Match report, reaction and analysis
Updated
Right, that’s enough from me. Lovely to be back on the OBO with some Test-match cricket. As enjoyable as the play was, I thoroughly enjoyed people sending in their random connections to cricketers. I’ll be back tomorrow morning so if you remember any overnight, send them in.
ICYMI, this was how Jimmy Anderson Week at Lord’s began.
James Anderson leads out England ahead of his final Test match for England 🏴🙌 pic.twitter.com/TOtTQnpb9l
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2024
Enjoyable.
Gus Atkinson to Jimmy Anderson pic.twitter.com/uFxQDvJBAo #EngvWI
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 10, 2024
Andy Bull’s sidebar is in, and it’s on the departing hero.
Gus Atkinson is speaking to TMS, sounding obviously pleased but quite measured, too. He’s got quite a cool, relaxed demeanour about him – doesn’t go crazy with his celebrations – and it feels like that should serve him well. Dad, brother, sister and aunt were watching him today, and his name’s going up on the honours board. What a day in his life.
A comfortable day for England, with the headline act not Anderson but Atkinson. The debutant paceman had a wonderful entry, taking seven wickets and instigating a West Indies collapse from 88 for three to 121 all out. Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley hit half-centuries before Harry Brook and Joe Root settled in nicely for the rest of the day. West Indies had some success when they went full with the ball, but they’re in quite a bit of trouble at the moment.
STUMPS: England 189-3, lead by 68 runs
40th over: England 189-3 (Brook 25, Root 15) Brook’s drive is too straight as he hits the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Holder goes full and nearly brings about a decent lbw shout. The over comes to a close, as does the day.
39th over: England 185-3 (Brook 21, Root 15) This should be the final over of the day, with Motie bowling tight lines to Root. Silly point moves to short leg before Root cuts for a couple. I am wrong, as Holder gets the ball for another set from the Pavilion End.
38th over: England 183-3 (Brook 21, Root 13) Holder runs in, down the slope, and Root finds himself a single on the off side before Brook steals two.
37th over: England 180-3 (Brook 19, Root 12) Finally, the day sees spin. Gudakesh Motie gets to have a twirl, and his left-arm spin concedes just one.
36th over: England 179-3 (Brook 19, Root 11) The Lord’s crowd is emptying out as we head into the final few minutes of the day. Presumably to watch the Euros … well, they’ve just missed a lovely flick from Brook for four to end the over.
35th over: England 170-3 (Brook 11, Root 10) Awesome from Brook, dropping his bat late to guide Holder for four behind point.
Back to some more convoluted nonsense. Here’s Martin Clayton:
My mum’s second-best friend was Harold Larwood’s niece. And Chris Old broke my mum’s port-and-lemon glass with a lovely boundary at the Harrogate cricket festival.
34th over: England 164-3 (Brook 7, Root 9) Shamar Joseph gets some serious lift off the surface as Brook swishes his bat outside off. The younger Yorkshireman certainly makes contact with the final ball of the over, driving through cover for his first boundary of the innings.
33rd over: England 158-3 (Brook 1, Root 9) All a bit quiet at the moment, despite there being two new batters at the crease. You’d expect a touch more intensity from the West Indies but the sun is out and we’re into the final exchanges of a long day.
32nd over: England 154-3 (Brook 0, Root 6) The physio stretches out Joseph and does a fine job because he’s back bowling, conceding just one.
Uh oh. Shamar Joseph is down on the ground after bowling one ball, requiring some treatment from the physio.
31st over: England 153-3 (Brook 0, Root 5) The half-centurions are gone as Harry Brook joins Joe Root. The man sat next to me in the press box sends me his latest findings.
Zak Crawley has five scores between 70-79 and no hundreds in his last 12 Test innings. If anything, he's too consistent
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) July 10, 2024
WICKET! Crawley b Seales 76 (England 153-3)
Crawley’s joy continues, pulling Seales away for four … never mind he’s bowled next ball! Terrific from Seales, thundering in a yorker that knocks over leg stump. Crawley’s conversion struggles continue but, once again, he’s entertained.
Updated
30th over: England 148-2 (Crawley 72, Root 5) Crawley flicks delightfully through midwicket for four and then has a bit of luck, finding a gap in the slip cordon with an edge to bring himself another boundary. Alzarri Joseph oversteps to extend his over and Crawley’s dance with the devil continues as he sends the ball past the diving man in the cordon for another boundary to move into the 70s. Time for drinks.
29th over: England 135-2 (Crawley 60, Root 5) Jayden Seales is back in the mix, taking over from Holder at the Nursery End. Root has his first boundary, cutting behind point with ease. Seales straightens up his line with the next delivery.
28th over: England 130-2 (Crawley 59, Root 1) Beautiful from Zak Crawley, with a cross-bat thump through the covers for four after Alzarri Joseph pitches it on a good length. A nice leg-side flick brings him one from the next delivery. Root then leaves a ball just narrowly outside off stump.
27th over: England 125-2 (Crawley 54, Root 1) Crawley finishes Holder’s over with a cover drive, which is well stopped by a diving Kraigg Brathwaite at mid-off. England have lost a wicket but have a first-innings lead.
WICKET! Pope lbw Holder 57 (England 123-2)
Holder fires in a yorker, Pope misses and the finger goes up. The batter reviews … is it going down the leg side? Nope. It’s hitting leg stump. Three reds and time for Joe Root.
Updated
Half-centuries for Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope!
26th over: England 119-1 (Crawley 53, Pope 53) Alzarri Joseph is back at the Pavilion End, clocking in at 89.5mph as Pope fails to get the desired connection on a pull shot. Pope then gets to 50 with a drive behind point for four, coming off 70 balls. He’s been very aggressive but calmed down after a hyper start. Crawley then raises his bat with a pull for four. England are cruising and close to building a lead.
Updated
25th over: England 108-1 (Crawley 49, Pope 46) The sun emerges at Lord’s as Crawley remains stationed on 49, Holder conceding just one off Pope’s bat.
24th over: England 107-1 (Crawley 49, Pope 45) Four leg-byes down the leg side kicks off Shamar Joseph’s sixth over before Crawley plays a lovely shot, waiting on the fuller, swinging delivery which he drives through point for four.
23rd over: England 96-1 (Crawley 43, Pope 45) Holder gets Crawley’s outside edge … but the ball stays low as it runs away to third man for four. Half-centuries are in sight for the two batters.
22nd over: England 92-1 (Crawley 39, Pope 45) Shamar Joseph goes full as Pope flicks away nicely for a couple.
21st over: England 90-1 (Crawley 39, Pope 43) Crawley and Pope exchange singles … as we return to our convoluted connections with cricketers.
Here’s Bill Hargreaves.
On the subject of stories, my friend Tim Stokes once managed a country estate for the local lord of the manor. Come the village fête, they put on a cricket match to entertain the locals and raise money, stopping the combines and sheep shearing to don whites for the day. The noble Sir Richard Hadley came along to provide the viewers with something to watch, and Tim was tossed the cherry to get things underway. ‘I’ll bowl him a yorker first off’, thought Tim. Golden duck. Not flavour of the month after that.
I was told that I once sat on Sir Garfield Sobers’ lap as an infant when he played for Notts and visited my father’s team in Colston Bassett, but alas have no memory of the event.
20th over: England 88-1 (Crawley 38, Pope 42) And we’re back, with the light a little better as Shamar Joseph nearly cuts Pope in half with a sharp nipbacker.
