Ali Martin’s report has landed, so I’ll leave you with that. Thanks for your company and prog education – goodnight!
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Close of play
27th over: West Indies 71-1 (Brathwaite 28, Brooks 31) Brooks drags his bat inside the line of a nasty delivery from Leach that turns and bounces outside off stump.
The rest of the over is defended comfortably, and that’s the end of the second day’s play. England would have liked another couple of wickets tonight, but there has been enough life in the pitch to make them think this won’t be another bore draw.
The highlight of the day was a coruscating innings from Ben Stokes: 120 from 128 balls with 11 fours and six sixes. Statistics rarely do Stokes justice, but those numbers give a flavour of his spectacular performance.
Then, after England declared, the debutant Matt Fisher took a wicket with his second ball in Test cricket. There were no more breakthroughs after that, but England have plenty of time to try to force a victory.
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26th over: West Indies 71-1 (Brathwaite 28, Brooks 31) The occasional offspinner Dan Lawrence is going to bowl the penultimate over of the day, and why not. He could be a useful asset as the game progresses, because he does give the ball a rip. But for now there isn’t much happening, and Brooks and Brathwaite milk him for three runs.
25th over: West Indies 68-1 (Brathwaite 27, Brooks 29) A short ball from Leach is steered deftly to third man for four by Brathwaite, who looks calm and in control. Two overs remaining until the close.
24th over: West Indies 64-1 (Brathwaite 23, Brooks 29) Brooks plays inside the line of a sharp delivery from Mahmood that gets the England cordon excited. Another maiden from Mahmood. He doesn’t look like a particularly enjoyable bowler to face - he’s always at the batter, with his line, his body language and occasionally his mouth.
23rd over: West Indies 64-1 (Brathwaite 23, Brooks 29) Brathwaite back cuts Leach for four, a high-class stroke to a ball that wasn’t particularly wide. The next ball, slightly slower, is edged just short of slip. Leach is bowling nicely, but West Indies are playing him with authority.
22nd over: West Indies 58-1 (Brathwaite 17, Brooks 29) Brooks slaps a short ball from Mahmood towards backward point, where the diving Lees saves four runs with a brilliant stop. There’s still no movement for Mahmood, but he’s harassing the front pad as best he can. If they miss, he’ll hit.
A great spot from Tim de Lisle: Mahmood started with a maiden, which was an improvement on his previous internationals in the Caribbean.
“Further to prog cricket songs, the classic Genesis line-up Gabriel-Banks-Rutherford-Collins-Hackett are all West Indian cricketers,” says Clive Gifford. “Shannon Gabriel, Omari Banks, Pedro Collins, Sherfane Rutherford. Just need WI U-19 fast bowler Sion Hackett to step up and we’re away.”
21st over: West Indies 56-1 (Brathwaite 16, Brooks 28) Brathwaite scored 10 runs from his first five deliveries; since then he’s made six from 58.
BRATHWAITE IS NOT OUT!
There was indeed an edge, though it was the outside part of the bat. Brathwaite survives.
WEST INDIES REVIEW! Brathwaite given out LBW
Leach has changed ends and will replace Ben Stokes. He hits a nice full length immediately, and Brathwaite is given out LBW to a hideous grubber. I think there was an inside edge, and he has reviewed it immediately.
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20th over: West Indies 54-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 28) A good second over from Mahmood, with Brooks made to play at most deliveries. Mahmood’s line is generally pretty tight to the stumps.
19th over: West Indies 53-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 28) Stokes is hammering a good length, trying to find a bit of movement. There’s very little of that at the moment, and his third over passes without incident. Eight overs until the close.
18th over: West Indies 52-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 27) Now then, it’s time for Saqib Mahmood. There’s so much to like about his bowling, particularly his aggression. He beats Brathwaite with his third ball, a good one that straightens sharply outside off stump, and begins his Test career with a maiden.
“Hi all,” says Gabriel in Glastonbury (where we know about prog rock). “How about ‘Watcher of the Byes’ (Genesis featuring Geraint Jones)? Or Pink Floyd: ‘Shane Warne You Crazy Diamond’.”
That’s very good. It still doesn’t even begin to make sense, does it.
17th over: West Indies 52-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 27) It’s slightly surprising that Stokes has come on ahead of Saqib Mahmood, though Joe Root is probably holding him back in the hope of reverse swing. There are still 10 overs remaining tonight.
“Evening Rob, how about Keith Piper at the Gates of Dawn?” says James Higgott. “It features the instrumental prog classic, Interstellar Coverdrive.”
After the last hour I feel like I need to do a degree in prog rock.
16th over: West Indies 51-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 27) Leach strays past leg stump and is helped round the corner for four by Brooks. For all the oohs and aahs of the England fielders, West Indies have played Leach well so far.
Updated
15th over: West Indies 46-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 22) Ben Stokes replaces the impressive Matt Fisher after the drinks break. A quiet first over yields one run.
14th over: West Indies 45-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 21) Another probing over from Leach, his third maiden from four, and that’s drinks.
