West Indies v England: first Test – Day 1 as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/apr/13/west-indies-v-england-first-test-live

Version 0 of 1.

10.50pm BST22:50

Well, that went rather well.

It look precarious when Trott went third ball, Cook went after a scratchy start and Ballance skewed behind, all for just 34. But superb from Root and then Bell as they rebuilt calmly before making hay in the second session.

Root was livid to not cash in when he played on but Bell marched on, with late dab after late dab, to a 22nd Test century, passing Wally Hammond’s run-tally along the way. And as for Ben Stokes - brutal in the final hour as the West Indies attacked sleep-walked to stumps, will be eyeing up a second Test hundred. His pro-active approach to the new ball was a joy to watch and has really hammered home England’s advantage.

Rather ridiculously, James Tredwell was chucked in as nightwatchman and faced no balls, as Stokes batted out the final over. Grim. But England will take it. Twenty wickets will be hard to come by for either side, but England could do with monstrous scoreboard pressure.

That’s all from here. See you again tomorrow!

No issues with the use of James Tredwell as non-striker nightwatchman - Jos Buttler has previous when it comes to Mankads

10.38pm BST22:38

90th over: England 341-5 (Stokes 71, Tredwell 0)

A maiden to see things out as Ben Stokes sees out the entirety of the over, leaving nightwatchman James Tredwell safe at the other end. Welcome bit of nonsense from England to remind us that some things can be done much, much better.

STUMPS

10.36pm BST22:36

89th over: England 341-5 (Stokes 71)

Bell with another boundary through third man. A beautiful straight drive brings two more runs. A corker sees him on his way. He faced 256 balls.

10.35pm BST22:35

WICKET! Bell c Ramdin b Roach 143 (England 341-5)

A pearler of a delivery from Roach forces Bell to defend and thin edge behind. Brilliant knock from Bellage.

10.28pm BST22:28

88th over: England 335-4 (Bell 137, Stokes 71)

Holder’s in and looking weary, as does his first ball which is short and wide, which Stokes strokes to the ropes. The second isn’t much better, but this time the shot goes straight to the man on the fence and it’s just a single. Bell dabs yet another through gully, and the West Indies really look like they’d like to go home now.

10.22pm BST22:22

87th over: England 328-4 (Bell 136, Stokes 66)

Roach changes ends and has a bit more control than the others. Keeps Bell honest with a decent line before drifting too straight and getting worked past mid-on for a couple.

10.19pm BST22:19

86th over: England 325-4 (Bell 134, Stokes 65)

Jason Holder into the attack and singles are taken before Bell takes two behind square (CTRL V). Serence drive through extra cover goes for four. Superb batting from these two - lesser batsmen would probably be fiddling about and yearning for the light. I don’t think these two want to leave. Wide flailing toe then goes between slip and gully.

10.13pm BST22:13

85th over: England 313-4 (Bell 123, Stokes 64)

Stokes looking well balanced, defending and pushing with excellent timing. A push through the covers brings up the three hundred. Cracking front-foot carve through cover-point as Taylor gives him stupid amounts of width. Then, an effortless rock back and flick in front of square for another four. Best of the lot - a gorgeous straight drive for four. Teach me, Benjamin.

Stokes is going to get to his double-hundred before Bell.

Updated at 10.32pm BST

10.08pm BST22:08

84th over: England 299-4 (Bell 123, Stokes 50)

Roach starts with a no-ball and then gets a warning for running on the danger zone. Another no-ball - this one is harsh. Bell brings Stokes onto strike, who times nicely through extra cover to bring up his fifty off 59 balls (6x4s, 1x6).

10.02pm BST22:02

83rd over: England 293-4 (Bell 122, Stokes 47)

Taylor back on at the other end and Stokes is allowed to leave a couple. He tries to run the next through fine-leg but doesn’t get enough on it and jams it into the ground. Much cleaner strike as he swivels on a short-ball and helps it around the corner, behind square on the leg side. Excellent drive, knee down, from Stokes, sees him hit crisply through cover.

9.57pm BST21:57

82nd over: England 285-4 (Bell 122, Stokes 39)

The first ball with the new nut is hammered through midwicket by Bell. Another short ball but this one Bell has to wait for a bit and works it on the top of it’s bounce through square leg. Roach comes back well, getting Bell forward and getting one to leave him.