Emma Hartfield weighs in:
I once met Adam Hollioake (with Mark Butcher) at The Drink nightclub in Guildford (a place as dreadful as it sounds - it was also where Cheryl Cole punched a toilet attendant). He couldn’t give me a good answer as to why he had bowled Ian Salisbury for the final over and lost the game for Surrey the day before…
As does Damian Clarke, who has gone slightly off our original topic.
1984. My cricket mad girlfriend had a poster of Gower on the wall over her bed.
I could never look up to the fellow.
A break from the convoluted nonsense as Sean Clayton offers us some poetry.
There once was a lad named Ben Duckett
Who wore a hat shaped like a bucket
He occasionally tried
To leave on the off side
But ended up just saying “F... actually, I’m quite happy with that shot because that’s the brand of Bazballing cricket we want to play out there”
Here’s Robert Petty:
Before play at Bradford Park Avenue cricket ground, WG Grace picked my granddad (a teenager) out of the crowd to lob some balls at him for a knock-up. The first was dead straight and WG missed it completely. My granddad ever after boasted that he’d bowled out the famous Dr Grace.
And Neil Parkes:
My claim to homeopathic fame is that my mother-in-law’s rheumatologist is Alastair Cook’s uncle. He often mentioned him, I’m told, when he was doing well for England.
Bad light stops play
Ah, annoying. It’s a little too dark now, and the players have been sent off. A few West Indies players are still waiting around on the outfield but England’s batters have disappeared from view.
Updated
19th over: England 88-1 (Crawley 38, Pope 42) Gorgeous from Holder, moving the ball away from Crawley to square up the right-hander. Crawley gets back at him, though, seizing upon a fuller delivery to drive behind point for four. West Indies then go upstairs, thinking they have Crawley leg-before … but the ball is shown to be going down the leg-side.
Susan Perry writes:
Steven Finn went to my school. Admittedly he is several years younger than me, but I have met him since and bored him senseless about it.
18th over: England 84-1 (Crawley 34, Pope 42) It’s quite dark at Lord’s now, with the lights on. Pope, channelling a bit of Springsteen, keeps on moving, guiding Shamar Joseph behind point on the off side for yet another four. Joseph gets one threatening the top of off as the right-hander leaves. He then sends in a pearler, moving the ball away from the outside edge.
17th over: England 79-1 (Crawley 33, Pope 38) Pope thrashes Holder through point for four – he’s refusing to relent despite that lbw reprieve. And then a fuller, swinging delivery from Holder, with the West Indies fielders going up in celebration, hoping they’ve got Pope’s faint outside edge. The finger doesn’t go up, and they don’t bother reviewing it.
Michael Duggan writes:
My Godmother was Muriel Lowe (https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/muriel-lowe-53806), who my father met playing golf or cricket in Winchester where she ran a travel agency. Apparently as well as the three tests she played, she was selected for a tour to Australia but couldn’t afford to go. Sadly, she died when I was only 5 so I never really knew her.
16th over: England 75-1 (Crawley 33, Pope 34) Crawley drives Shamar Joseph through the covers for three as Pope nearly drags one onto his stumps with a loose swing outside off.
15th over: England 71-1 (Crawley 30, Pope 33) Jason Holder gets the ball but Pope is into him quickly, delivering a flair on-drive for his seventh boundary of the innings. But then the finger goes up! It’s angled in at the pads, and Pope misses playing across the line. It looks plumb but Pope reviews … silly me, it’s projected to be going down the leg side! Time for yours truly to head to the opticians.
14th over: England 67-1 (Crawley 30, Pope 29) This is exciting: Shamar Joseph continues his fairytale story, taking the ball at the Pavilion End. And he gets Pope to play and miss outside off with his first ball, clocked at 83.6mph. Fourth ball, Joseph goes full, wide, with a bit of swing away from Pope, who throws the bat at it. The ball just about evades the cordon and runs away for four; Pope survives and moves to 28. Crawley closes the over with a back-foot punch through cover for four more.
13th over: England 58-1 (Crawley 26, Pope 24) Alzarri Joseph bangs in a bumper that Pope easily pulls away behind square on the leg side for four. England’s No 3 has had a rollicking start here. Crawley plays-and-misses with a cover drive and is struggling to rediscover the rhythm he had before the break.
12th over: England 52-1 (Crawley 26, Pope 19) Crawley finally moves off 24, where he was at tea, with an offside punch for two. He then fails to make contact with an attempted pull.
“In late 1980s Kolkata, my great-aunt taught high school chemistry to Dona Ganguly, Sourav Ganguly’s girlfriend (now wife),” writes Kishalay Banerjee.
“My uncles tell me Sourav used to sometimes come and pick her up from their house in the evenings. It was a bit of an occasion even then since he was already creating a sizeable reputation as a club cricketer at that point.”
11th over: England 49-1 (Crawley 24, Pope 18) Alzarri Joseph continues – I thought Brathwaite would have made a change by now – but the quick keeps Crawley quiet, delivering a maiden.
Richard O’Hagan is back: “To follow on from Gareth Owen, I once kept wicket in a game where my slip cordon was Dan Norcross and Aatif Nawaz. I have honestly not laughed as much on a cricket pitch before or since. It was well worth the eye infection (and resulting eye condition) that I ended up with that day (no blame on any TMS commentators for that).”
10th over: England 49-1 (Crawley 24, Pope 18) Pope’s authoritative start continues with a well-controlled pull off Seales for four more.
Updated
9th over: England 43-1 (Crawley 24, Pope 14) Pope is on the move, pressing forward to cut behind point for four before a fine off-drive gets him another boundary. Moments later, there’s a delicious cover drive – Pope moves to 13 off just six.
OK, keep the convoluted nonsense coming but let’s get back to the cricket, too. Pope is on strike as Alzarri Joseph continues from the Nursery End.
Gareth Owen writes in: “Not even a cricketer – but when I arrived as a first year undergraduate at St Johns, Oxford, the third-year President Of The Junior Common Room was a puckish Dan Norcross.”
Ben Sheppard has his: "My Dad - Francis Sheppard - claims he got Dickie Bird out in consecutive seasons when Dickie was the professional for a club side. ‘That’s my bunny!’ he’d yell when Dickie’s umpiring career put him on TV when I was a child.”
A belter. “When we were both teenagers, David Gower’s mum lived two doors down from my parents in Loughborough,” writes Adam Roberts. “My girlfriend told me he had pulled up in his car (fancy!) and asked her out. She said no because we had just started going out!”
“Enjoying your OBO – and lucky you getting to see what might be Jimmy’s final wicket,” writes Tom Paternoster-Howe. “If he’s a superstitious sort, he’ll be hoping you work your magic for him on Thursday/Friday.
“Regarding tangential connections to cricketers, my wife’s grandad was quite a figure on the Yorkshire cricket scene until the 1980s. He was good friends with Sir Len Hutton and they remained in correspondence for years after Hutton’s retirement.
“There may be closer or more interesting connections, but they won’t be to a better batter than Sir Len.”
Here’s mine: Phil Simmons, I’m pretty sure, was at my master’s graduation earlier this year.
Some terrific convoluted stuff coming in. Here’s Michael Griffin: “Graeme Swann’s Dad (an extremely decent cricketer himself) taught me GCSE maths. I got a A.”
John Tumbridge writes: “I was at school with Toby Roland-Jones uncle in the 1970’s.” Class.
Wisden.com’s Ben Gardner, sat next to me at Lord’s, tells me he went to uni with a guy who went to school with Nick Gubbins. Huge.
Richard O’Hagan writes: “I’m pretty sure that I am not actually related to any Test cricketers, but I went to school with Geoff Howarth’s stepson and used to work with HE ‘Tom’ Dollery’s daughter (who actually turned out for our work cricket team on one memorable occasion.”