“On the prog rock cricket related theme, did Courtney Walsh, Sir Curtly Ambrose and Joel Garner feature in any of the line-ups of seventies band Gentle Giant?” says Colum Fordham. “If not, they really should have.”
Curtly has been in a few bands actually, though Gentle Giant aren’t one of them as he was 12 years old.
13th over: West Indies 45-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 21) Brooks edges Fisher towards third slip, where Crawley grabs the ball very close to the ground. He is unsure whether the catch is clean, so the umpires go upstairs.
The soft signal is not out, and the third umpire is satisfied that the ball scraped the ground. That’s a fair enough decision - we never really know with these low catches, but there’s no way he could have overturned the on-field signal.
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12th over: West Indies 41-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 17) There’s plenty of chat from the England fielders after every Leach delivery. A bit of smoke and mirrors, certainly, but there are a few things happening. Two from the over. Leach’s trajectory is slightly flat, though you can understand that as he gets into his work.
“Hi,” says Marcus Abdullahi. “2112 by Rush, one of the most iconic prog records of all time, was sadly not inspired by WJ Whitty of Australia, who between 1909 and 1912 took 65 Test wickets at 21.12.”
That’s an admirable and - if we’re honest - slightly scary level of knowledge/research.
11th over: West Indies 39-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 17) Matt Fisher changes ends to replace Chris Woakes, who bowled a pretty good spell of 5-3-17-0. He has a strangled LBW shout against Brooks, who got a late touch on a ball that would otherwise have pinned him in front.
An excellent over, with a bit of movement and a lovely full length, ends with Brooks flashing just wide of gully for four. This has been a really impressive start from Fisher.
10th over: West Indies 35-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 13) Leach has a slip, gully and short leg for the right-handers. He’s in his element here, with England 472 runs ahead, and Brooks is content to defend his second over. A maiden.
“Afternoon Rob, afternoon everyone,” says Adam Roberts. “Fowkes Tapes may be a little obscure as who remembers Faust? How about In the Court of The Collis King?”
9th over: West Indies 35-1 (Brathwaite 14, Brooks 13) Brooks feels for a Woakes outswinger, edging it wide of gully for four. It took a couple of overs but Woakes has found his range and is bowling really nicely.
“Does prog metal count?” writes Dani in Germany. “If so, Ayreon’s ‘Connect the Dots’ fits right in without needing to be changed.”
Until about four seconds ago I didn’t even know prog metal existed, so I don’t think I can answer that question. What other genres don’t I know about? Prog emo? Prog yacht rock?
8th over: West Indies 28-1 (Brathwaite 12, Brooks 8) Joe Root decides to have an early look at Jack Leach, which makes sense in the circumstances. He replaces Matt Fisher, who bowled a nice, never-to-be-forgotten-by-him spell of 3-0-10-1. Yep, 1, and with his second ball too.
Leach’s second ball is filthy, short and cut for four by Brooks, but the rest of the over is very encouraging for England. Brooks survives an LBW appeal after missing a sweep and then pulls his bat away from a big-spinning delivery.
“Can I be the 500th to say Pink Floyd’s The Wall?” says Matthew Doherty, who was actually the first person.
7th over: West Indies 24-1 (Brathwaite 12, Brooks 4) A really good over from Woakes, who tightens his line to good effect. Brathwaite edges short of the slips and is then surprised by a bit of extra bounce. There’s plenty of encouragement here for England, who hold precisely 99.94 per cent of the aces in this contest.
6th over: West Indies 24-1 (Brathwaite 12, Brooks 4) Fisher’s height looks to be his biggest asset. His pace is decent, no more, but he’s got a smooth action and gets a lot of bounce. You probably know his story, but if not... he made his Yorkshire debut aged 15, back in 2013, and has since had all kinds of injury problems. This is only his 22nd first-class game.
“Evening Rob from St Paddy’s Day in Dublin!” hics Simon Welch. “Prog albums: (Dennis Lillee) on the Beach - Tangerine Dream. (Let me know when you’re on to the thrash metal cricket albums - I’m your man!)”
Actually we’ve already got that pencilled in for the fourth millennium.
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5th over: West Indies 21-1 (Brathwaite 10, Brooks 3) I said Woakes’s line was immaculate in the previous over, but on reflection it was probably a fraction too wide. He’s certainly too wide in this over, with Brooks able to leave the first five deliveries. Another maiden.
4th over: West Indies 21-1 (Brathwaite 10, Brooks 3) Another unpleasant lifter from Fisher is defended awkwardly by Brooks, which prompts Joe Root to bring in a short leg.
Fisher gets carried away with the next ball, a bouncer that trampolines over Foakes for four byes, and is then clipped off the pads for four by Brooks. Good shot.
“Rob Keys to Ascension 2 (YES),” progs James Sparling.
3rd over: West Indies 14-1 (Brathwaite 10, Brooks 0) A better second over from Woakes - an immaculate line, with some seductive if gentle outswing. A maiden, the first of the day’s play.
