: West Indies 142/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 15)
Stokes gets one to come in again to Da Silva but it is a strangled appeal for LBW, if you can call it an appeal. He nudges one out to square leg for a single to retain the strike and make it five one-run overs in a row.
02:57 PM BST
OVER 42: West Indies 141/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 14)
And another single run added to the total without the loss of a wicket. Four overs in a row now. Proper Test cricket.
02:53 PM BST
OVER 41: West Indies 140/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 13)
Again, just a single from the over. Stokes looks like he will continue. When will we see a spinner?
02:49 PM BST
OVER 40: West Indies 139/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 12)
Gus Atkinson returns for his first over of the session. Two wickets so far for him. Just another single added to the total as West Indies rebuild.
02:42 PM BST
OVER 39: West Indies 138/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 11)
A short and wide one from Stokes is there to be hit but Da Silva throws his hands at it and misses. Wafting and did not move his feet. Two wickets since lunch and 41 runs for them since lunch. England doing well here. That is drinks.
02:38 PM BST
OVER 38: West Indies 136/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 10)
LBW always in play with these two, Woakes and Stokes, moving the ball about. West Indies add just one to the total in the last over and they have, at least, stemmed the flurry of wickets.
02:33 PM BST
OVER 37: West Indies 136/5 (Holder 10 Da Silva 9)
It is certainly not easy for the West Indies out there, even if, with Mark Wood removed from the attack, it isn’t quite so threatening to life and limb. Holder throws his bat out to one outside the off-stump, well outside in fact, with very little foot movement. Inside edge beyond the stumps and four runs. Fortunate, though not quite sure how much it missed by. That moves the partnership onto 20 which is something, I guess, after the pre- and post-interval collapse.
It’s another big shout for LBW on holder off the final ball and, to my eyes, looked out. Inside edge the only thing that might save him. Replays show that it is very close to being pad and pad close together but most likely the bat first. The conclusion from the third umpire is that it’s bat first and it’s a good decision from the umpire. Well done if that indeed was the reason for turning it down.
02:25 PM BST
OVER 36: West Indies 132/5 (Holder 6 Da Silva 9)
Woakes continues and flummoxes Da Silva with one that keeps low, perhaps and hits him on the pads in front. Umpire says not out. It’s a decent shout, and England review... a bit leggish, I think. It stays with the on-field umpire because the ball would have only hit another stump on the leg side. Missing.
02:23 PM BST
OVER 35: West Indies 130/5 (Holder 5 Da Silva 8)
West Indies have stopped the right slightly in the last 10 minutes but it will need a lot more than this. Stokes bowls a no-ball.
02:19 PM BST
OVER 34: West Indies 129/5 (Holder 5 Da Silva 8)
Holder drives down the ground and holds the post as Woakes deflects it onto the stumps but Da Silva is home in the crease. Holder pushes out through point well for a few. Could be a change of bowling here and it looks like the England captain.
02:15 PM BST
OVER 33: West Indies 125/5 (Holder 2 Da Silva 7)
The other three West Indian Test playing Holders, are: Vanburn (40 Tests between 1969 and 1979); Roland (11 Tests between 1997 and 1999) and Chemar (1 Test only, 2020).
Holder plays a nice shot to get two. Wood has a big shout for LBW which is turned down. Stokes says it looks like it was going “miles” down leg side and he’s probably right. Inswinging yorker and well directed, but just not quite enough. In any case they come through for a leg bye.
02:10 PM BST
OVER 32: West Indies 123/5 (Holder 1 Da Silva 7)
A missed run out chance but Pope fumbles at the non-striker’s end. West Indies need all the help they can get right now.
02:05 PM BST
OVER 31: West Indies 119/5 (Holder 0 Da Silva 4)
Jason Holder at the crease, one of four Holders to play Test cricket for the West Indies. Can you name the other three? Wood sends in a full yorker to him but he watches it well and digs it out without too much fuss. A maiden.
02:01 PM BST
OVER 30: West Indies 119/5 (Holder 0 Da Silva 4)
Da Silva gets off the mark with a four, punched off the back foot. The only runs of the over.
01:58 PM BST
WICKET! Hodge b Woakes 13
West Indies falling apart now. Woakes pitches one outside off, it’s an inswinger that is left and poorly so because the ball crashes into the off stump. I don’t think it came in much, probably just held its line.
West Indies openers put on 76 for the first wicket but now it’s five wickets for 39 runs which is a collapse in anyone’s book. Still time to recover but the direction of travel is not good.