TEA: England 30-1
8th over: England 30-1 (Crawley 24, Pope 1) Duckett wasn’t at his best out there, struggling to find room for that slash outside off that would get him up and running. Pope is the new man and he gets a single with his second ball. There’s an lbw shout off the last ball of the over, Seales to Crawley, but it’s probably too high.
WICKET! Duckett c Da Silva b Seales 3 (England 29-1)
Seales begins the over with a full delivery outside off, Duckett wants some of that … but gets a faint nick. Josh Da Silva tidies up behind the stumps and Seales is ecstatic.
7th over: England 29-0 (Crawley 24, Duckett 3) Crawley delivers a lovely back-foot punch through point for two to begin Alzarri Joseph’s fourth over. The right-hander whips through midwicket for a boundary as Joseph goes too straight – he’s on 24 and really looking the part now … and just as I type, the big man delivers a thoroughly wild play-and-miss outside off. He’s terrific fun to watch.
“While I don’t think I’ve ever met him, Gus Atkinson is my half-cousin once-removed (my mum’s half-sister’s grandson),” writes Barney Jeffries. “And Harry Brook’s mum used to cut my nieces’ hair. Yes, I am quite proud of both of these. What convoluted connections to cricketers do other OBOers have?”
Get stuck in, readers.
6th over: England 23-0 (Crawley 18, Duckett 3) Seales has a short midwicket in play as he meets Duckett, who’s had a rusty start here. The left-hander gets off strike with a single before Crawley shows some respect with a leave outside off.
“Interesting that Jimmy Anderson and Chris Woakes each took one wicket at exactly their test average,” writes Ronald Grover. “Looking forward to Gus keeping up with his!”
5th over: England 21-0 (Crawley 17, Duckett 2) Crawley drops the ball into the covers to sneak a well-judged single. Alzarri Joseph then has Duckett dropped at backward point! Duckett flashed at one outside off, it carried all the way and should have been taken by Mikyle Louis. Crawley pulls over mid-on for four and then drives through the covers for a couple to end the over.
4th over: England 11-0 (Crawley 10, Duckett 1) Crawley begins to tick. He sneaks a boundary to the third-man rope before driving Seales through the covers. Seales isn’t intimidated; he sticks to his tight line and doesn’t concede from the three remaining deliveries in the over.
3rd over: England 3-0 (Crawley 2, Duckett 1) Duckett gets off the mark with a leg glance for one, and the sun emerges at Lord’s, embracing much of the outfield. Alzarri Joseph, going around the wicket, nearly gets Duckett to drag on at the end of the over, the left-hander trying to cut a ball that was too straight.
“This young Windies team are a gutsy lot, as evidenced in Australia last winter,” writes Dean Kinsella. “I reckon they’ll bounce back from this. Besides this collapse wasn’t really their fault. That was just excellent bowling, fielding and captaincy from England. So wonderful to see our great captain bowling so freely again.”
2nd over: England 1-0 (Crawley 1, Duckett 0) Jayden Seales has the new ball from the other end. He’s not as quick as Alzarri Joseph but carries a strong, front-on action, bowling a tight line to Crawley, who can’t seem to find the middle at the moment. Maiden.
1st over: England 1-0 (Crawley 1, Duckett 0) Alzarri Joseph begins with pace, at 90mph, but sees his first ball scuttle to the keeper. His third ball is a terrific yorker that nearly does for Crawley, the ball squeaking to the slip cordon, and the batters try and steal a run off it … Crawley would’ve been done for had the throw hit the stumps as he turned back to return. England get away with it as Joseph shows off some serious, consistent speed.
Zak Crawley, towering over his bud at the other end, Ben Duckett, takes strike. Alzarri Joseph has the ball at the Nursery End. Let’s play!
West Indies, not long ago, were 88 for three. And then came Gus. Stokes, Woakes and Anderson took one apiece, and Shoaib Bashir didn’t even get a bowl. The good news for the visitors? It’s the bowling attack that’s their strong point. Very excited to see Shamar Joseph thunder in.
West Indies 121 all out – Gus Atkinson takes seven for 45
It’s Anderson’s week but Atkinson’s day. He walks off with seven for 45, the third-best innings figures by an England men’s Test debutant. What a spectacular arrival for the Surrey tearaway.
Updated
WICKET! Seales lbw Anderson 2 (West Indies 121 all out)
Afternoon, all. Anderson continues his search for No. 701, having a leg-before shout turned down before nipping one down the slope to beat the bat and the stumps.
And there it is, the nip-backer hitting the left-handed Seales on the back pad. There’s a review, but also three reds. West Indies’ collapse is complete and Anderson gets to join the party.
41st over: West Indies 121-9 (Motie 14, Seales 2) Shot! Motie takes a ball from well wide of the off stump out to deep backward point for four. Atkinson adjusts his length back, whacks him on the thigh; the left-hander looks determined guts this out. He has one last ball here to finish it off… and is cut away for four. Nicely played. Trott’s 8/43 record from 1895 lives on with Atkinson now up to 7/45. But what an hour of play. And that’s me done too. Over to Taha Hashim for all that comes next. See you on Saturday, provided the Test Match is still going then. Nice to share a few hours with you all!
40th over: West Indies 112-9 (Motie 5, Seales 2). Anderson doesn’t get the wicket he’s craving, conceding a boundary to third man in the process. He looks a bit flat; everyone else cashing in but him – it’s a relatable experience. But back to Gus, who gets another chance at the best ever figures on Test debut – that’d be very cool.
39th over: West Indies 107-9 (Motie 1, Seales 1). Ohhhh! Three balls at No11 and his first, to Seales, is on target but finds an inside edge. Six runs to play with, one wicket to get. And it doesn’t happen. JJ Ferris’ 7/37 is now the equal best for England.
And they’re bringing Jimmy back for a go at Seales from the Nursery End.
WICKET! S Joseph c Pope b Atkinson 0 (West Indies 106-9)
Caught at third man! Wild stuff. But the real story is Atkinson, he has 7/36!
The best ever figures on debut are 8/43 and he has three balls left in this over!!!
WICKET! Joseph c Woakes b Atkinson 17 (West Indies 106-8)
Six-fa for Atkinson! Joseph tries to pop him on the moon and does a decent job of it in terms of height, but it only lands as far as Woakes at mid-on.
38th over: West Indies 106-7 (Joseph 17, Motie 1). Woakes to Motie, different story – survival, leaving alone, not feeding the four slips. But he is of the mark with a shovel into the onside, Joseph then taking one of his own to keep the strike for Gus. Good!
37th over: West Indies 104-7 (Joseph 16, Motie 0). Counter attack! After a triple-wicket maiden, Atkinson sees the ball whistling to the rope four times in five balls! Two flicks over midwicket to get into the groove, a straight smash past the bowlers’ boots then a glorious lofted cover drive. In the process, the 100 is up for the Windies. And that all came after the 4/0 in the previous couple of overs. It’s all happening. Also, shots of Viv Richards on his feet cheering the boundaries with gusto – you love to see it.
The bonkers Pope catch for you now.
Chris Woakes takes his 150th Test wicket 🔥
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2024
What a catch from Ollie Pope to dismiss Kavem Hodge 😱 pic.twitter.com/uxj2UGuHVe
36th over: West Indies 88-3 (Joseph 0, Motie 0). Wicket maiden. As I catch up and gather my thoughts (and your emails), here’s the Atkinson three-in-four.