“Yes made an album called ‘Close To The Edge’, which doesn’t need changing to be cricket-themed,” writes Christian Miners.
2nd over: West Indies 14-1 (Brathwaite 10, Brooks 0) Fisher ends a memorable first over with a nasty lifter that is well defended by Shamarh Brookes.
Fisher’s celebration after the wicket was lovely - he ran around a bit, almost in disbelief, and then pointed to the sky in acknowledgement of his late father Phil. Finally he jumped into the arms of Jack Leach, a big grin plastered all over his face.
WICKET! West Indies 14-1 (Campbell c Foakes b Fisher 4)
Matt Fisher strikes with his second ball in Test cricket! His first was driven for four, but the follow-up - much shorter - was bottom-edged through to the keeper by John Campbell. That’s the most delightful moment for a young man who is only playing because Craig Overton is unwell.
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1st over: West Indies 10-0 (Brathwaite 10, Campbell 0) Chris Woakes to Kraigg Brathwaite: three slips, a gully and a whole lotta scoreboard pressure. Brathwaite alleviates that pressure a touch by scoring ten from the first over. There were two emphatic boundaries, a slap past backward point and a handsome drive through mid-off.
“Evening Rob,” says Kim Thonger. “John Starbuck wants a riff? Here’s a riff. Cricket-related prog-rock LPs. I’ll start. ‘Allan Lamb Lies Down on Broadway’.”
I don’t know whether to be proud or embarrassed that I had to google that reference. I think the only prog song I know by name is Bohemian Ishsodhi.
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WICKET! England 507-9 declared (Leach st Da Silva b Permaul 4)
Leach laces Permaul for four, then runs past one and is stumped. That’s enough for Joe Root, who calls the players in. England will have around 27 overs to get amongst the West Indies batters tonight.
150th over: England 503-8 (Fisher 0, Leach 0) Jack Leach comes out to have a look at what he hopes will be his playground for the next three days.
WICKET! England 503-8 (Woakes c Seales b Roach 41)
Woakes swipes Roach to deep backward square for four to bring up the 500. England are back! Okay they’re not back, but it’s a nice milestone nonetheless.
And now Woakes has gone. He top-edged a pull high in the air, and Seales stretched to take a comfortable catch. That was a decent innings from Woakes, 41 from 57 balls.
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149th over: England 499-7 (Woakes 37, Fisher 0) The debutant Matt Fisher is the new batter. In other news, West Indies are about to break a niche and not entirely welcome record - the most consecutive overs in a Test match without a maiden. That was the 76th; the record is 78.
WICKET! England 499-7 (Foakes st Da Silva b Permaul 33)
Ben Foakes runs past one from Permaul and is stumped by Da Silva. It was a really nice delivery, tossed up and turning past Foakes’s outside edge. The evidence of the last couple of hours suggests Jack Leach is a potential matchwinner for England.
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148th over: England 497-6 (Foakes 32, Woakes 36) I’m surprised Kemar Roach is putting more overs in his legs, though maybe he sees it as an opportunity for some relatively cheap wickets. Three singles from the over; I feel like I’ve written that a lot in the last couple of hours.
147th over: England 494-6 (Foakes 30, Woakes 35) Da Silva misses a stumping chance when Woakes walks past a delivery from Permaul. It was a tricky chance, mind, as it went between bat and pad so Da Silva would have been unsighted. The ball bounced past leg stump and ran away for four byes.
146th over: England 487-6 (Foakes 28, Woakes 34) Kemar Roach returns to the attack, and gives Woakes the hurry-up with a sharp bouncer. Woakes, stuck on the crease as a result, edges a drive for four and then survives an appeal for caught behind.
We know all about Woakes’s poor overseas record with the ball. It’s not dissimilar with the bat: he averages 35 at home, with a century and five fifties, as compared to 22 (with only one fifty) away from home.
The rain has stopped, and the players are coming back on. Let’s crack on.
Rain stops play
The covers are on, though it sounds like it’s just a passing shower. And how nice, after the Ashes, that we’re not using the phrase “passing shower” to describe England.
Another bit of Barbados nostalgia
This was the first time English cricket broke my heart, although Sir Curtly Ambrose had a peedie bit to do with it as well.
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Teatime reading
Tea
145th over: England 482-6 (Foakes 27, Woakes 30) Woakes survives an appeal for caught behind after pushing defensively at a jaffa from Permaul. The next ball, the last of the session, turns and bounces to take a leading edge before landing safely. Those are really good signs for England and particularly Jack Leach, especially as they have nearly 500 on the board.
The highlight of the afternoon session was a coruscating century from Ben Stokes, who moved from 89 to 120 before holing out as he attempted to hit a third successive six.
See you soon for the evening session, which should include a first bowl in Test cricket for Matt Fisher and Saqib Mahmood.
144th over: England 478-6 (Foakes 25, Woakes 28) Woakes slices Brathwaite for four to bring up a comfortable fifty partnership from 83 balls. Mark Wood came on with a drink a couple of overs ago, since when England have upped the tempo. Good old Gatorade.