England have their fourth and fifth wicket 👀
Kraigg Brathwaite and Kavem Hodge depart 😬 pic.twitter.com/0ggm37x8IE— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
FOW 115/5
01:55 PM BST
OVER 29: West Indies 115/4 (Hodge 13 Holder 0)
It was a simple catch, really for Smith, but he palmed/wristed it into his chest but managed to take the catch.
01:53 PM BST
WICKET! Brathwaite c Smith b Wood 61
Wood squares up Hodge with a full, quick ball just outside off stump. Played with soft hands, though and it drops straight onto the ground and behind. He persists with the line, this time its an outside edge that runs down to the third man boundary for four.
Brathwaite now on strike. Wood comes wide of the crease and angles one across the right-hander. Brathwaite can only glove it down the leg-side to Jamie Smith behind the stumps who grasps the chance at the second asking. Not the prettiest wicket in any way but England will not be bothered.
FOW 115/4
01:48 PM BST
OVER 28: West Indies 110/3 (Brathwaite 61, Hodge 8)
Chris Woakes from the other end. He drops short and Brathwaite pounces, lifting it into the air and through backward point for four runs as he moves into the 60s. 61 off 84 now after that boundary.
01:46 PM BST
Another Vaughan makes his debut...
Half an eye today on Taunton, where Archie Vaughan, the 18-year-old son of former England captain and Telegraph SPort columnist Michel Vaughan, makes his first-team debut for Somerset. Like his dad, he’s a willowy, stylish right-handed bat (carded at No 5 today), and an off-spinner.
01:44 PM BST
OVER 27: West Indies 103/3 (Brathwaite 57, Hodge 5)
Mark Wood opens the action up after the lunch break. He currently has one for 19 from six overs before this. He continues to get some movement with the ball and at pace. Hodge gets on top of one back of a length that doesn’t really get up, watching until the last moment, pulling for four runs. Nice shot and it brings up the West Indies’ 100.
A final pull, not so expertly done (slightly miscued) goes for a single to finish the over.
01:37 PM BST
We are nearly ready to resume in Birmingham
A tricky session for West Indies coming up? Could be, could well be...
01:12 PM BST
Lunch verdict
England’s session thanks to three wickets for 21 runs in 26 balls as West Indies undid all their hard work against the new ball.
It is flat, very little movement in the air and off the pitch. England bowled well enough in the first 90 minutes, Ben Stokes attacked with four slips and two gullies leaving gaps, which saw 13 fours scored, as West Indies dug in to build an innings.
It was pace that made the difference. Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson wore West Indies down, bruised and battered batsmen eventually succumbing.
Mikyle Louis resisted for 22 overs before feathering an edge behind off Atkinson bowling in the channel, ending a 76-run opening stand with Kraigg Brathwaite.
Wood’s short ball worked over the batsmen but it was the pitched-up inswinger that brought his breakthrough, Kirk Mckenzie bowled off an inside edge hanging back expecting the bouncer.
Wood breathed fire all morning, had Brathwaite hopping around, hitting him in the groin with one ball while a couple of bumpers were miscued off the edge but landed safely. It was great theatre. But is the obsession with pace getting too much? The full ball to McKenzie was the subtle change that brought a wicket, and something Wood needs to mix up a little more in his bowling to reap his rewards.
Brathwaite clung on for lunch but his disappointment was clear in his reaction to Alick Athanaze pulling a short ball onto his stumps on the stroke of the interval. On a good batting pitch, Brathwaite knows England are on top.
01:02 PM BST
OVER 26: West Indies 97/3 (Brathwaite 56)
That was the last ball before lunch, and those last two wickets make it emphatically England’s session. This isn’t a 97 for 3 pitch, far from it.
12:59 PM BST
Wicket!
Athanaze b Atkinson 2 It is happening again. After a fine start West Indies have lost three quick wickets, and this is a big one. Alick Athanaze, their best attacking player, tries to pull Atkinson and drags the ball back onto the stumps. FOW: 97/3
Gus Atkinson gets his second wicket of the match 🤩
Alick Athanaze falls and West Indies reach 97-3 at lunch 👀 pic.twitter.com/iVBMu94Wrx— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
12:59 PM BST
Back on the horse
Ben Stokes is fielding at deep square-leg, approximately where he was when he dropped Nathan Lyon peddling back as last year’s Ashes Test hurtled towards a thrilling conclusion. Oh, how different the narrative over the last 12 months could have been if he’d been able to cling on...
