Key occasions
62nd over: West Indies 224-6 (Holder 54, A Joseph 0) “Don’t worry, you have at least one reader,” says Robert Ellson. “(Still think the best bit of sport on Super Saturday was KP’s furious hundred against South Africa.) Who has the more thankless task, the OBO writer on the first day of the Olympics, or the fast bowler trying to get some life out of this pudding of a pitch? Poor old Woody.”
I’m glad any individual remembered that KP’s 149 was on Super Saturday. I used to be within the workplace, emitting comfortable moans that will usually result in many a quizzical look. On that day no person observed.
One small factor: I’m undecided I name it a livid hundred. The factor I beloved most about it was the serenity, notably his slow-motion pull off Dale Steyn. Maybe it was a swan fury (and a Swann fury): all calm on the floor, effing and jeffing in his inside monologue. He is likely to be the one participant to attain 100 for England and in opposition to England on the identical time.
WICKET! West Indies 224-6 (Da Silva c Smith b Woakes 49)
England have burgled a wicket! Very good bowling from Chris Woakes, who began to get a touch of swing and had an first rate LBW shout in opposition to Da Silva turned down. That unnerved Da Silva sufficiently that he chased a really huge outswinger and edged it via to Smith. A frazzled shot to finish an in any other case clear-headed innings.
61st over: West Indies 220-5 (Holder 54, Da Silva 49) Wood remains to be bowling. Looks completely shattered however one wicket would make all of it worthwhile. An tried yorker turns right into a low full toss that’s flicked for a single by Holder.
This pitch is a real old school shirtfront, not simply flat however painfully gradual. I knew Jimmy Anderson retired too quickly; he may need made his first Test hundred on this.
sixtieth over: West Indies 217-5 (Holder 53, Da Silva 47) Woakes replaces Bashir, who might in flip substitute Wood. Holder push-drives a pair to carry up an glorious half-century, accountable and composed, from 92 balls.
England had slips galore this morning when it was swinging round. Now they’ve a subcontinental area: one slip and three males on the drive.
Btw, the place is everybody? Hockey followers in the present day are we?
59th over: West Indies 213-5 (Holder 49, Da Silva 47) This is Wood’s fifteenth over, greater than anybody else in the present day. That seems like rather a lot, although I assume Ben Stokes is aware of him much better than we do. And he’s nonetheless bowling 90mph.
Da Silva is squared up by a implausible brief ball that hits the bat deal with and loops straight to the place brief leg woulda coulda shoulda been. A maiden.
58th over: West Indies 213-5 (Holder 49, Da Silva 47) Three singles from Bashir’s over. This has been a very good partnership – not simply the batting however the psychological energy to disregard a temper of fatalism that grew with every wicket both aspect of lunch.
Twenty years in the past in the present day, Freddie Flintoff opened his mouth to scrumptious impact.
57th over: West Indies 210-5 (Holder 48, Da Silva 45) England enchantment unsuccessfully for caught behind when Holder muffs an tried hook off Wood. They solely have one assessment left and resolve to not threat it; replays present the slightest murmur on UltraEdge, although not sufficient to recommend a top-edge.
Very good determination from the umpire Adrian Holdstock. And an excellent over from Wood, who additionally beat Da Silva with a brief ball.
56th over: West Indies 209-5 (Holder 48, Da Silva 44) Lovely bowling from Bashir, who induces a free stroke throughout the road from Da Silva. The ball loops off a vanguard and lands safely within the covers.
fifty fifth over: West Indies 207-5 (Holder 47, Da Silva 43) Wood continues peppering the batters from around the wicket. There are fielders at leg slip, brief leg and lengthy leg, however Da Silva is assured sufficient to work the ball wonderful for 4. Nicely performed.
Holder’s method is completely different; later within the over he clears his entrance leg and clouts Wood over midwicket for 4. One wicket is all England have to validate this method. For now, West Indies are selecting up runs with relative ease.
54th over: West Indies 195-5 (Holder 42, Da Silva 36) Bashir virtually strikes within the first over after tea. Da Silva, shocked by a bit of additional bounce, turns the ball simply in need of Pope at leg slip and thru his legs for a single.
Interesting to notice that Stokes has pushed mid-on and midwicket again for Holder, who gave Bashir a little bit of faucet earlier than tea. There’s an argument he wouldn’t have executed {that a} yr in the past.