A five-wicket haul on Test match debut for Gus Atkinson 👏
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2024
Alick Athanaze, Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva fall in the space of FOUR balls 🤯 pic.twitter.com/PGGICbTgmS
WICKET! Hodge c Pope b Woakes 24 (West Indies 88-7)
Stunning! Pope at short point, that’s a staggering catch! Hodge has middled his cut shot, properly creamed, and the vice-captain has somehow snaffled it. Chris Woakes has 150 Test wickets. The West Indies have lost 4/0 in eight balls. Carnage at Lord’s.
35th over: West Indies 88-6 (Hodge 24, Joseph 0). Yuk! Joseph has one ball to deal with and he’s hit by Atkinson, ducking into a short ball. He’s okay but they will have to go through the concussion protocols. A triple-wicket maiden. Blimey.
Can I hear more from facebook posters (believe me, you don’t want to be in these groups) insisting that Atkinson was only picked because he plays for Surrey?
WICKET! Da Silva c Smith b Atkinson 0 (West Indies 88-6)
Not a hat-trick but Da Silva is caught behind second ball! Atkinson has three in four balls, a five-wicket bag and one ball left in this over. Stunning stuff! Also a first catch for Jamie Smith… how often will we see that combination into the future?
WICKET! Holder c Brook b Atkinson 0 (West Indies 88-5)
Atkinson is on a hat-trick on debut! He squares up Holder first ball, the edge straight to Brook at third slip! Hat-tricks on debut, drink it in for a moment.
Updated
WICKET! AthanazE c Root b Atkinson 23 (West Indies 88-4)
Tidy! Atkinson does just as he did at McKenzie earlier, pitching on off-stump, angling away from the left-hander, finding the edge and Root doing nicely low to his right at slip. Athanaze’s innings promised so much but he departs slowly, unfulfilled.
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34th over: West Indies 88-3 (Athanaze 23, Hodge 24). Can Woakes get it talking at Hodge again? Not hugely. Some swing but not massive. A quiet maiden.
33rd over: West Indies 88-3 (Athanaze 23, Hodge 24). Athanaze. lovely. A third driven four of the brief session, this time taking Atkinson through cover with class. Into the 20s, without a lot going on, he’s giving himself a chance to do something substantial. As Brathwaite said at the toss this morning, it’s important his side dreams big.
According to Cricviz, Gus Atkinson's first over is the second-fastest by an England bowler on Test debut in the ball-tracking era
— Stephan Shemilt (@stephanshemilt) July 10, 2024
Finn 88.73mph
Atkinson 87.86
Wood 87.78
Stone 87.00
Archer 86.65
Ball 86.64
Shahzad 85.80
Jordan 85.30
32nd over: West Indies 82-3 (Athanaze 18, Hodge 23). Woakes round the wicket to the lefty Athanaze now, in response to the two boundaries in his previous over at him. He finds a length soon enough but drifts onto the pads; an easy single follows. Back at Hodge, that’s the match-up Woakes would really want, and he beats him with the first ball of the session that’s hooped away from the right-hander. Missed it by a bit.
31st over: West Indies 81-3 (Athanaze 17, Hodge 23). Four, four, four, SIX – the first four scoring shots since lunch. The latter of the sequence is, dare I say it, positively Caribbean with Kavem hooking Atkinston. Sure, it’s a bit top-edgey – but the majority hooks that go the full journey are, right? I’m into it. Keep hooking, live happy.
Sanga has a pair of Ideas Man sunnies on, earning plenty of attention online.
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) July 10, 2024
30th over: West Indies 73-3 (Athanaze 16, Hodge 16). Shot of the day from Athanaze? A contender for it, straight driving for four past Woakes’ boots – that’s delightful. And letting the good times roll, he goes again – this time wide of mid-off, the result the same. I mentioned before that Athanaze is a popular player for a guy who hasn’t done anything substantial yet for the West Indies but he’s very watchable.
“Hi Adam.” John Starbuck!! You’ve all here today; loving that as an OBO-occasional these days. “I don’t, for once, have a lot to say just now as I’m still recovering from hospital and am therefore sober. But it is good to be back in front of a proper OBO. Well done.”
Nice to be having a little gallop, I miss this place. I’m also doing Saturday arvo.
29th over: West Indies 65-3 (Athanaze 8, Hodge 16). Intent! Atkinson bangs one in that leaps at Hodge’s chest and he gets inside to swivel it out to long leg for a boundary first ball of the session. He defends the rest, playing himself back in.
Gus Atkinson to Kavem Hodge. Pavilion End. Play.
The players are slowly making their way back out there…
“Hi Adam.” Hello, Tom Gauterin. Ref today’s OBO, 27th over: ‘which player has had the greatest test career played under only one PM.’
“Turns out there is a hands-down winner. Membership of a club where a PM lasted long enough to enable a player to have a noteworthy career means it’s limited to those who played under Thatcher or Blair. And the only top notch England player who played a full career under either one turns out to be... Marcus Trescothick, whose 76 Tests fell entirely in the Blair years, 2000-2006. 5825 runs at 43.79. A great shame that, because of his much-publicised struggle with depression, he wasn’t able to carry on into the Brown years and disqualify himself.”
That’s a lunch time well spent, Tom!
Adam Roberts is angry. “Watching bleary-eyed from the Caribbean, but supporting England. Lovely to see the rapturous applause from the Long Room and the daughters ringing the bell but Jimmy’s face just brought up my feelings about this. This is no way to treat your record-breaking bowler and I feel this for two reasons; first personal - I want to see him bowl next week at Trent Bridge when I have tickets; second - give him the summer. ‘Finish your (outstanding) Test career bowling from the Jimmy Anderson End at Old Trafford’ - how hard would that have been? Didn’t Sir Viv say he wanted to finish his career playing for the Windies in the World Cup and they said no, you’re done - there’s the door. Pigheaded and wrong.”
I respectfully disagree but I won’t repeat my reasons! Thanks for writing.
“Good day Adam!” Kim Thonger, great to see you here. “My good friend Charlie Palmer is at the ground today, greeting old pals warmly in his quaint Yorkshire way. I do not think he will mind me sharing this tale. He once saw 22 wickets fall in a day at a Lord’s Test, but the key claim is that he saw two of them fall while peering through the porthole windows in the urinals in the old Warner stand. He insists that each wicket was on a separate visit, but cannot offer any witnesses to support these assertions. If any spectators remember this and can back him up I’m sure he’d appreciate their support.”
I reckon that’ll be the 21 taken here in 2000 when the Windies were in town.
“Hi Adam.” Dean Kinsella! Great to see all these familiar names. “Lovely to have test cricket back after the faster rhythms of T20 and euro footer. They were chatting on the tv comms about the management decision to retire Jimmy with a view to settling in the new attack which will be needed in Australia. Much as I am gutted to be losing the player who has given me the most utter joy over the years, it is an example of the excellent managerial decisions since Mr Key took over and in exactly the same way that Portugal’s management of their GOAT isn’t.”
Yep, and it’s not all that either, just a bit of balanced medium-term thinking. It may not be appreciated every day of this summer but should/might be in 12-18 months.
“So good to be watching a proper the test match (albeit only on the television) without all the razzmatazz of the limited over internationals,” says Julia Gordon.
As much as I appreciate short-form cricket, and enjoyed being on Long Island for the World Cup in June, I couldn’t agree with you more.
“Last time I was at Lord’s captains were Gower and Richards… a wonderful era!”
Gower, I can report, was in fine form umpiring last week at the Cricket Writers’ Club match v the Lord’s Tavs at Highgate. I have a foot in both camps, captaining CWC last week but playing for the Tavs for much of the summer… but happy CWC had a win.