12:56 PM BST
Timber department
MIDDLE STUMP OUT THE GROUND 🏰
What a delivery from Mark Wood 🚀 pic.twitter.com/o3vvLbWUoQ— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
12:55 PM BST
OVER 25: West Indies 93/2 (Brathwaite 55 Athanaze 0)
Athanaze flicks Wood straight off the left ankle of Pope at short leg. Technically that’s a chance, and Pope does take the odd miracle catch at short leg. It might have brushed his fingers before hitting the ankle.
12:52 PM BST
Wicket!
McKenzie b Wood 12 Don’t worry about Shoaib Bashir, just violate McKenzie’s furniture. Mark Wood has struck with a cracking delivery, a full inswinger that took a slight inside edge and thundered into the actual middle stump. Man, watching Mark Wood bowl is good for the soul. FOW: 93/2
12:48 PM BST
OVER 24: West Indies 92/1 (Brathwaite 54 McKenzie 12)
McKenzie doubles his total for the series in the space of four balls. He square-drives Atkinson stylishly for successive boundaries, then larrups a short ball through extra cover for four more. I wonder if it’s worth trying Shoaib Bashir at him before lunch.
12:43 PM BST
OVER 23: West Indies 80/1 (Brathwaite 54 McKenzie 0)
Ben Stokes goes in for the kill, bringing back Mark Wood to target the new batsman Kirk McKenzie. He’s had a desperate series with 12 runs in four innings.
Brathwaite is on strike so Wood targets him instead: he goes past the outside edge and then rams one straight into the middle of middle stump, and I don’t mean that middle stump. Brahthwaite takes about 90 seconds to get his breath back and then rides the bounce to get four to third man. Well played.
“Imagine being hit amidships by Mark Wood,” writes Will Macpherson. “Just imagine.”
I think I’d rather imagine a public fallout with Keyser Soze.
12:39 PM BST
OVER 22: West Indies 76/1 (Brathwaite 50 McKenzie 0)
Pace, bounce and just enough seam movement: that’s another very good sign from Gus Atkinson. Well-earned wicket for England after bowling well with little reward this morning. You feel that Brathwaite needs a 100+ to hold this West Indies innings together and get them to 350 or more.
12:37 PM BST
Wicket!
Louis c Smith b Atkinson 26 The Mark Ramprakash comparisons continue for Mikyle Louis, who has again played well without kicking on. He felt for a back-of-a-length delivery from Atkinson and touched it through to Jamie Smith. On reflection he could have left it on length, but the line was perfect. Louis’ debut series has been simultaneously promising and immensely frustrating. FOW: 76/1
Gus Atkinson makes the breakthrough for England 💥
Mikyle Louis falls for 26 pic.twitter.com/HWfHmP9fGQ— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
12:33 PM BST
OVER 21: West Indies 74/0 (Brathwaite 50 Louis 24)
Brathwaite thumps Stokes past point for four. It was the air but wide of the diving Pope. A tuck off the pads takes him to a hard-fought fifty, his first of the series after scores of 48 and 47 at Trent Bridge, from 70 balls. That must been among his fastest, though it’s definitely not top: he hit a 62-ball half-century against England in 2022.
“Where would West Indies be without Kraigg Brathwaite who has toughed it out for a fine 50?” writes Scyld Berry. “None of their other specialist batsman has played ten Tests. Who would be captain? Who would open? Long may he continue, any supporter of Test cricket would say.”
12:29 PM BST
OVER 20: West Indies 68/0 (Brathwaite 45 Louis 23)
Louis shapes to pull Atkinson, is totally beaten for pace and somehow top-edges the ball over the slips for four. Those runs make this West Indies’ highest opening partnership in a Test in England since May 2007. It hasn’t been especially comfortable, but they’ve laid a platform for the middle order. All the signs are that batting will get easier as the day progresses.
12:24 PM BST
OVER 19: West Indies 60/0 (Brathwaite 42 Louis 18)
Almost a chance for England when a wide, swinging half-volley from Stokes is edged straight over the head of second slip for four. Another challenging over from Stokes, who is moving the ball both ways. How good is it to see him bowling at full tilt again.
12:19 PM BST
OVER 18: West Indies 56/0 (Brathwaite 38 Louis 18)
Atkinson replaces Wood, who bowled four increasingly volcanic overs for 14. A pretty decent shout for LBW against Louis is turned down; Ben Stokes decided it was probably missing leg and isn’t worth a review.