“Not sure I would pair a claret with a chicken TM,” says Andrew Cosgrove. “I would favour a punchy white like an NZ riesling.”
I’ve by no means understood this tradition of pairing meals and wine. Isn’t all of it simply booze?
(I jest. Not even I’m that a lot of a heathen. Now cross me the Monster Munch and Lambrini.)
Teatime studying
This is actually good, and the e book is even higher.
Tea
That’s a formidable restoration from West Indies, who had been going through one other clip of the Giant from Twin Peaks after they slipped for 76 for 0 to 115 for five. But the level-headed pair of Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva regrouped, first patiently after which punchily when Shoaib Bashir got here into the assault.
They’ve added 79 in 23.1 overs; the problem now’s to double that, after which some, within the 27 overs earlier than England can take the second new ball.
53rd over: West Indies 194-5 (Holder 42, Da Silva 35) Wood will get his line and size good, hitting Holder on the glove from around the wicket. There’s no tempo on this pitch, although typically that may make the brief ball much more awkward to play.
Wood continues to flog the useless pitch and is safely pulled for 3 singles. That’s tea.
“I always thought World Series Cricket was the high-water mark of hirsute cricketers,” says Gary Naylor, “but this photo suggests not. However, what a photo!”
52nd over: West Indies 191-5 (Holder 41, Da Silva 33) A anxious Holder snaps his head spherical after inside-edging Holder previous leg stump. He continues to assault Bashir when the ball is tossed up; this time he clatters a lofted drive over mid-off for 4. Bashir’s 5 overs have value 35.
“I has been planning to spend a day in the Hollies Stand on Monday in character as my alter ego the Bishop of Blatherwycke & Glapthorn, but as it looks as though the game will be over in three days could you let OBO readers know that the Bishop will instead be available to perform his usual Monday morning exorcisms in the church car park in Blatherwycke, at the normal flat rate of £250 cash and a chicken tikka masala and bottle of claret,” says Kim Thonger. “Punters should form an orderly queue and not park on the grass verge. Most kind.”
I need to confess: after I replied to Wisden Cricket Monthly’s work expertise advert 25 years in the past, I didn’t envisage it resulting in Blatherwycke, a rooster tikka masala and an unspecified bottle of claret.
51st over: West Indies 183-5 (Holder 36, Da Silva 30) Atkinson off, Wood on. He begins with a slower bouncer that beats Da Silva’s tried pull; I feel it received caught within the pitch. Wood strikes across the wicket and is well milked for a few singles.
At this exact second in time, not less than three and probably all 5 of the West Indies’ high order are giving themselves a brollocking: they’ve left numerous runs on the market.
“Unlike John Starbuck, I don’t know where I stand on the the hirsutometer,” writes Ant. “My teenage daughter took one look at my admittedly awful beard yesterday and told me I look like a toddler who’s been allowed to play with loose leaf tea and a Pritt Stick. God – I love her.”
fiftieth over: West Indies 181-5 (Holder 35, Da Silva 29) Holder accepts Ben Stokes’ invitation and drives successive Bashir deliveries over mid-on for 4 and 6. Good recreation, good recreation.
forty ninth over: West Indies 170-5 (Holder 25, Da Silva 28) Atkinson’s shock fuller is pushed for 3 by Holder, with a pair extra singles making it an excellent over for West Indies. This partnership has been a lesson in taking it one ball at a time. The match scenario doesn’t look nice for West Indies – however proper right here, proper now, there are runs to be scored on the market.
“All the talk about Wood hitting 100mph reminded me that Wood’s 100 used to be a notoriously strong rum they sold in my village pub as a teenager, The Old White Bear,” writes Tom. “They also used to brew their own beer that was £1.25 a pint when I first visited in 1996. From my paper round, I could afford four pints and a packet of Pork Scratchings after scouts before heading home to watch Eurotrash – great days.”
forty eighth over: West Indies 165-5 (Holder 22, Da Silva 26) Holder laps Bashir deftly for 4 to carry up a affected person, clear-headed fifty partnership. England must work exhausting to interrupt this partnership as batting appears to be like very comfy now.
forty seventh over: West Indies 158-5 (Holder 16, Da Silva 25) A-ha, Gus Atkinson has modified ends to exchange Stokes. His remit, with the outdated ball not swinging, is to bowl a little bit of tough stuff. For now West Indies are resisting no matter temptation England provide them and it’s one other low-key over.