And a team to finish? Let’s do it, Mac Millings: “Thank you for the continued sterling work. In case you are interested, I put together an All-time Farewell XI in honour of dear old Jimmy:
Sau-revoir Ganguly
Tara-hul Dravid
‘Arry-vederci Brook
Nasser Hu”Auf Wieder”ssain
Neil Farewell, brother
Sanath Jayasuriya Later, Alligator
Adieu-leep Mendis
Missing You Alfreddy Flintoff
Parting is Peter Such Sweet Sorrow
Tino Best Wishes
Jimmy AnderSoLong.”
That lunch queue was longer than I remembered! Back into it. A selection of your emails coming next; the resumption is about 12 minutes away.
From 34-0 to 44-3. They were the defining 11 overs in the middle of the session but from there, the Windies have made it to the first break without further loss. The hosts will be thrilled that two of the three were from the hand of debutant Atkinson, who dines with excellent figures of 2/2 from five overs. Stokes jagged the other, the top-scorer Louis (27) thanks to a stunner from Brook at third slip. Nothing yet for Jimmy but 0/20 from nine, he’s looking more likely than not across two spells so far.
Right, I’m going to the lunch queue. Back shortly! For now, listen to a podcast.
LUNCH: West Indies 61-3
28th over: West Indies 61-3 (Athanaze 8, Hodge 12). Stokes tries a few things to Athanaze in the over before lunch, throwing in an extra slip then going around the wicket, but the left-hander is safely through the interval. Lunch it is!
27th over: West Indies 61-3 (Athanaze 8, Hodge 12). Every run hurts Anderson, be it an Athanaze clip for one or a Hodge carve for four. The latter is from a poor delivery, which has been rare from Anderson through the session. As they note on telly, he’s been fuller since coming back into the attack but this was there to be cut and was – his second four. He’s on the hip of Hodge to end the over but Duckett is tucked around the corner to make a diving stop at leg gully – saved at least one, possibly a boundary. They’ll get one more over in but it’ll Stokes rather than Bashir to finish the session.
Oh! Turns out I forgot a couple of PMs, including Truss – can’t be blamed there. Thanks Alex Gaywood (and others) for correcting: Blair, Brown, Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak and Starmer. “Does this lead into a horrendous stats question if which player has had the greatest test career played under only one PM?”
26th over: West Indies 56-3 (Athanaze 7, Hodge 8). Might we get a look at Bashir before the interval? But probably not with the ball doing enough for both Stokes, into his seventh over here, and Jim. The captain is driven through cover for three by Athanze but that won’t bother him too much. From there, Hodge is playing for lunch.
“The 22nd of May 2003,” begins Alex Gaywood, “a great day for English test debutants. Not only was there Jimmy Anderson who will finish with somewhere between 700 to 717 test wickets, but let’s not forget about Anthony McGrath. With a test batting average of forty and a bowling average of just fourteen surely he must be in the discussion for greatest ever all rounder.”
As a clever colleague said to me the other day (so clever that I can’t recall who it was), McGrath is the Andrew McDonald of English 2000s cricket.
25th over: West Indies 53-3 (Athanaze 4, Hodge 8). Good grief, don’t get run out within ten minutes of lunch, fellas! Anderson, peppering the inside part of Hodge’s bat, gets one to angle the other way and the ball runs behind point – all good. But the running is chaotic, at first no call then suddenly several. They get back in time.
“What you need in Australia is a settled team,” says Andrew Strauss on TV on the changes England are making. “You don’t want bowlers who are vulnerable.” Agree with this. As someone who has been watching Test cricket in Australia every summer for 30 years, so many talented but inexperienced quicks have struggled. Getting Tests into bowlers in a variety of conditions isn’t everything but it’s not nothing. And it will help them feel, as Strauss notes, part of something closer to settled by that point.
24th over: West Indies 50-3 (Athanaze 3, Hodge 6). Top shot, the best of the morning since Louis’ off-drive in the first over, with Hodge lofting over the off-side for four. Some risk I suppose, but you wouldn’t want it any other way. 12 minutes until lunch.
“Hi Adam.” Andrew Upritchard, welcome to you. “I also witnessed Jimmy’s international debut at the MCG. I was not even aware of that until you just pointed it out - thank you! I wasn’t on a first date, however, just my first trip to Australia for the Ashes tour. I do remember watching Jimmy in the nets, though. It feels so long ago and a lot has happened since. Jimmy just kept going. An amazing athlete. He will be missed.”
Can timestamp many ways but, in terms of global affairs, that international debut was four months before the second Iraq War. And has now played under six PMs.
23rd over: West Indies 46-3 (Athanaze 3, Hodge 2). Anderson conceded nine runs in his first over then three from his next six – frugal to the end. One of those comes via the inside edge from the last ball of the over to Hodge, which is an old-fashioned inswinger. Not a delivery he bowled a lot early in his career but through the period when he was untouchable, it was just as effective as his traditional outswinger. He’s already getting a lot more movement through the air in this second spell.
Here’s the Brook snaffle. Handy.
What a catch from Harry Brook 😱
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2024
Ben Stokes picks up the wicket of Mikyle Louis 💪 pic.twitter.com/QKyyYfONay
22nd over: West Indies 45-3 (Athanaze 3, Hodge 1). Stokes moving the ball through the air as he was in the previous over, that’s what prompted the error and edge – really good cricket from the captain getting one to hold its line. It’s Kavem Hodge at no5, a man in form with a ton to his name in the tour match last week. Just two Tests so far but a vital 71 at Brisbane to help knock off Australia. Different to the two men who came before him, he’s a touch older at 31 so he needs to make the most of every opportunity. And he’s off the mark first ball with a clip to long leg. Athanaze, does the rest but it’s still a successful over for the home side who have taken three for 10.
“Hi Adam.” Hi Gary Naylor, who I caught up with this morning in the Lord’s lifts! “It’s a curiosity of cricket, but big memories of players are often attached to their secondary skill - Flintoff running out Ponting at The Oval in 2009 is one such. That wouldn’t have mattered had Jimmy and Monty not batted out 37 minutes at Cardiff in the most stomach-clenching circumstances imaginable. I kept waiting for Punter to whistle up Ben Hilfenhaus to bounce them out, but he never did. Had the pair not taken another wicket in their careers, they’d be heroes still.”
Turned out to be an Ashes-defining stand. Underrated series (due to 2005).
WICKET! Louis c Brook b Stokes 27 (West Indies 44-3)
A beauty! Brook at third slip had a long way to go after Stokes found Louis’ bat defending, getting underneath it with his right fingers. As Nasser says, “a catch that Stokes himself would be proud of… outstanding!” It really is. Better with each replay.
Updated
21st over: West Indies 44-2 (Louis 27, Athanaze 3). Jimmy Anderson returns to replace Atkinson at the end of his spell, given a chance at Athanze – how he’s loved bowling at left-handers from this end across the journey. And sure enough, within three balls he’s beating him in the off-stump channel with a gorgeous swinging delivery. It’s the highlight of a maiden that ends with Smith diving down leg – tidy work.
20th over: West Indies 44-2 (Louis 27, Athanaze 3). Handy little double act this with Atkinson and Stokes giving nothing away since Anderson and Woakes had a blow. This time around, it’s a genuine inswinger from Stokes that nearly ends Louis’ day, just missing the off-stump having beaten the inside edge. Stokes v1.0 was a quite superb swing bowler – his spell here at the Windies in 2017 was one of the best I’ve seen, as was his (largely forgotten) 6fa against Australia at Notts in 2015. There was a boundary here earlier, but that was via the inside edge and ever so close to drama for the man on debut as well. He needs to reset now and make it to lunch.