143rd over: England 470-6 (Foakes 24, Woakes 22) Woakes unsheaths the long handle, smearing Permaul over midwicket for six. It’s easy to forget that he has a Test average of 28, which puts him above some high-class players: Mark Ramprakash, Dawid Malan, Mike Brearley, Bill Athey, Neil Fairbrother, you and me.
142nd over: England 463-6 (Foakes 24, Woakes 15) Two singles from Brathwaite’s over. I’ll be honest, I’m starting to run out of things to say.
141st over: England 461-6 (Foakes 23, Woakes 14) Pemaul continues with the replacement ball, conceding one run from his 31st over. England aren’t in a particular hurry: this pair are scoring at approximately 3.26566637246 an over. There’s an argument they should be slogging everything, though it isn’t always as simple as that.
There’s a break in play while the umpires change the ball.
140th over: England 460-6 (Foakes 22, Woakes 14) A couple of filthy moon balls from Brathwaite are worked for singles. Groundhog over, essentially.
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139th over: England 456-6 (Foakes 20, Woakes 12) Kensington Oval pitches weren’t always this flat, you know.
138th over: England 454-6 (Foakes 19, Woakes 11) The way Foakes and Woakes are batting evokes the middle overs of an ODI circa 2007 - lots of singles, not much risk, both teams happy enough to kick it down the road. Three more from Brathwaite’s over.
137th over: England 451-6 (Foakes 17, Woakes 10) Permaul beats Foakes with a beautiful delivery that drifts in and spits away. That’ll change the moisture content in Jack Leach’s lips. A couple of singles take England to 450, the first time they’ve scored that many since Zak Crawley’s Test against Pakistan in 2020 last year’s Chennai Test. The reset is well and truly on.
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136th over: England 448-6 (Foakes 15, Woakes 9) Four more singles from Brathwaite’s over. I’ll level with you, it’s not the most riveting passage of play we’ve seen today.
135th over: England 443-6 (Foakes 12, Woakes 7) With Stokes out, it’s safe for Veerasammy Permaul to come out from behind the sofa. He replaces Joseph and starts round the wicket to Foakes, who pushes a single down the ground. That’s the first of three singles in the over, and yes I did miss the other two.
There’s only half an hour until tea so I doubt England are going to declare now, though I’m sure they will in the evening session. I miss the days of Allan Border’s Australia batting until lunch on day three, crushing every last particle of hope in the opposition (also known in most cultures as England). Mental disintegration ain’t what it used to be.
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134th over: England 440-6 (Foakes 10, Woakes 6) Brathwaite hurries through another over of right-arm slow. Both teams are waiting for the declaration.
133rd over: England 436-6 (Foakes 7, Woakes 5) I suspect Foakes is a better player at 200 for six than he is at 400 for six, so it’ll be interesting to see how he plays this. I’m not sure he has a declaration-batting mode, though he’ll always be busy. And with some of the treatment he has received in the last three years, I wouldn’t begrudge him a peedie bit of average management.
Woakes is well past such concerns, certainly with the bat. He has a lusty smear at Joseph and drags the ball just past leg stump.
132nd over: England 430-6 (Foakes 5, Woakes 1) “Gilchristian unselfishness from Ben Stokes there,” says Gary Naylor. “England won’t enforce the follow-on, so quick runs and declaring with at least 15 overs tonight at tired batsmen makes sense. Good to have him back and smiling so much.”
Gilchrist is the perfect comparison in terms of selflessness and also his ability to normalise the outrageous. Stokes has just belted a run-a-ball 120, with six sixes, and it doesn’t feel like an outstanding innings in the context of his career. It’s so easy, too easy, to take him for granted.
131st over: England 428-6 (Foakes 4, Woakes 0) A short ball from Joseph is forced past backward point for four by Foakes, a nice way to get off the mark. It’s been slightly lost amid all the other red-ball resettery, but this is an important tour for Foakes.
“What’s your riff going to be this evening?” says John Starbuck. “We’ve done Dylan and opening batsmen’s middle names, so we shan’t be satisfied with the Greatest Hits of the Long Blondes or the best films of Scarlett Johansson. How about something to do with West Indian cricket?”
Okay. How about the story of Mervin Durand, who took 7/15 against England (from 19.4 overs!) in a tour game in 1989-90 yet barely played another first-class game. What gives?
130th over: England 424-6 (Foakes 0, Woakes 0) The o(a)kes keep coming - Chris Woakes is the new batter.
WICKET! England 424-6 (Stokes c Brooks b Brathwaite 120)
Six, six and out for Ben Stokes. He slugged Brathwaite for consecutive biggies down the ground, and was looking for a third when he holed out to wide long off. He goes for 120 from 128 balls, an innings that included six sixes and 11 fours. It was classic Stokes, spectacular and selfless in equal measure.
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129th over: England 410-5 (Stokes 106, Foakes 0) Cheers Jim, hello everyone. As I ease my fingers into the patented OBO fingerless leather gloves, the new batter Ben Foakes plays out the remainder of Alzarri Joseph’s over.