9.52pm BST21:52

81st over: England 277-4 (Bell 114, Stokes 39)

Benn to Bell goes dot dot dot one. Benn to Stokes goes dot dot. And the world, somehow, keeps turning.

New ball taken...

9.49pm BST21:49

80th over: England 276-4 (Bell 113, Stokes 39)

Tired fielding from the West Indies allows Stokes to pick up an easy single, before Bell gets one and the over plays out more or less like that. Think the new ball is being taken. Actually, not sure - Taylor had the old one in his hand and, actually, Benn is continuing with the old one.

9.45pm BST21:45

79th over: England 272-4 (Bell 111, Stokes 37)

Bell misses out on a handful of short ones, only managing two runs from the width offered by Samuels.

9.42pm BST21:42

78th over: England 269-4 (Bell 119, Stokes 25)

Samuels keeps it tighter than Benn with some flat stuff. Meh. Three runs from it.

9.40pm BST21:40

77th over: England 266-4 (Bell 119, Stokes 23)

Stokes misses out on a short-ball and, as a result, muscles rather than times the next ball through cover for two. Better, from Stokes, as he reacts quickly to a straight one from Benn and sweeps around the corner for four. Here he goes - tremendous pick-up over straight midwicket for six.

Updated at 10.03pm BST

9.37pm BST21:37

76th over: England 255-4 (Bell 108, Stokes 23)

Few straight ones from Samuels and then Bell works him down the ground for one. Stokes tries to get under one but can only clunk it into the ground. Width and shortness allows him to take a single. Amazingly, the umpires miscount and it’s a five-ball over. Garbage, that.

9.35pm BST21:35

75th over: England 253-4 (Bell 106, Stokes 22)

Benn a bit all over the place with his line but full enough that Bell can’t quite make the most it. Just a single from the over.

9.32pm BST21:32

74th over: England 252-4 (Bell 106, Stokes 22)

Samuels slow off the pitch that Bell’s able to rock back after pitching and work the ball square. He and Stokes exchange strike and Stokes is solid behind the final two balls of the over.

9.30pm BST21:30

73rd over: England 249-4 (Bell 104, Stokes 21)

Bell takes the first four and then a single before Stokes moves back to a ball that turns into him, with Benn bowling around the wicket. The umpire says not out but it’s sent upstairs. UMPIRE’S CALL! So not out.

9.25pm BST21:25

72nd over: England 248-4 (Bell 103, Stokes 21)

A fine hundred for Ian Bell. He came to the crease with England 22-2 and, with the help of Joe Root, has taken England to a commanding position. England could do with a lorry-load from him now.

9.23pm BST21:23

IAN BELL 102* (194 balls - 15x4s, 1x6)

A 22nd Test hundred for Ian Bell, as he gets to three figures with his worst shot of the day - edging between keeper and slip.

Updated at 9.56pm BST

9.17pm BST21:17

71st over: England 243-4 (Bell 98, Root 21)

Bell finds fielders three times in a row before playing a full ball as late as he can and pushing it through point for a single. And that’s drinks.

9.15pm BST21:15

70th over: England 242-4 (Bell 97, Stokes 21)

Samuels into the attack and Stokes immediately rocks back and hits him through cover for a single. Bell takes one to go to 97 and then a couple for Stokes.

9.10pm BST21:10

69th over: England 238-4 (Bell 96, Stokes 18)

Stokes uses some quick footwork to cut in front of square for a couple, using Benn’s bounce to good effect. Same again, to the fifth ball of the over, but this time he hammers the ball to the man sweeping on the leg boundary for one.

9.06pm BST21:06

68th over: England 235-4 (Bell 96, Stokes 15)

Loose from Stokes, as he throws his bat at a wide one, finding nothing but air. A no-ball from Taylor, as he searches for extra pace from a short-ball. The resulting, illegal delivery is pulled sharply in front of square for four. Then a really nice back-cut for four. He then misses a very full ball, which sneaks under his bat as Stokes attempts to drive. A dab into the off side for a single allows Bell to leave.