19th over: West Indies 40-2 (Louis 23, Athanaze 3). Another Atkinson maiden – four in five to begin his life as a Test bowler. Imagine the nerves overnight, knowing he was playing, so many eyes on it being Lord’s and Anderson’s finale and so on. Half an hour later, he can run in and bowl as confidently as this. Key/McCullum will be chuffed.
“I like a bit of sentiment in sport, Adam.” Me too, Simon McMahon. “There should be more of it, within reason of course. A farewell Test for Jimmy at Lord’s? Yes please. Doubles with brother Jamie on Centre Court for Andy? You bet. One more stage win for Cav in Le Tour? Why not. Tiger wants to play in next years Masters? Go for it. What is sport without emotion anyway?”
That is how my brain is hardwired too. We aren’t meant to be computers and cricket isn’t played on spreadsheets. I genuinely think they’ve handled this well.
18th over: West Indies 40-2 (Louis 23, Athanaze 3). Stokes building into his spell now, finding a nice channel outside the off stump to Louis who, eventually, can’t resist and has a little dart but it misses the edge and Crawley is the only man appealing. Maiden.
“Enjoying the OBO and wanted to chip in on the Jimmy Anderson memories.” Thanks, Jon Fortune. “It seems odd to say given the number of wickets he’s taken, but I always seem to remember Jimmy being a bowler that didn’t get the wickets his bowling deserved. The number of near unplayable spells, how many times batters played and missed, the wickets he created for others. It feels as if he really earnt the wickets he has got. The figures he ends with, just further testament to his astonishing longevity at the top.”
Occupational hazard for a quick? Then again, I also say that as an off-spinner…
17th over: West Indies 40-2 (Louis 23, Athanaze 3). Gus concedes a run from his 19th delivery – there we go. A compact drive from Athanaze just past Stokes at point for a couple. Atkinson drags the length back a tad later in the over to beat him outside the off-stump with a ball that wobbles and lands – just where he wants to be at that pace. And some variety to finish too, bringing one back to him through the air. Nice.
16th over: West Indies 38-2 (Louis 23, Athanaze 1). Stokes is all over Louis, attacking both edges. A slight misdirect brings a leg bye that Smith can’t quite reach then Athanaze gets his first run with a clip off his hip to keep the strike.
Nick Donovan’s favourite Jimmy memory: “It has to be day 5 at Trent Bridge in 2013. Jimmy bowling 13 overs on the spin, and despite taking 3 wickets to get Australia 9 down, it looked like Brad Haddin was going to get them over the line. The excitement of each wicket tempered by runs scored. The lunch break delayed, with Stuart Broad taking his boot off mid over to get England off the park, and Jimmy comes back after lunch to finally get Haddin. And that was ELEVEN years ago, almost to the day.”
Anderson was asked about his own best moment and he cited this Test Match. Turned out it was the beginning of his most productive spell as a Test bowler.
Instead of giving a favourite, I’ll give you my first! I was there for Anderson’s international debut, December 2002, MCG. A one-day international. I took a FIRST DATE* with me that day, to the ‘new’ Bay 13 to be precise. It was the night everyone remembers for Warne busting his shoulder and ruining his summer but I took a mental note of the kid running in for England, up against Hayden and Ponting and Gilchrist running up a huge score. To think his career goes back that far.
* Somehow, that lasted for a couple of years. My highlight was buying a Mark Waugh lifesize cardboard cut-out for a round of beers. Still at my parents’ place!
15th over: West Indies 36-2 (Louis 23, Athanaze 0). A wicket two balls after drinks, bringing Alick Athanaze to the middle – a player with a distinctive name who has generated plenty of hype in his brief international career. Granted, his output so far doesn’t justify that hype but there’s something about him, and all that. Another southpaw, the 25-year-old leaves, defends then edges – but with soft enough hands. A wicket maiden and the best of Atkinson’s three overs so far. Two wickets and no runs conceded for him… anyone care to find out for me the most number of wickets for a bowler in a Test before coughing up a run? There’ll be a database somewhere, right?
They’re firing up the hover cover beneath me. No rain yet but all the lights are on and it feels like we might be getting some bad weather. But for now, play continues.
WICKET! McKenzie c Crawley b Atkinson 1 (West Indies 36-2)
That’s a lovely wicket for Atkinson; his second in three overs. On the middle stump line across the left-handed McKenzie, there’s just enough movement to clip the edge when driving, flying to Crawley at second slip who seldom puts them down.
Updated
A couple of emails while they drink…
“Hi Adam.” Hi, Chris Roberts. “If the England management think Jimmy isn’t good enough anymore then fair enough, but otherwise why wouldn’t you keep picking him for 2 or 3 games per series? He doesn’t need to play every game, it would benefit to keep him fresh when he does play and this would still allow others a chance.”
The simple way to explain that is the spot he occupies when playing is one that could otherwise be invested in Atkinson/Pennington/Potts (and others) as they build the attack for the next generation. It is more about them than Jimmy at this point.
Lovely to see Pete Salmon in the inbox too: “Just spending a little time pondering the fact that England’s wicket keeper in Jimmy’s first test was the now 61-year-old Alec Stewart, who recently retired after a long post-playing career in cricket admin...”
I’ll go one better than that. Jimmy made his List A debut in May 2000 against Derek Randall, who made his pro debut in 1971 and is now 73. My fave Jim stat!
14th over: West Indies 36-1 (Louis 23, McKenzie 1). “A change of bowling at the Nursery End, the England captain, Ben Stokes.” Here he is, then. We’ve all seen the clips of him looking red-hot for Durham, can he slip straight into that groove? The bounce is noticable right away, hitting the splice of McKenzie. The wider ball is played at and missed, but the straight one is well handled with a single to cover; his first Test run in England. And that’ll be drinks! All told, a quiet hour at HQ.
13th over: West Indies 35-1 (Louis 23, McKenzie 0). Why Atkinson ahead of others with perhaps a lower bowling average or more bags of wickets at the level below? A combination of his beautiful action and genuine pace – two things that go a long way. He looked the goods right away as a limited-overs operator for England last summer and this debut has been a long time coming. Indeed, he was the only member of the touring squad in India not to get a go earlier this year (from memory!). He’s up towards 90mph a few of times here at Louis, finding an inside edge at one stage and a thigh pad on another. Already a good contest between the new men.
12th over: West Indies 35-1 (Louis 23, McKenzie 0). McKenzie’s brief Test career has been a solid one, registering scores of 50, 25, 21 and 41 against Australia in a low-scoring series in February – another 23-year-old they are investing in early. The main feature of his play in those matches was his driving through the posh side and that’s what he’s already looking to do here, albeit straight to mid-off twice.
ANOTHER? LOUIS GIVEN OUT CAUGHT BEHIND… BUT OVERTURNED. It won’t be Chris Woakes’ 150th Test scalp. It sure looked it as the England players went up as one, the best ball of the day so far from Woakes to Louis. Up went the finger but the review followed and there’s no line on the snicko machine, so that’s that.
11th over: West Indies 34-1 (Louis 22, McKenzie 0). Kirk McKenzie in at three, the left-hander not having a huge amount to worry about as Atkinson finds his groove again after getting the breakthrough It isn’t a massive club of bowlers to do it with their first ball (Arty Conningham’s is an extraordinary life/family story to look up if you get a chance), and Atkinson doesn’t join it, of course, but what a relief for the Surrey quick getting that out of the way right away. He has a lot to offer, make no mistake.