Wicket! Bairstow ct Bonner b Joseph 20
Bairstow has a rush of blood and gets a top edge to a hook shot that lands straight in Bonner’s mitts at deep square leg. He punches his bat in frustration before trudging off.
The players take a drink. West Indies will be pleased with their work after lunch, picking up two wickets to curtail England slightly.
You’ll be pleased to hear that is me offski, Rob Smyth is about to take the controls and show us all how it is done. Thanks for your messages and goodbye!
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128 overs: England 409-4 (Stokes 105, Bairstow 20) Stokes and Bairstow are busy, rotating strike and picking up five singles off Holder.
127 overs: England 404-4 (Stokes 102, Bairstow 18) Three runs off the over. A few people murmuring about a declaration. I think that could be, oh I don’t know, a day premature?
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126 overs: England 401-4 (Stokes 101, Bairstow 16) Jason Holder fluffs a slower ball which sits up begging to be hit, Jonny Bairstow gladly does the honours, clubbing it away square for four. 400 up for England.
@Jimbo_Cricket Lovely understated celebration by Ben Stokes of his century there, makes a wonderful change from all the jumping about and bat waving that has become part of the game ... #WIvENG #BBCCricket
— VoiceOfTheMysterons (@Mysteron_Voice) March 17, 2022
Stokes is never really one to ‘go large’ a la Warner or on occasion, Bairstow, when he has reached a century. That was his first Test century since his father Ged died last year though, so was all the more poignant.
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125 overs: England 396-4 (Stokes 100, Bairstow 12)
In full flow. Sensational.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 17, 2022
Match Centre: https://t.co/N282Bi8Apj
🏝 #WIvENG 🏴 | @benstokes38 pic.twitter.com/g9wGsoVjZN
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Hundred for Ben Stokes!
What a knock. Stokes goes to his 11th Test century with a scampered single and raises his arms to the skies.
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124 overs: England 395-4 (Stokes 99, Bairstow 12) Stokes goes to 99 with a single. He won’t want to join this... err...exclusive club.
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123 overs: England 394-4 (Stokes 98, Bairstow 12)Bairstow loosens the post-lunch shackles. Peeling off two crisp drives in a row off Seales, one through the covers, the other back past the bowler. Bairstow looks busy, as ever.
122 overs: England 386-4 (Stokes 98, Bairstow 4)
Root out for 153 off 316. It's the 13th time he has reached 140, and the first of those innings in which he's been out for less than 180.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 17, 2022
Also the first of his 25 Test innings of 100+ that has been scored at a strike rate below 50 runs per 100 balls. https://t.co/kLWvYwtlrS https://t.co/InIUmDQuFY
Stats, innit.
121 overs: England 383-4 (Stokes 97, Bairstow 2) Credit to West Indies who have been tighter after lunch, just a couple off Seales. Stokes has gone down a notch or three from ‘Beast Mode’ too, probably as a result of Root getting out. England will likely only want to bat once in this Test match.
120 overs: England 381-4 (Stokes 96, Bairstow 1) Stokes works a slower ball from Roach away for two runs. He then drops and goes for a quick single, to take him one blow away from three figures. Bairstow gets one on the pads and they manage to scamper a couple of leg-byes.
If excellent long-ish form cricket writing is your thing then do be sure to check out the Nightwatchman.
Barbados is an extraordinary island and cricketing hot spot, as outlined by @collinsadam and @willis_macp in our 2016 Barbados special edition.https://t.co/O6zjxWpzLW#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/Cl8l6zIXf4
— The Nightwatchman (@NightwatchmanXI) March 16, 2022
119 overs: England 375-4 (Stokes 93, Bairstow 1) Jonny Bairstow is the next man in, he jogs out to the crease purposefully and is off the mark not long after.
WICKET! Root lbw b Roach 153
Nip back and pinned in front. Root thinks it is high and so too does the umpire as he shakes his head. West Indies like it though and send it upstairs... where it is given! Three reds show the ball hitting the top of leg stump and Joe Root’s magnificent knock comes to an end. Well batted and a good start to the session for the home side.
118 overs: England 375-4 (Stokes 92, Bairstow 1)
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117 overs: England 369-3 (Root 153, Stokes 91) Jason Holder starts off after lunch and Ben Stokes moves into the nineties with a push to long on. Four runs come off the over, West Indies have to find a way to stifle England a little in this session, ‘bowling dry’ or taking wickets.
Thankyou, err ‘cult_boyfriend’ that is indeed a niche one RE batters sharing first and middle names:
@Jimbo_Cricket Clayton Benjamin Lambert & Stuart Clayton Williams. 1 inning, 11 balls, 0 runs (as openers). Dec 1998 vs SA, 2nd test.
— cult_boyfriend (@cult_boyfriend) March 17, 2022
Paul Haynes has shared a headscratcher on a similar theme:
“I note that Chris Broad used to open with Tim Robinson in the mid to late ‘80s.