9.00pm BST21:00

67th over: England 225-4 (Bell 96, Stokes, 6)

Back to Benn. Sweet back cut sees Bell move to 94. A few balls later, he rocks back and hits two to mid-wicket. The final ball is defended easily.

“Nice to see ‘Jinxing’ Rob Smyth’s powers remain undiminished despite no longer being of this parish,” writes Phil Swayer on e-mail. Smyth’s power is too great for the universe to ignore.

8.56pm BST20:56

66th over: England 219-4 (Bell 90, Stokes 6)

Taylor goes short to Bell, who spins on his heel while attempting a controlled pull and the ball is aerial, but short of Kemar Roach at fine leg. Stokes on and there are two slips and two gullies for him, as Taylor moves to around the wicket. Immediately finds the gap through point fort four! A couple of balls later and Taylor bangs one short, which follows Stokes. He plays it awkwardly but does keep it down. Taylor goes full and straight and Stokes meets it dead-on, punching it down the ground for two runs.

8.50pm BST20:50

65th over: England 212-4 (Bell 89, Stokes 0)

Point is out for Bell and he takes the single there, fourth ball, giving Roach the chance to have a couple at Ben Stokes. The ball’s in at middle and leg and it’s played straight and true to midwicket. Right in behind the next ball, which is defended into the off side.

8.47pm BST20:47

64th over: England 211-4 (Bell 88, Stokes 0)

A fine knock from Joe Root comes to an end as he chops on. He’s livid with himself, thumping his bat as he reluctantly trudges off. The stand with Bell was 177 and has taken England out of a precarious situation. Ben Stokes is the new man in and he lets his first ball - full and wide of off stump - go past. Taylor immediately moves to around the wicket to the left-hander. No dramas.

Updated at 9.04pm BST

8.41pm BST20:41

WICKET! Root b Taylor 83 (England 211-4)

Root’s caught in two minds, poking at a ball he should have left alone and plays it onto his stumps. Good, solid knock, though.

8.39pm BST20:39

63rd over: England 210-3 (Bell 87, Root 83)

Bell moves across and plays away to the leg side, but gets no bat on it. Roach appeals, as Root takes the leg-bye. An exchange of looks between keeper and bowler and it’s the bowler that waves away the need for an appeal. Worth noting that while we have DRS in this series, we do not have Snicko or Hot Spot.

8.34pm BST20:34

62nd over: England 208-3 (Bell 86, Root 83)

Bell cuts to point for two and then revisits the area for four with the last ball of the over. The penultimate ball was a bit more like it from Benn, drifting in and then turning fairly sharply past off-stump.

8.32pm BST20:32

61st over: England 202-3 (Bell 80, Root 83)

Roach begins with a wide but plays out dots until Bell nabs a single off his inside edge.

8.27pm BST20:27

60th over: England 200-3 (Bell 79, Root 83)

Benn back, with two slips, as Ian Bell informs the umpire that the reason for the delay in getting back to the crease was because 12th man Jonny Bairstow had accidentally brought out left-handed gloves. Well done Jonny - you had one job... Root gets on one knee clears the man in at mid-wicket, for four. A shot through the offside brings up the 200. This second hundred took just 139 balls to come up.

8.23pm BST20:23

59th over: England 194-3 (Bell 79, Root 77)

Roach starts with a full ball on leg-stump, which Root times nicely through midwicket for three runs. Seems that Roach is remit is to be full and he’s executing his skills (geez, did I really just type that?) to good effect. Bell digs all of them out, before pushing a length ball back down the track and calling for new gloves.

8.19pm BST20:19

58th over: England 191-3 (Bell 79, Root 74)

Just the one run from that over but little threat. Thoughts already turning to how the West Indies will respond to some grazing in the dirt before they bat. Probably a bit premature given England’s propensity to lose wickets in clusters, but they’re already downhearted. Kemar Roach to replace Marlon Samuels...

Joe Root since being dropped at the end of the last Ashes: 8 Tests, 851 runs @ 106.37.

8.14pm BST20:14

57th over: England 190-3 (Bell 79, Root 74)

Root using the lack of turn for Samuels to plant his front foot forward and really hammer his shots, without fear of skewing. The second ball in particular his smeared through mid on for four. He gets three when he late cuts, leaving Ian Bell to dance down the wicket to the final ball and plant it straight for six.