WICKET! Brathwaite b Atkinson 6. West Indies 34-1
Gus Atkinson gets a wicket with his second ball in Test cricket! Well wide of the stumps, the Windies captain has a dart at a drive, but no footwork to speak of and it slams back on to his off-stump. Extra pace, 88mph, into the book. Easy game!
10th over: West Indies 34-0 (Brathwaite 6, Louis 22) Well look at that… SIX RUNS! Louis sees a Woakes ball outside the leg stump and full enough to flick so flick he does, all the way into the Grandstand. Woakes responds as you would expect him to though, going past his outside edge with another good’un. “We’re just starting to see some movement,” says Stuart Broad on telly, noting that with the Dukes ball it can do a lot more after the first ten overs. Nevertheless, we’re seeing a bowling change…
9th over: West Indies 28-0 (Brathwaite 6, Louis 16) Anderson’s busiest over yet. He gives a tempter to Louis, who plays and misses – how many of those have caught the edge across the last 21 years? It happens again from the next ball, albeit one that’s a more conventional first-hour-play-and-miss. Then he goes to work with balls coming back towards the woodwork, an inside edge saving the opener – so close to a full-blooded appeal for leg before but not to be. And an edge to finish, spitting through fifth slip. Anderson will be both buoyed and frustrated, zeroing in on the prize.
8th over: West Indies 27-0 (Brathwaite 6, Louis 15) No real dramas yet for the Windies openers other than a couple of plays and misses, Louis pushing one to mid-off then Brathwaite playing in that direction as well for a couple. Woakes builds into it though, leading to an absolute beauty to finish – how has that missed Brathwaite’s edge?
“Good Morning Adam, good morning all.” Good morning, Em Jackson (I am for reeeeal). Niche there from me there but some of you will appreciate the sentiment. “Like so many around the World, I’m in awe of a certain James “Jimmy” Anderson and those stats (and as someone over 40, his stats from being 35 to date, doing it for the older player…. In the same way as a glasses wearer, Daniel Vettori & Jack Leach did it for us too!) but I’m also going to be “that person” – if Anderson was good to play this series, he should be playing the whole series. If he wasn’t good enough to play the whole series, he shouldn’t be allowed a valedictory Test at Lords.”
That will be the view of a lot of people and I respect it. But I also think they’ve explained this well. Does he warrant a spot today, against the Windies, at home? Sure. Does that mean it’s the right thing to pick him all summer ahead of other players who also warrant a spot this summer but with more to offer later? That’s the framework.
7th over: West Indies 24-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 14) Ooohhh down the slope now, Anderson has it wobbling the other way from that nagging length and Brathwaite leaves – it’s the right call but only just, and Jimmy knows it. Earlier in the over, a couple of singles from more a leg-stump line – yet to see one properly hoop from that end. As Jimmy explained in his BBC interview yesterday though, he doesn’t get worried when the ball doesn’t swing conventionally as he knows he has a big bag of tricks he can dig into. So far then, it’s the wobble seam for him this morning.
6th over: West Indies 22-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 13) Louis is defending and leaving then fishing at Woakes. But when he gets a chance to score later in the over, he puts away a short/wide one with complete ease, cut to the rope in front of Father Time.
Will Padmore supports the Anderson decision. “Jimmy’s stats have dropped off since the follow on in the second test against New Zealand. Pre the follow on in that test Anderson had 45 wickets at 15.9 under McCullum and Stokes. Since then, 15 wickets at 55.9, and he has only taken more than 2 wickets in an innings once (the second India test). I have sympathy for whoever replaces Anderson in the short term, the chances are that they will outperform Jimmy’s recent returns but be judged against a larger body of work that I don’t think Anderson is capable of anymore.”
I don’t think cricket teams should be picked on runs divided by wickets, it’s more nuanced than that, but I still think this has been handled well… on balance.
5th over: West Indies 18-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 9) Oooh yes Jimmy, that’s his corridor – just short of a length, Brathwaite goes back on that basis, the wobble-seam does its thing and passes the edge. And he does it again – two on the trot. That’ll feel good.
Nice Moeen Ali column here about playing with Anderson:
Jimmy always had this reputation for being grumpy and as a newcomer, who had watched him on the television growing up, I was a little bit intimidated before we met; not scared but a bit unsure of what he would be like. But right from day one, even having played with so many players by this stage and been so close with Graeme Swann, who I had come into the side for, he was really good with me.
4th over: West Indies 17-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 9) Woakes gets one to come back off the seam to start his second over and it crashes into Louis’ front pad – the appeal is there but no real consideration of a review after Umpire Menon turns it down. The man on debut handles the next ball well, pushes out to point for one. Ooh, a beauty follows – Brathwaite squared up a treat, the first ball to beat the bat. He can’t make it two in the row, sliding well down leg, but it’s a chance for Smith to show his skills with a diving stop to take with his left glove alone – that’ll be good for his nerves.
3rd over: West Indies 16-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 8) Anderson to Brathwaite and this is what we are used to: dot after dot, goods question after good question. Maiden.
“Morning Adam.” And to you, Iain McCulloch. “As a birthday surprise my wife took me to Lord’s for the second day of the 2018 Lord’s test (Ollie Pope’s debut) against India. First time to Lord’s, had a lovely wander around the old place and then took our seats at the Nursery End - on cue Jimmy bowls Murali Vijay neck-and-crop fifth ball with a delicious outswinger. Can picture it now as clearly as if I was there - a moment of high art. Thanks for the ridiculous amount of memories, Jimmy, sad that there won’t be more.”
I was asked during the week the best I’ve ever seen Jimmy bowl and cited that innings. On a spicy track and favourable overhead conditions, for sure. But you’ve still got to do the thing and he did it in style – borderline unplayable throughout.
Updated
2nd over: West Indies 16-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 8) Chris Woakes to run away from us at the Nursery End. Not his finest start, a couple on offer for Brathwaite on his pads then four leg byes when wider still of the leg stump, kissing the pad on route to the rope in front of the away dressing room. No swing to speak of either.
“Morning, Adam.” What’s the point of Chris Woakes? Not in general (he’s a lovely person and a very good cricketer), but what’s the point in England having him in the squad for this series? They’re pushing James Anderson out early specifically to give as much Test experience as possible to new bowlers for next year’s Ashes. But Chris Woakes is a known quantity, with plenty of experience, and with the best will in the world is very unlikely to win the Ashes for England in Australia. Shouldn’t his place be given to somebody new?”
Spoke about this in some depth with Geoff last night, but to try to capture that sentiment in a sentence: they still want to beat India at home next year and Woakes is ahead of Anderson in the pecking order after what he achieved in the Ashes. I think that’s a reasonable, balanced approach to what they are trying to do. Not easy.
1st over: West Indies 9-0 (Brathwaite 1, Louis 8). First ball of the Test, any nerves for Anderson? It doesn’t show if there is, the outswinger he’s bowled a million times before, well landed and well played by the Windies’ captain who places him forward of point for one. Mikyle Louis now, to face his first ball in Tests, and defends competently. A thick edge follows, wide of third slip – away for four. He’s away. And four more with a lovely off drive! He doesn’t move a muscle, looks most organised. So, nine of the first over – that hasn’t happened to him very often over the years.
Anderson at Lord’s? This is his 29th Test Match here! Only Angelo Mathews has played as many matches at one venue (Galle). His record tally at the ground is 119, six ahead of Broad – first and second by a street; how he would love to add a stack more to that on the way out. A reminder that he’s eight away from Shane Warne’s 708.
The players are ready. Jimmy has the ball; Brathwaite waits for him. PLAY!
More Jimmy as the anthems ring out, Rally followed by GSTK.