We know that Louis is strong on the front foot, and when Atkinson overpitches he times a lovely off-drive for four. He has got a start in all five innings, facing at least 40 balls. Few would begrudge him his first substantial score as a Test batsman.
12:15 PM BST
OVER 17: West Indies 52/0 (Brathwaite 38 Louis 14)
The ball is still swinging enough for England to have three slips in place. I don’t think they’ve done much wrong this morning – just the odd delivery that has been too straight, like the one from Stokes that Brathwaite works for two.
Stokes responds with a sadistic nipbacker that hits Brathwaite in the stomach.
12:10 PM BST
OVER 16: West Indies 50/0 (Brathwaite 36 Louis 14)
Another very straight short ball from Wood is flapped for a single by Brathwaite, who doesn’t look comfortable at all. But he’s still at the crease and that run brings up another determined fifty partnership with Mikyle Louis. If they can see off Wood there are runs aplenty to be had today.
12:04 PM BST
OVER 15: West Indies 49/0 (Brathwaite 35 Louis 14)
A seductive outswinger from Stokes takes a thick inside-edge and flies to safety. Drinks. England have bowled well in the first hour, and with very little luck.
12:02 PM BST
Fire in Ashington
How times have changed. When Mark Wood charges in against West Indies, it is no longer Fire in Babylon but Fire in Ashington.
12:00 PM BST
OVER 14: West Indies 48/0 (Brathwaite 34 Louis 14)
Wood is revving up nicely. He beats Brathwaite on the inside with a cracking delivery that could easily have taken the edge and deflected onto the stumps. An unconvincing pull flies past short leg at catchable height, then Louis is beaten by consecutive 93mph outswingers. Scintillating stuff.
11:56 AM BST
OVER 13: West Indies 47/0 (Brathwaite 33 Louis 14)
Ben Stokes replaces Chris Woakes, who started well and faded. A bit of swing but nothing else to report.
“Nice to see Stokes on early to try and swing the new ball,” writes Tim Wigmore at Edgbaston. “He does that better than anyone in the England side, yet is normally used as an enforcer much later in the innings.”
11:51 AM BST
OVER 12: West Indies 44/0 (Brathwaite 30 Louis 14)
Brathwaite gets in a tangle with a superb bouncer from Wood. He tries to duck but leaves his bat dangling; the ball flies off the face and over leg slip for four runs. A sharp, menacing over ends with an outswinger that whooshes past Louis’ attempted forward defensive.
Frightening pace from Mark Wood 🔥
A quick bouncer gets Kraigg Brathwaite into a tangle pic.twitter.com/EOCWRl4cJf— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
11:48 AM BST
OVER 10: West Indies 37/0 (Brathwaite 25 Louis 12)
Louis forces Woakes past backward point for his first boundary. Woakes’ radar has gone awry in the last couple of overs; a poor ball is clipped to midwicket for four more by Louis. He’s into double figures for the fifth innings in a row but has yet to reach 30; echoes of Mark Ramprakash’s debut series against West Indies in 1991. In that series he made 27, 27, 24, 13, 21, 29, 25, 25 and 19.
11:43 AM BST
No easy single for Louis
Mikyle Louis has illustrated what West Indies need, and lack. He is limited to a front-foot game, developed on what are now the slow pitches of the Caribbean (with the exception of St Lucia). If the young red-ball batsmen of the West Indies had been given more preparation – A tours or, in the case of this summer, a warm-up that consisted of more than a camp at Tonbridge school and a three-day game against teenagers at Beckenham – Louis would have had the chance to work out a break-out shot, or even a break-out single to get off strike.
11:42 AM BST
OVER 10: West Indies 29/0 (Brathwaite 25 Louis 4)
Breaking news: Mark Wood is bowling. He replaces Atkinson after a good opening spell of 4-1-10-0. At Trent Bridge Wood hit top speed from ball one; today he’s around 90mph in his first over and Brathwaite cuts firmly for three.
This looks like such a good batting pitch.
11:37 AM BST
OVER 9: West Indies 24/0 (Brathwaite 22 Louis 2)
Woakes, striving for swing, is driven to the boundary twice in three balls by Brathwaite. The first was straight down the ground, the second through extra cover. Brathwaite has scored a really decent rate since Lord’s.
Incidentally England have beaten the bat nine times this morning, once for each of Ferris Bueller’s tardies.