Updated at 8.34pm BST

8.10pm BST20:10

56th over: England 177-3 (Bell 73, Root 67)

A decent over from Holder but not particularly threatening. He’s defended easily by Bell but as soon as soon as he gives him a bit of width, Bell throws his hands at it, firing it behind point for four!

8.06pm BST20:06

55th over: England 173-3 (Bell 67, Root 69)

Samuels, shades on, elbow checked. “Come on Marls, come on Marls – back-foot Charlie here, Marls!” implores Ramdin from behind the sticks. Root then pulls a loopy ball straight through the hands of Benn at midwicket. DROP! Piss-poor effort from the lanky one, and Root cashes in the ball after with a lovely push down the ground for FOUR.

8.03pm BST20:03

Back in action with Marlon Samuels...

7.45pm BST19:45

54th over: England 167-3 (Bell 69, Root 61)

Root hits Holder’s first ball past mid-on; it’s stopped a foot from the rope and they run three. Those are the last runs of the over and indeed the session, a fine one for England, whose score looks a lot better now than it did at lunch, when they were on 49-3. Nearly two and a half times as many runs in that session, and, um, three fewer wickets. It is now TEA, and Vish will lead you through the rest of the day. Email him here. Bye!

Updated at 8.06pm BST

7.38pm BST19:38

53rd over: England 164-3 (Bell 69, Root 58)

Samuels bowls, and Bell paddle-sweeps. “Two, two, two!” He shouts. He runs two, and then runs another fairly ambitious two from the next, hit to cover – at the end of it the umpires send a run-out decision upstairs, fairly needlessly as Bell was comfortably in.

7.35pm BST19:35

52nd over: England 160-3 (Bell 65, Root 58)

Root gets a fairly intense working-over from the physio, leaning on him, pulling him, pushing him, pulling him while leaning on him, pushing him while also pulling a different bit of him, basically pretending he’s a stretchy rubber toy, which lasts until the umpires come over to tell him to get up or get off. He gets up, but as the commentators say, “if he wasn’t injured before he will be now”. There follows a decent over from Holder, that is until he oversteps in the process of sending down his final delivery, and when he tries again Root, back freshly stretched to pleasing flexibility, smashes the ball through midwicket for four.

7.28pm BST19:28

51st over: England 154-3 (Bell 64, Root 54)

Marlon Samuels bowls for the first time today, and England take three singles, at the end of which Joe Root calls on a physio to work on his back.

Looks as if Root has gone in the tintack. Receiving onfield treatment.

7.24pm BST19:24

50th over: England 151-3 (Bell 62, Root 53)

The first ball clips the toe of Root’s bat and could from that point have gone anywhere at all, but it bounces safely well wide of the stumps. A couple of balls later Holder bowls short and wide and Root quite rightly thumps it past point for four. He adds a couple more later on, taking him to the doorstep of half-century villa – and he doesn’t stay there long, moving immediately into the living room with an excellent drive to the long-on boundary.

Updated at 7.45pm BST

7.19pm BST19:19

49th over: England 141-3 (Bell 62, Root 43)

The game is in the middle of one of those spells of fairly comfortable but fairly pedestrian run-scoring, though as Rob Smyth notes on email, “Bell, bless him, could be 547 not out and I’d still expect him to fiddle one to first slip any second”.

7.17pm BST19:17

48th over: England 138-3 (Bell 62, Root 40)

A maiden from Holder, and Shai Hope is on as a substitute fielder, which will cheer Kevin Wilson (from just before over one).

Updated at 7.18pm BST

7.12pm BST19:12

47th over: England 138-3 (Bell 62, Root 40)

Benn continues, and Root goes down on one knee to sweep the ball along the ground to the midwicket boundary, a fine shot.

7.09pm BST19:09

46th over: England 134-3 (Bell 62, Root 36)

Holder replaces Roach, and bowls a maiden. There’s still plenty of encouragement here for the bowlers.

Bit of reverse for the seamers now.