“Morning Adam, here we are.” Hello, Guy Hornsby. “A day of excitement tinged with real sadness. I was 28 when he first played for England. I was sad when Broad retired but I was there too, and it felt like just the end of the pairing only. I never warmed to him like I did with Jimmy until much later on in his career either. There are many players I’ve truly loved - Flintoff, Jones, Butch, Atherton, Hussain, DeFreitas, Malcolm, Small , Cook - but I was with Jimmy from his ODI against Australia at the start. No one else has meant so much or played for so long. I’m so glad I’ve got to see him play for England many times, and luckily got to meet him too. But I’m not ready for this. I’m definitely not ready for him to not play for Lancs.”
Suspect, per Jimmy yesterday, this might be his last game full-stop. We’ll see.
“Lamine Yamal was not even conceived when Jimmy made his debut,” adds Krishnamoorthy. “Let that sink in.” How about… he’d been playing international cricket for five years by the time he was born in 2007? A lot of that this week!
“Morning Adam.” Hi Simon McMahon. “Much like Andy Murray at Wimbledon, James Anderson has been part of the fabric of British sporting summers for the majority of the 21st century. A true champion, but also one who is about so much more than the bare statistics. Jimmy, like Andy, represented all that is good about sport. Incredible talent allied with hard work and dedication for sure, but also modesty, humour, and basic human decency. Favourite memories? I was at Old Trafford when James Anderson came on to bowl from the newly named James Anderson end for the first time, against South Africa (and took a wicket in his first over I think). And, in another Murray comparison, his teary eyed interview after Alistair Cook retired from Test cricket gets me every time.”
Lovely stuff. I’ll add a couple of my own memories though the morning.
And here’s the overseas TMS link for those wanting to get around geoblocks, etc.
Jimmy’s daughters ring the bell together. His nose scrunched up as he tried to hide back the emotion – how does that not get to you? Special moments here at Lord’s.
A further montage, this time the ECB’s with Nasser voicing it. They are playing it on the big screen as the England players wait at the top of the race in front of the long room, Jimmy half-watching (but paying attention), all eyes on him in the members.
And with that complete, the players have now made their way to line up for anthems.
“To be (incredibly) tedious,” says Rob Little, “someone on twitter pointed out last night that Joey Benjamin, born in St Kitts, played for England - this make Mikyle Louis the first man from St Kitts to play a test for the West Indies, I believe?”
Good pick up!
Jamie Smith is on Sky now with Athers. He’s a very mature and measured young fella and will have a job to do right away with the gloves. He’s asked about his wicketkeeping. “I’ve worked a lot with Ben Foakes and Alec Stewart and I’ve always had that at the top of my mind when the opportunities arise to ‘keep for Surrey.”
As I said off the top, Smith at No7 isn’t perfect – ideally, there would be a vacancy in the top six for a batter clearly ready for this next step. In the absence of that, this is the spot. It’s important to stress he isn’t a part-timer – he has taken the gloves in a third of the First Class games he has played and most of his white-ball outings too.
Love the openers on days like today. Here’s Sky Cricket’s – a beaut.
Jimmy's final Test.
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 10, 2024
Live from Lord's on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket from 10:15am 🌟📺 pic.twitter.com/GDZR2bTjOO
“My favourite Jimmy memory,” emails Richard O’Hagan, “is the time that he almost killed me. It was 23 August 2009, the day that England won back the Ashes (I am sure you remember). I had a seat on the bottom of the stand at the Vauxhall End of the Oval and was talking to friends as the England team warmed up in front of us. At one point Jimmy fired in an errant throw and, because I was talking to friends, I didn’t hear Graeme Swann’s shout of warning. The first I knew of the danger was when the ball whistled past my left ear. I know that there are a thousand batters out there who must’ve experienced something similar, but at least they were expecting it.”
An interesting opening! And a worthy topic: let’s talk Jimmy memories. Ping them in.
A huge morning for Mikyle Louis. The man on debut is the first cricketer from St Kitts to play a Test Match. What do we know? Not a lot. The 23-year-old right-handed has played seven times for Leeward Islands and was in great nick towards the end of the domestic season to get on this trip with a ton and a few 50s in his last three hits. Then last week, against the County Select XI, he made a further half-century. Today, he’ll walk out at Lord’s alongside his captain to face JM Anderson with the Dukes.
The teams as named yesterday and confirmed at the toss.
England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, James Anderson
West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Joshua Da Silva (wk), Jason Holder, Gudakesh Motie, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales
Stokes speaks at the toss. “It’s really exciting for Gus and Jamie coming in. They both have high ceilings and have earned their spot in this team. We are always looking to progress as a team. It’s been a while since we were together in India and we’ve taken a look at where we want to take it and push it as far as we can go.”
On Jimmy: “We can expect complete heart, desire and passion to win.” Simple.
Kraigg Brathwaite’s turn. Says they would’ve bowled too. “It’s important batting first at Lord’s and we have to believe. You have to believe to achieve. Think big.”
Ben Stokes wins the toss, England are bowling first
The crowd roars (by Lord’s standards).
Forget what I said about it being muggy. That was an impression gained, I realise now, from a peak-hour tube ride. I just went out to the balcony in front of the press box and it is chilly, blustery, and dark. Forget about how the pitch looks – it’s always the same here for a Test Match – it’s the overheads that make this bowl first, all day.
Looking for some pre-Test listening, by the way? On The Final Word pod that I host with Geoff Lemon, also of this parish, we had Jimmy’s great mate Greg James on a few weeks ago. He was excellent in telling the story of the Anderson from beyond the boundary, the one we don’t know that well despite 20+ years in the public eye.
Jimmy Anderson Week begins.
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) July 10, 2024
Appropriately, the most win the toss and bowl morning imaginable. #ENGvWI https://t.co/c5hdWx8bxw pic.twitter.com/CFYFtSIF1Z
Preamble
“It’s a privilege to do this one last time.” It’s James Anderson Week at Lord’s, as the all-time great bows out this week after 188 Test Matches and 700-and-something Test wickets. The real privilege is sitting here at the Nursery End, ideally to watch him take the new ball this morning. That’s what either captain will surely do if the coin falls their way for it is muggy out there. But after days of rain, it is meant to stay away.
Of course, there’s more to this week than Jimmy alone. For starters, the hosts have two men on debut – Jamie Smith behind the stumps and Gus Atkinson to bowl as fast as he can. As Ben Stokes said quite clearly at his press conference yesterday, what we are seeing with his team this year is a transition to prepare for Australia. Sure, they want to win what’s in front of them, but they’re medium-term planning as well.
Those comments have prompted a bit of anger on the world wide web, but I think they’ve gotten this right. The only way to build for a future series is to use the current matches – there’s no clever in-between option. If they want Smith and Atkinson (and Pennington and Potts) to be battle-hardened Test players by the time India rock up here in 12 months time, and then for the Australian tour that follows, this is the time to put in the groundwork. It isn’t perfect, but selection seldom is. Time will tell.
As for the West Indies, for all the doom and gloom about the direction of travel with their Test cricket, don’t forget they knocked off Australia at the Gabba in stirring style back in February, their most recent start. The man who made that possible was Sharmar Joseph, who snared 7/68 on a magical Brisbane afternoon. We should be so lucky for the visitors, under veteran Kraigg Brathwaite, to perform just as well over the next three weeks. I’ll run through their team in a bit more detail as we go.
Right, let’s leave it there for the time being. As always, you can reach me via email or on the artist formerly known as twitter. We are about 15 minutes away from the toss.
Welcome to Lord’s - the home of cricket 😍🏡
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 10, 2024
📍@HomeOfCricket pic.twitter.com/mlErefntIA