The weird thing is that Chris Broad’s first name is Brian and Tim Robinson’s first name is Robert AND Chris Broad came into the England team to replace the injured opener Andy Lloyd, who is actually called Timothy Lloyd. I think 1984 was just a very confusing time for England openers.”
They’re not the only ones Paul.
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England’s skipper has earnt his sandwiches. Not bad company to perch atop.
Most 150+ scores in Tests for England:
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 17, 2022
Joe Root - 12
Alastair Cook - 11
Wally Hammond - 10
Len Hutton - 10
Kevin Pietersen - 10#WIvENG
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1⃣2⃣5⃣-0⃣ in the morning session.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 17, 2022
3⃣6⃣9⃣-3⃣ at lunch.
Match Centre: https://t.co/N282BhQZ0J
🏝 #WIvENG 🏴 pic.twitter.com/oRnAnLnKMS
That's lunch. A thumping session for England, and Stokes.
116 overs: England 369-3 (Root 151, Stokes 89) 125 runs in the session. Stokes finishes it quietly, albeit with 89 off 92. Root was happy to play second fiddle but still went on his merry way to 150.
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115 overs: England 367-3 (Root 150, Stokes 88) Holder tightens things up but Root pulls him away for a couple before a full-bunger is sent to mid-on for a single to bring up Root’s 150!
Stokes, by the way needs 12 more runs off the next over to bring up a hundred before lunch... if he gets there he’d be in good company.
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114 overs: England 362-3 (Root 146, Stokes 87) Stokes hits three fours and a six off the over as he goes into full T20/Headingley 2019 mode! No part of the ground is safe. The final shot of the over, a gigantic six slotted down the ground brings up 5000 Test runs for Ben Stokes. Scintillating stuff.
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113 overs: England 342-3 (Root 146, Stokes 69) Stokes climbs into a half-tracker from Permaul and launches it into the stands for six! Then he backs away and lifts the beleaguered spinner for four more over cover. A pinched single sees Root with one ball to face. Stokes will be on strike next over. Hold on to your stovepipe.
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112 overs: England 331-3 (Root 146, Stokes 58) Joseph strays onto Root’s pads and he isn’t going to miss out there, deftly flicking away for four to fine leg.
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111 overs: England 325-3 (Root 141, Stokes 57) A quieter over, Root picks up a lone single off Permaul.
Ben Stokes brings up his half-century in 73 balls. He's been fluent, but also very controlled, playing just 9% false shots - of all his fifties in Tests, the only one to be quicker *and* more controlled was his first, back in the 2013/14 Ashes. #WIvENG
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) March 17, 2022
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110 overs: England 324-3 (Root 140, Stokes 57) The partnership between Root and Stokes is 80 runs off 121 balls, after a sedate start the runs have been flowing for the last half an hour or so. Stokes sends the last ball from Joseph to the mid-wicket boundary, some shot. Some player. After an (understandably) rusty Ashes, Stokes is back to looking his best in this innings.
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Ben Stokes had "two Yorkie bars and a knock-off Nando's" the evening before his Headingley heist in 2019 ... he's batting like he found their equivalents in Barbados last night
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) March 17, 2022
109 overs: England 318-3 (Root 139, Stokes 52) Fifty for Stokes! And he gets there in fine style, sauntering down the wicket to lift Permaul back over his head for six!
@Jimbo_Cricket Graham Alan Gooch and Allan Lamb?
— iucounu (@iucounu) March 17, 2022
Close... but no cigar on the middle name batters.
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108 overs: England 309-3 (Root 138, Stokes 44) Stokes is ticking here, he leans back to try and scythe another maximum but doesn’t quite get it. The ball plugging in the outfield as they come back for two. There’s five runs in total off the over, Stokes hacking the last ball away to farm the strike away from Root, which he has done since tea. Don’t go anywhere.
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107 overs: England 304-3 (Root 137, Stokes 40) Told you he was on the prowl... Stokes brings out the reverse and hoicks Permaul away for four through point. Next ball he saunters down and slaps him away for a huge six into the crowd! Imperious. The Stokes is awoken. Three singles mean it’s 13 runs from the over. Bosh.
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106 overs: England 291-3 (Root 136, Stokes 28) Here we go - Stokes opens his shoulders and chips Joseph back over his head for four! After a sleepy start Stokes seems to have woken up and be on the prowl. For runs.
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105 overs: England 284-3 (Root 136, Stokes 23) We’ve got spin. Permaul is on for a twirl, just a couple from his first over.
Kevin Farrelly chirps up: “I’m afraid John Foster (14:56) couldn’t be more wrong. Big Bob received the letter just as his doorknob broke. A bit like poor old Mark Wood receives his latest call up just as his body breaks. How does that feel feel? To be on your own? With no direction home?”
and Richard Hirst: “Re John Forster: as the man himself said
‘The answer my friend is blowing in the wind’”
Can we agree that I win if I say Root’s dab into the off side brings to mind “sad eyed lady Rooty with the low-hands”
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104 overs: England 284-3 (Root 135, Stokes 22) Back after drinks and Joseph is on to have a whirl. Root flicks him away for a single
Switzerland’s own Mark Pearce emails in with a good one. Thinking caps on OBOers:
“In this series Alex Lees (middle name Zak) has opened with Zak Crawley - are there any other instances in test cricket of one opening partner having the same middle name as the other’s first name? Closest I’ve got is Matthew Hayden opened on a few occasions with Simon Mathew Katich.