7.05pm BST19:05

45th over: England 134-3 (Bell 62, Root 36)

Four runs from Benn’s over. Root tries to sweep a ball heading just down the leg side, and it does indeed head just down the leg side, and all the way to the rope. Billy Bowden reckons Root had nothing to do with it, and signals byes.

7.02pm BST19:02

44th over: England 130-3 (Bell 62, Root 36)

Bell plays the first two-thirds of Roach’s over conservatively, and then swats one to cow corner for four. This perhaps prompts Roach to try a little too hard next delivery, for he oversteps and hands England a bonus run.

6.57pm BST18:57

43rd over: England 125-3 (Bell 58, Root 36)

Four dot balls from Benn, and then Root works the ball to square leg and sprints two. And then another dot ball.

6.54pm BST18:54

42nd over: England 123-3 (Bell 58, Root 34)

Another Bell boundary. Given that he was still on nought having faced 19 deliveries, and that England were 22-2 when he emerged from the dressing-room, a 96-ball half-century’s very welcome indeed (or a 104-ball 58, as it is now).

Updated at 7.01pm BST

6.50pm BST18:50

41st over: England 117-3 (Bell 52, Root 34)

Hello! It’s Simon here, back for the remainder of this session. Contact details in the standfirst (if they’re not, refresh the page and they will be). The players have partaken of some mid-session beverages and, thus refreshed, Bell immediately reaches his half-century, pulling Benn through midwicket for four.

6.43pm BST18:43

40th over: England 112-3 (Bell 47, Root 34)

Smart pull from Root is fielded by midwicket for no run. The fielder knew sod-all about it, until it clattered into his shins. Root gets an uglier pull past the man a few balls later for a couple. Probably harsh on Root as he had to wait for it a touch - Roach far from his express best.

6.39pm BST18:39

39th over: England 110-3 (Bell 47, Root 32)

First instance of Bell using his feet to Benn in this afternoon session, but he taps it back to the bowler, all along the floor. Benn goes full and Bell paddles around the corner; “Two, two two” he shouts as he scampers away. Two it is.

6.36pm BST18:36

38th over: England 108-3 (Bell 45, Root 32)

Four from Bell, who doesn’t quite get to the pitch but uses his hands to get him out of trouble, opening the pace and checking the shot to allow it to die through gully, away to the rope. Bell tries to chop one down to third man but it’s too close and a bit too sharp. Nearly, nearly an edge through to Ramdin. He nails this one, but Benn at gully gets down and fields well. A single brings Root on strike, who slashes hard at a short, wide ball, which flies safely over first slip, via the top edge.

6.31pm BST18:31

37th over: England 99-3 (Bell 40, Root 28)

A couple of byes get the over up and running. Benn ups the pace and dots the next three up. Root takes advantage of the extra pace, and short length, to rock back and play, cross batted, through midwicket for a couple of runs.

Updated at 6.40pm BST

6.28pm BST18:28

36th over: England 95-3 (Bell 40, Root 26)

Kemar Roach into the attack. Chest out - chain out further - he starts with a real off side loosener. Root gets bat on ball, driving just between mid-off and cover, before Bell gets another leg-hip ball to tickle away for four.

Meanwhile, Phil Russell has run with the Politicians XI:

“Cameron - skipper as he thinks he is the best one for the job. Wears club jumper but Eton Cap, just to remind everyone. Bats 3 and cruises to double figures before missing a straight one and being given LBW. Goes off in a sulk for the rest of the game.

“Farage - Wicket-kipper whose sledging involves telling everyone how much better the game was before all these foreigners turned up. Claims the opposition spinner is chucking it. Won’t dive for anything leg-side as he won’t move to the left.

“Bennett - Australian fast bowler who was signed up as all Aussies must be brilliant. Turns out to be inconsistent and very expensive.

“Miliband - Keeno promoted from the 2nds because of his ‘positive attitude in the field’ even though everyone reckons his brother is a better player.”

6.22pm BST18:22

35th over: England 89-3 (Bell 32, Root 25)

Taylor continuing. He’s starting to look a bit tired, but he’s still getting good shape on the ball and, fourth ball, gets one to tail in naturally. Bell reads it well and defends into the leg side. Unperturbed, Bell plays tight to himself and runs the ball down to third man from almost the top of his right hip. Four. A leave sees the over out.