Two boundaries in the over for Kraigg Brathwaite 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9hn7AS6q09
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
11:33 AM BST
OVER 8: West Indies 16/0 (Brathwaite 14 Louis 2)
Mikyle Louis is finally off the mark, from his 21st ball. He’s had a proper working over, and England have had some superb fields, with their entire top seven in the cordon. Keeper, four slips and two gullies.
11:29 AM BST
OVER 7: West Indies 14/0 (Brathwaite 14 Louis 0)
Brathwaite plays a curtain-rail shot at Woakes and is beaten. A couple of thick edges land short of the slips, and a fine over ends with Brathwaite awkwardly defending a nipbacker. Excellent stuff from Woakes, whose figures are 4-2-6-0.
11:24 AM BST
OVER 6: West Indies 14/0 (Brathwaite 14 Louis 0)
Brathwaite chases a fuller outswinger from Atkinson, loses his shape and is beaten. That’s the length, certainly while the ball is swinging. But he’s too straight later in the over, which allows Brathwaite to flick the first boundary of the day to fine leg. He’s scored all West Indies’ runs so far; Louis has 0 from 16 balls and looks vulnerable just outside off stump.
11:20 AM BST
OVER 5: West Indies 9/0 (Brathwaite 9 Louis 0)
Attritional stuff so far, with no boundaries, though Brathwaite does punch Woakes through the covers for three. England have been accurate, West Indies patient.
11:17 AM BST
OVER 4: West Indies 4/0 (Brathwaite 4 Louis 0)
Louis has played pretty well in his debut series without converting any of his starts. England are targeting him just outside off stump, and Atkinson beats him with a cracking delivery that straightens sharply off the seam. A maiden.
11:13 AM BST
Three in a row for Woakes
Interesting test for Chris Woakes on his home ground: he hasn’t played three back-to-back Tests since the tour of the Caribbean in 2022. (Last year there were ten days between the 3rd and 4th Ashes Tests.) A nice start so far on what looks like an excellent batting track.
11:13 AM BST
OVER 3: West Indies 4/0 (Brathwaite 4 Louis 0)
Woakes, whose length has been spot on so far, beats Brathwaite with a fine outswinger. Brathwaite remains a big wicket because nobody is more likely to bat all day.
11:10 AM BST
OVER 2: West Indies 2/0 (Brathwaite 2 Louis 0)
Mikyle Louis is always run out for nought. He fenced an awkward delivery from Gus Atkinson down the leg side, wandered down the pitch and was then sent back by Brathwaite. Louis was well short of his ground when Jamie Smith’s throw flashed past the stumps.
11:05 AM BST
OVER 1: West Indies 1/0 (Brathwaite 1 Louis 0)
A strong start from Woakes, who found his form at Trent Bridge last week. Louis is beaten outside off, then offers no stroke to a ball that doesn’t miss off stump by much. There’s a bit of swing too, which will encourage England.
11:02 AM BST
Off you pop
England have let Matthew Potts (Northern Superchargers) and Dan Lawrence (London Spirit) pop off to play for their Hundred teams over the next couple of days. Dillon Pennington has been kept around for some reason or other.
11:00 AM BST
Y’all ready for this?
Chris Woakes, on his home ground, will open the bowling to Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis.
10:51 AM BST
England play the same old song
Fred Trueman would say that he couldn’t understand what’s going off out there. England have said they are building an attack for the next Ashes, hence the retirement of James Anderson. Fair enough. But how are they building a pace attack for the next Ashes if the only pace bowler below the age of 33 (Ben Stokes himself) is Gus Atkinson.
England are being inconsistent. I would have rested Mark Wood here – back to mothballs – and brought in Dillon Pennington, with Chris Woakes on his home ground to guide Pennington and Atkinson with his local knowledge.
10:36 AM BST
An easy decision for Brathwaite
West Indies are having a bat - surely an easy decision. The Windies’ batting built some confidence at Trent Bridge (in the first innings, at least...). Shamar Joseph has been passed fit after illness, so there’s just one change, Kevin Sinclair (who has a broken arm) for Gudakesh Motie.
So it’s over to England’s bowlers on a flattie... There’s been a lot of noise about the omission of the likes of Dillon Pennington and Matt Potts for Chris Woakes, given the chat about building towards Australia. Are England trying to win the game in front of them, or looking to the future. They look betwixt and between at the moment.
"We were going to have a bat as well"
Ben Stokes speaks after losing the toss at Edgbaston ahead of the third Test 🏴 pic.twitter.com/yxvMOASYdq— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
10:32 AM BST
The teams
England are unchanged. Shamar Joseph is good to go so West Indies make just one change: Gudakesh Motie for Kevin Sinclair.
England Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Smith (wk), Woakes, Atkinson, Wood, Bashir.
West Indies Brathwaite (c), Louis, McKenzie, Athanaze, Hodge, Holder, Da Silva (wk), Motie, A Joseph, S Joseph, Seales.
10:31 AM BST
West Indies win the toss and bat
“Pitch looks a good one,” says Kraigg Brathwaite. “The weather’s good so we’ve got to utilise that.”
Ben Stokes says England would have batted as well.
10:15 AM BST
Pitch report: an absolute belter
Good morning. from Edgbaston, where it’s a beautiful day. Warm with a few puffy, pale clouds floating harmlessly by. The word from the middle is the pitch looks an absolute belter (for batting, that is). Could we get a five-day Test? I know a few administrators who would love that dearly.
After this week, Test cricket takes a back seat for 3-4 weeks, so let’s enjoy it while it lasts. Wouldn’t it be lovely if the West Indies improved the same amount again as they did between Lord’s and Trent Bridge?
"The wicket is going to get better and better for batting" 💪
Kumar Sangakkara gives his thoughts on the Edgbaston pitch pic.twitter.com/Vn2f5fZojR— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 26, 2024
10:13 AM BST
Nick Hoult’s preview
This England management follows their instincts on players, mainly using cricketing knowledge and experience rather than relying on analytics. On Shoaib Bashir they believe county cricket returns are pretty irrelevant because of the nature of pitches. Somerset pick Jack Leach and not Bashir based partly on loyalty to a solid county servant who has never let them down. England can be more ruthless.
10:08 AM BST
Team news
While England are unchanged, West Indies will have to make at least one alteration to their team. Gudakesh Motie, well again after catching the flu at Trent Bridge, will replace Kevin Sinclair as the main spin bowler. Motie would probably have returned to the team anyway, although Sinclair had his forearm fractured by Mark Wood so he’s in no fit state.
This week it’s Shamar Joseph who is under the weather. If he doesn’t make it, Akeem Jordan is likely to come in for his Test debut.
England Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Root, Brook, Stokes (c), Smith (wk), Woakes, Atkinson, Wood, Bashir.
West Indies Brathwaite (c), Louis, McKenzie, Athanaze, Hodge, Holder, Da Silva (wk), Motie, A Joseph, S Joseph/Jordan, Seales.
10:01 AM BST
England hunting a whitewash
Twelve letters, begins with R, ends with ‘lessness’. For the past 18 months, ‘recklessness’ has been the word used to describe England under Ben Stokes. Now all the talk is of ruthlessness. England go into the third and final Test against West Indies aiming to complete their third whitewash under Stokes’s captaincy; before Stokes took over they’d managed only four in 43 years.
The first two, against New Zealand and Pakistan, came during the honeymoon period and owed more to liberation than ruthlessness. Now there is a slightly different look in England’s eye: they’re still having all sorts of fun, but they have no problem addressing the opposition with leadpipe cruelty.
That means an unchanged side at Edgbaston, even though many would like to see Dillon Pennington or Matthew Potts get a run out. “We are 2-0 up, with two very good all-round team performances,” said Stokes yesterday. “So it’s a pretty easy decision to stick with the same XI. And, yeah, we want to wrap up a series and hopefully take it 3-0.
“Dillon and Pottsy have earned their place in the squad although they’ve not got the opportunity. You’d much rather they are in an environment where the team is winning and even though you’re not playing you still hope that in training and all the conversations that go around training is adding to them as players.”
The enormous upside of an unchanged side is that we will get to watch Mark Wood bowl. “The whole game changes,” said Stokes of Wood’s impact. “When his name gets read out, the. whole crowd is up, then when the speeds are on the big screen, everyone gets going. Woody is always looking up at the screen as well to see what he’s clocking.”
Stokes thinks Wood, who was timed at 97.1mph last week, could hit three figures. “One day everything might click or the speed gun might be wrong. Who knows? But I’m as happy as Larry him running up and bowling 97mph. We probably wouldn’t hear the end of it if he did bowl 100mph. Who knows? He’s got it in the tank. He’s been close a couple of times. Maybe one day.”
It's MATCHDAY! 🤩 🏴
England vs West Indies at Edgbaston for the Third Test of the series!
Let's make it 3-0... 💪 pic.twitter.com/YAmTCgPrcW— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) July 26, 2024