Any help would be much appreciated…”
I reckon there could be plenty. Nichest one wins.
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103 overs: England 283-3 (Root 134, Stokes 22) Three singles pilfered off Roach’s latest. And that’s your first hour done. Drinks. 39 runs and ZERO wickets. Time for a slurp. Back in a few.
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102 overs: England 280-3 (Root 132, Stokes 21) Stokes again with a bone-crunching drive for four off Seales. Don’t run for that! He then picks up a couple off a glide through backward point. Runs beginning to seep.
Just relax, there's a foamy bit on your shoulder. Let's make it more frothy with a squirt of light lemon liquid....don't you feel gooooood...
— Thom (@tprhodes) March 17, 2022
The OBO’s DEEP BATH. DON’T fall asleep and slip under.
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101 overs: England 273-3 (Root 132, Stokes 15) Root looking more expansive, he flicks a full ball away from Roach to the fine leg fence. Four runs! Root and Stokes both pick up singles to bring up 29 runs in total for the morning. I don’t know why I’ve mentioned that but I’ve typed it now so it is staying in. Maybe because of this line that i’ve been humming of late:
“You know I’ve dreamed about you, for 29 years runs, before I met you”
John Foster’s sparked up with a Dylan err knobbler...
“Hiya James!
If you really want to open the Dylan can of worms, I’ve got a delightfully niche Desolation Row conundrum - the last verse starts, ‘Yes, I received your letter yesterday / About the time the doorknob broke...’. Now, I’ve been able to recite every word of the song since before I could walk, but I stumbled on a debate recently that blew my mind: Does ‘about’ mean ‘regarding’, suggesting it’s the correspondent’s knob that’s broken; or does it mean ‘around’, ie ‘approximately the time MY doorknob broke’? I’d always taken it for the former, never even questioned it, but am now plunged into an existential crisis. Please help!
Anyone?
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100 overs: England 267-3 (Root 127, Stokes 14) A leg bye and a Root single off the returning Seales.
More Bob fun courtesy of John Starbuck:
“Jim, I reckon we shall have to wait until the end of the tour, in which case we hope England will be bringing it all back home.”
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99 overs: England 265-3 (Root 126, Stokes 14) Roach to Stokes, short and wide and Stokes comes to life - smashing it away off the back foot for four! That was a FULL BLOODED cut if ever there was one! Roach licks his wounds but then serves up a fuller ball outside off and Stokes plays a crunching drive for another four! Double-whammo-kablammo from the strawberry-blonde one.
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98 overs: England 257-3 (Root 126, Stokes 6) Stokes takes a couple of steps down the wicket, scampers a single to mid on and steals the strike.
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97 overs: England 256-3 (Root 125, Stokes 5) Kemar Roach is in to the attack. Root and Stokes both notch a single.
Since Jan 2021, Joe Root has converted 8 of his 12 fifty-plus Test scores into centuries. From Oct 2015 to end of 2020, he converted 9 out of 45. He had never scored 100s in consecutive Tests before 2021. He's since had three in a row twice, and now another two-in-two.
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) March 16, 2022
Some excellent Root stats form the ever excellent Zaltz.
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96 overs: England 254-3 (Root 125, Stokes 4) Root picks up another single. All very sedate. West Indies have just one review left btw, after burning through one just then on that spurious lbw shout.
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95 overs: England 253-3 (Root 124, Stokes 4) One more single to Root. A calm morning so far is interrupted by a strangled appeal for lbw as Root prods forward to a straight one. Windies send it upstairs but there’s nowt much going for it, it hit the England skipper outside the line and remains not out.
Richard Hirst has got Bob on his mind:
“Hi James -big question of the day, since you’ve replaced Daniel, is do you have the same love of Bob Dylan? If not, what are we going to talk about?”
Guess it’ll just be row after desolation row on the OBO, Richard.
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94 overs: England 252-3 (Root 122, Stokes 4) Root picks up another single, easy as anything.
Aye Aye:
Joe Root, for the first time in over four years, currently averages more than Virat Kohli in Test cricket.#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/nyiwySG266
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 17, 2022
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93 overs: England 251-3 (Root 121, Stokes 4) Shot! Ben Stokes gets off the mark with an exquisite on-drive that hums away to the fence.
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Aye Aye:
Joe Root, for the first time in over four years, currently averages more than Virat Kohli in Test cricket.#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/nyiwySG266
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 17, 2022
Joe Root, for the first time in over four years, currently averages more than Virat Kohli in Test cricket.#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/nyiwySG266
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) March 17, 2022
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92 overs: England 246-3 (Root 121, Stokes 0) Another dab from Root brings Stokes onto strike. The big fella is watchful, happy to let Holder reel off the dots.