6.18pm BST18:18

34th over: England 85-3 (Bell 32, Root 25)

Good ticking over from these two, with four taken, including a dab paddle from Bell, who meets Benn on the full and deflects him over his shoulder for two to fine-leg.

Regarding James Austin’s request for a politicians cricket team, Chris Bourne and Andrew Jefford have proposed Ed Balls as stumper. Chris informs that Balls, “occasionally keeps wicket for the Lords and Commons CC, although his technique is unorthodox.”

Updated at 6.19pm BST

6.14pm BST18:14

33rd over: England 81-3 (Bell 29, Root 24)

Edge... and safe. Bell opens the face and pushes tentatively and the ball scoots through where a third slip might have been. Hard to say whether it would have carried. “I think it would have carried,” says Nasser. That’s god enough for me. Taylor now covering up the ball as he runs in. Doesn’t look to be reversing at the moment, though. Over ends with a lovely square drive, as Bell follows and outswinger and meets it just as it pitches, to hammer it through cover-point.

6.08pm BST18:08

32nd over: England 73-3 (Bell 21, Root 24)

Bell and Root exchange the strike, as both right-handers find singles behind point. An extra gully goes in for the last ball to prevent a repeat, but Root goes ahead and plays the shot anyway. No run.

6.07pm BST18:07

31st over: England 71-3 (Bell 20, Root 23)

A maiden, as Taylor gets back some control, albeit not as threatening as he could or probably should be.

David Green, burning the midnight oil in Taipei, writes in: “It seems remarkable that there has been so little reaction to another Cook failure, the lacklustre, listless feeling coming from the Middle. Are they subdued by Richie Benaud’s passing? Spent after the wc? Seduced by the atmosphere? I’d go for the first - it all seems so trivial in light of the passing of a true great.”

Speaking of dear Richie, here is a lovely piece by The Guardian’s own Geoff Lemon.

6.01pm BST18:01

30th over: England 71-3 (Bell 20, Root 23)

Cracking stuff from Root - brace of fours upsets Benn’s line, length and feelings. The first is a swat-sweep to a full toss. Then Benn over-corrects and, two balls later, is carved through point for another boundary.

6.00pm BST18:00

29th over: England 63-3 (Bell 20, Root 15)

Top Bell-age, as he responds to four dot balls with a lovely, controlled pull shot for four, then a nice flick through mid-wicket for two.

Jeffery Dujon on comms was reminiscing about the time he had to leave the field and Sir Viv Richards had to take the gloves. The results, as expected, are glorious...

The only man who can make keeping in short-sleeves look cool...

5.54pm BST17:54

28th over: England 57-3 (Root 15, Bell 14)

Not as disciplined from Benn as four runs are taken from the over, as he allows Root to hang back and do some nudgey stuff.

“I assume the narrative from those in the know will be that it’s all Graves & Harrison’s fault & Kp’s for scoring runs,” writes Andy Bradshaw. “If Tredwell doesn’t take wickets there will be hell to pay.”

Tredwell probably gets a game on Frequent Flyer points alone.

5.51pm BST17:51

27th over: England 53-3 (Bell 14, Root 11)

Jerome Taylor looks to be in a good place; running in smoothly, with his hypnotically steady sprint, even through the crease. Nailing his areas, getting good carry and getting Ian Bell shouting “NO!” Not in an existential crisis, kind of way – he just doesn’t want a run. Those will do, though, as Bell gets one on his hip and fends it fine for four. Much, much better line as Taylor straightens up and gets Bell playing around a fine outswinger. Inside edge saves Bell from certain LBW-ness.

@Vitu_E Re the Pols XI, @campbellclaret is the spinner, Nick Clegg is carrying the drinks and Peter Hain is the obligatory South African.

5.45pm BST17:45

26th over: England 49-3 (Root 11, Bell 10)

Benn starts full and straight, meaning Root has to get forward while ensuring his foot doesn’t plant straight down the pitch. Standard hang back and nudge into the off side looks much more Root, but no run. None in the over, in fact.

5.42pm BST17:42

The second session is about to get underway, with Bell (10*) and Root (11*) ready to resume.