“On TMS they’ve just mentioned ‘the beardless Smith’,” notes John Starbuck. “Is this because they want him to become fully hirsute and constitute a majority in the team? The Australians used to be extremely hairy, I recollect, back in the day. Rather like me.”
forty sixth over: West Indies 156-5 (Holder 15, Da Silva 24) Just a few singles in Bashir’s second over. Stokes has mid-off and mid-on up as at all times, inviting the lofted straight drive.
forty fifth over: West Indies 154-5 (Holder 14, Da Silva 23) Da Silva, who’s inadvertently monopolising the strike, works Stokes’ fourth ball for a single to carry up the 150. Holder makes up for misplaced balls by cuffing a poor supply via level for 4.
forty fourth over: West Indies 149-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 22) Ben Stokes has had sufficient of the stalemate: he’s bringing on Shoaib Bashir for Gus Atkinson, who bowled solely a few overs in that spell. Da Silva slaps his first ball over midwicket for 4, a pleasant assertion of intent and the primary intentionally performed boundary in 13 overs.
forty third over: West Indies 142-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 15) Stokes has a few strangled shouts for LBW in opposition to Da Silva. Both had been too excessive, although the second was nearer. A single off the final ball makes it 23 from the final 13 overs.
forty second over: West Indies 141-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 14) Groundhog over: Da Silva takes a single, Holder defends the remaining.
forty first over: West Indies 140-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 13) Another good over from Stokes. England are utilizing self-discipline and accuracy as their weapons, making West Indies play at virtually all the things. There have been solely 11 runs from the final seven overs, and 4 of these got here off the inside-edge.
fortieth over: West Indies 139-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 12) Cheers Taha, hi there everybody. Gus Atkinson is again rather than Woakes, looking his nineteenth wicket of the collection. Nobody else has greater than ten.
A textbook yorker is dug out by Holder, who then hits mid-off with a good-looking drive. One from the over.
Taha Hashim
thirty ninth over: West Indies 138-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 11) Stokes hoops an inswinger into Da Silva that almost chops the batter into two. This Dukes ball refuses to cease misbehaving; subsequent up is an outswinger that beats the bat. That’ll be drinks and the top of my stint. Say hi there to Rob Smyth.
thirty eighth over: West Indies 137-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 10) Out of nowhere, Woakes delivers a slower ball to try to flummox Da Silva. Always love seeing white-ball variations come into the Test recreation; I’ve by no means understood why we don’t see extra of them.
thirty seventh over: West Indies 136-5 (Holder 10, Da Silva 9) Holder has some luck as an inside edge off Stokes evades the stumps and runs away for 4. Stokes finishes the over by slapping Holder’s pads … the umpire says no. England assessment, however I reckon there might have been an inside edge. Once once more, I’m fully proper.
thirty sixth over: West Indies 132-5 (Holder 6, Da Silva 9) Woakes’ inswinger is just too straight, happening the leg aspect. He thuds the subsequent ball into Da Silva’s pads, prompting a giant shout. Looked to me prefer it was happening leg … England assessment it. Call me Umps: the ball is proven to be lacking the stumps.
thirty fifth over: West Indies 130-5 (Holder 5, Da Silva 8) Wood is granted a well-deserved breather as Stokes returns for an additional spell. The England captain oversteps for a no-ball however in any other case doesn’t give Holder any room to assault.
thirty fourth over: West Indies 129-5 (Holder 5, Da Silva 8) Holder drives Woakes straight … however hits the stumps. A punch via level offers him three.
thirty third over: West Indies 125-5 (Holder 2, Da Silva 7) Wood’s toil continues as West Indies decide up a pair extra, Da Silva and Holder simply attempting to calm issues down after the collapse.
thirty second over: West Indies 123-5 (Holder 1, Da Silva 7) Da Silva, who’d in all probability be increased up the order if he wasn’t a gloveman, whips away to carry Holder on to strike. A Woakes inswinger almost sneaks via Holder’s defence earlier than the blade, resembling an autograph bat within the large man’s arms, will get down on the final second.
thirty first over: West Indies 119-5 (Holder 0, Da Silva 4) Wood pitches the ball up and lets it swing in opposition to Holder, who’s resolute in defence.
thirtieth over: West Indies 119-5 (Holder 0, Da Silva 4) Da Silva, the keeper, is optimistic, advancing down the pitch to punch Woakes via level for a boundary.