“Hi James”
Back atcha, Freddie Haynes.
“Might be me but I would’ve thought it might be a maiden ton rather than a debut ton? Either way, the point came across. Eager to follow the rest of the days play! Hopefully Rooty can score his debut 6th double ton.”
Ah that’s what I meant! Durrrr. Thanks Freddie. And me too RE Rooteh
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91 overs: England 245-3 (Root 120, Stokes 0) The sightscreen has been playing up, hence the slow over rate so far, just easing us into the day. Seales bustles in and he’s on the button. Five dots and a Root dab into the off side brings a single.
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Looking for another big day with the bat in Bridgetown 🏏
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 17, 2022
Match Centre: https://t.co/N282Bi8Apj
🏝 #WIvENG 🏴 pic.twitter.com/5ADkV7oiX9
Rather be here, not bothered.
SHAME on you Mike Forsythe!
Are we going to be all out by lunch? I feel like we are.
— Mike Forsythe (@ForsytheMike) March 17, 2022
Though obviously, there is always that possibility.
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90th over: England 244-3 (Root 119, Stokes 0) Holder had just one delivery left to bowl after dismissing Lawrence late last night. Stokes lunges forward and lets the ball pass by through to the keeper. Jerusalem begins to trill out around the ground.
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Jason Holder has the ball. Root and Stokes are scratching away at their guards. Let’s play!
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Andrew Lambe is first out of the traps on email:
“Jumbo,
Lovely preamble to tee up today’s play. Is it quite right though to have described Dan Lawrence as “….nine runs short of a debut Test-ton”? His first, yes, but debut?
Yours, AL
Square-eyed from too much proof-reading today, so I may be wrong.”
You might have me with that one Andrew... not sure. Can a first ton not be called a debut ton? Either way you called me ‘Jumbo’, so I guess I win?
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Matt Fisher has a lovely, lugubrious Yoarkshuur burr. He’s all smiles as he talks to BTs man on the ground. Looking forward to seeing him bowl. (tomorrow, see post below)
Same goes for Mahmood. As my colleague Rob Smyth messaged earlier “I hope you get a bit of Saqqy and Fish (shi**est buddy movie ever) before the handover.”
Well Rob is due to take the reins at about 5:40pm (not a second later if he knows what’s good for ‘im... I jest - he’s the OBO king and its a privlidge to be on with him) part of me would like to see the two debutants steaming in through the shadows. But another, more boring part, would like to see Root make a double, or a triple. And maybe Foakes to get some too.
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Bright and blustery out in Barbados by the looks of things. Not too dissimilar to Wandsworth (‘the dodgy end’...) right now, albeit with about a 15 degrees difference.
We’ve got 20 minutes till the start, why not have a read of this very enjoyable piece by Simon Burnton:
Not that this game is headed for a draw of course. England are going to bat once and score 700 PLUS.*
*They might not
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Preamble
Rooooooot! The low droning burble emitted from the healthy contingent of travelling fans was the defining sound of yesterday’s play as England’s sometime beleaguered captain went about nudging, nurdling, sweeping, paddling, gliding, driving –‘Root-ing’ (settle down, antipodeans) his way to a 25th Test century.
Saying that, our Joe must sometimes curse his heavily vowelled surname? The ooooooooohs that ring out to greet his many batting achievements don’t quite have the same guttural roar of celebration that are afforded to other more consonant-y surnamed comprades. Which seems a shame as of late (the past two years to be precise) Root is the only batsman to give the fans a repeated cause for cheer.
Take the gleeful, raucous din that Dan Lawrence inspired in the travelling faithful as he unfurled two carpet-hugging drives off Jason Holder as the sun set on day one. The Essex ‘kid’ bunted down the ground (Wheeeey!) and then caressed through the covers (Wahoooo!)
But, he then plinked one straight into the hands of Kraigg Brathwaite at short cover to perish for 91, nine runs short of a debut Test-ton. The silence amongst the English fans deafening as the weary whoops and hollers of the West Indies players rang out. A dejected Lawrence had to drag himself from the field. He knows only too well the stock that is put onto reaching three figures – finding himself (a little harshly) dropped after being left stranded on 81* against New Zealand at Edgbaston last summer.
It had been a sparkling innings from Chingford’s finest, rubber-wristed flicks and drives and the odd flamingo thrown in for good measure, married with a stout defence and sound judgement. Lawrence is untarnished by the Ashes defeats, finding himself the water-boy for most of that doomed tour. There’s a feeling that actually that was no bad thing.
Root is still there of course, 119* off 246 balls. He’ll be wanting to bat and bat and bat some more to try and set up a lesser seen Test victory for his side.
England will resume on 243-3 and play will be underway 2pm GMT.
Jim here with the call for the first half of the day before I hand over to the inimitable Rob Smyth later on. Do give us a shout if you are tuning in to the good ship OBO throughout the day. You can give me a holla of your very own (JIIIIIIIIIIIM) by email or on Twitter .