WICKET! Hodge b Woakes 13 (West Indies 115-5)
Another one! Hodge leaves the ball from Woakes alone and watches it thud into off stump. Poorly judged: he anticipated it to jag away nevertheless it stored on going, sending one other batter again to the altering room.
twenty ninth over: West Indies 115-4 (Holder 0, Hodge 13) Now, we will safely say, West Indies are in hassle, having misplaced 4 wickets for 39 runs.
WICKET! Brathwaite c Smith b Wood 61 (West Indies 115-4)
Quite one thing to observe Wood, at his tempo, nonetheless discover such exaggerated motion via the air. Hodge squirts an edge via third man for a boundary and is trying optimistic alongside his captain, with West Indies’ run price above 4.
Hodge pulls away for one earlier than Brathwaite departs! It’s the brief ball that tangles him up, with the captain throwing his bat at it, the flick down the leg-side gathered, ultimately, by Smith.
twenty eighth over: West Indies 110-3 (Brathwaite 61, Hodge 8) Woakes is somewhat too floaty, permitting Hodge to push the ball via cowl level for 3. Brathwaite is supplied with width and cuts away for 4, over level.
twenty seventh over: West Indies 103-3 (Brathwaite 57, Hodge 5) Hodge begins like a person with a Test hundred, swivelling a Wood supply that didn’t raise all that prime away via the leg aspect for 4. There’s nonetheless loads of swing on provide for Wood as he shapes one away, which suggests he doesn’t have to go hell for leather-based with the brief ball.
Right then, the gamers are heading again on the market. Kavem Hodge, centurion within the second Test, will be part of his skipper out within the center.
Elsewhere within the recreation:
LUNCH: West Indies 97-3
The session belongs to England regardless of a 76-run opening stand between Brathwaite and Louis. Atkinson discovered the sting of the latter earlier than Wood steamrolled via McKenzie. Athanaze’s keep was even shorter, however the guests will cling on to the efforts of their captain, who has batted bravely for his half-century, nearly managing to outlive in opposition to Wood’s bouncer barrage.
WICKET! Athanaze b Atkinson 2 (West Indies 97-3)
Athanaze clips Atkinson for a pair. The left-hander batted effectively at Trent Bridge, getting a Test-best of 82, and his first activity is easy: get his aspect via to lunch with none additional harm … and he fails. With the ultimate ball of Atkinson’s over, Athanaze tries to tug however simply drags the ball on to his stumps. That’s extremely disappointing for West Indies, their efforts of the primary hour broken by three wickets within the second.
twenty sixth over: West Indies 97-3 (Brathwaite 56)
twenty fifth over: West Indies 93-2 (Brathwaite 55, Athanaze 0) Athanaze flicks Wood on to Pope’s boot at brief leg. It’d be imply to name that an opportunity.
WICKET! McKenzie b Wood 12 (West Indies 93-2)
Wonderful from Wood. McKenzie’s keep is enterprising however brief as England’s quickest bowler delivers a staggering inswinger that uproots center stump. Just reward for the person who has brought on West Indies loads of hassle this morning.
twenty fourth over: West Indies 92-1 (Brathwaite 54, McKenzie 12) Why hi there, Kirk McKenzie. He wallops via the off aspect to start Atkinson’s over with consecutive boundaries. After a dot he unfurls one other stunner, a cross-bat punch via further cowl for 4.
twenty third over: West Indies 80-1 (Brathwaite 54, McKenzie 0) Wood returns as Stokes sniffs a chance, and an unplayable outswinger sneaks previous Brathwaite. The subsequent ball thuds into, um, Braithwaite’s field. My ideas are with the West Indies captain. He ultimately summons the energy to renew, and prods the ball to the third-man rope for 4.
twenty second over: West Indies 76-1 (Brathwaite 50, McKenzie 0) Louis did the exhausting work, getting via that difficult first half hour the place he couldn’t discover a single run … alas, it’s one other unconverted begin for the promising opener.