Wouldn’t be the worst idea for Ramdin to give Benn one end to do his work – he was turned some square – and rotate the seamers at the other end. Benn’s kicking us off, to Root...

5.31pm BST17:31

Evening all.

There’s a chance cricket has peaked after Sky aired their Nasser Hussain video, which was played to the England team before he gave them a motivational chat. Needless to say, it was brilliant. It more than made up for that morning session.

James Austin, on e-mails, writes: “Delighted to see that OBO and real cricket is back!

“As I’m stuck in campaign hell at the moment I have to say that the misery and hopelessness of English cricket is the perfect accompaniment to the election campaign. Quick question: what would be the best politicians XI? Suspect Miliband would be your fast bowler while Cameron is more of a Rob Key style No.3.”

5.16pm BST17:16

(Incidentally, David Willey just bowled a three-wicket maiden for Northants against Gloucestershire. I suppose that having been 139-4 and 185-5 296 all out isn’t a total disaster, but from 296-6, with the last four going for no runs in seven deliveries, it’s got to hurt.)

5.11pm BST17:11

An intriguing first morning. Not exactly encouraging, from England’s perspective, but the bowling’s been good and any sense that the tourists, even these tourists, could calmly trample over their talent-drained hosts can be put aside. Very much the West Indies’ session. Vithushan Ehantharajah will be here shortly to take you through the start of session two – all emails to vithushan.ehantharajah.casual@theguardian.com, if you would. I’ll be back in a bit.

5.03pm BST17:03

25th over: England 49-3 (Bell 10, Root 11)

Holder’s doing just beautifully here – there’s been nothing mediocre about West Indies’ bowling this morning. His best delivery of the over is a peach, heading at off stump before shaping away, and Bell does very well to leave it alone. Another maiden, and that’s LUNCH.

Updated at 5.52pm BST

4.58pm BST16:58

24th over: England 49-3 (Bell 10, Root 11)

Benn bowls, and Root scores two from the first delivery and three from the last. Some spin here, though. There’ll be one final over before lunch. Another reader’s all-time top England attack (that they have personally witnessed):

@garynaylor999 @Simon_Burnton Flintoff, Giles, Hoggard, Jones, Harmison.

Updated at 5.36pm BST

4.55pm BST16:55

23rd over: England 44-3 (Bell 10, Root 7)

Bell’s single sees him become the third English batsman to reach 10 runs. Will he also be the first to exceed 11? Time alone will tell. A moment later there’s another lovely delivery, Holder getting one to head towards middle stump before deciding against it, moving away from the batsman and heading just past his wielded willow. So much for there being no help here for the bowlers …

4.51pm BST16:51

22nd over: England 43-3 (Bell 9, Root 7)

Benn’s third over yields three runs, more than the first two put together, with Root grabbing a couple with a cut through cover.

4.48pm BST16:48

21st over: England 40-3 (Bell 8, Root 5)

The end of session one hoves into view, and Windies are still bowling disciplined stuff, full of length, offering very few free runs. Another maiden, Holder with it.

'Orrible start for England in Antigua. Perfect swing bowling conditions here that would have seen @jimmy9 pass Beefy by lunch #diginbelly

4.43pm BST16:43

20th over: England 40-3 (Bell 8, Root 5)

That’s a drama-free maiden from Benn.

4.41pm BST16:41

19th over: England 40-3 (Bell 8, Root 5)

Holder bowls short and wide and Root slashes it to the third man boundary. There’s a moment of excitement as Benn at gully dives for the catch, and then it dissipates as we realise how far away from the ball he actually was. “Isn’t cricket supposed to be enjoyed?” asks Rohit Singh. “The English team look so sombre. I mean not just for this performance, but generally. Too many mental devils? Too much talk about stuff other than cricket? Time to put the past behind I think.” It’s supposed to be enjoyed by the spectators, at least. Of course there are two ways to entertain your fans, one is to play in an entertaining style, and the other is to win. The best teams combine both, of course, but England seem to have become so obsessed by the second that they totally forget the first (and then they fail to achieve the second anyway).

4.37pm BST16:37

18th over: England 36-3 (Bell 8, Root 1)

Spin! It’s Sulieman Benn. Two runs off it. Benn hasn’t played against England since 2009, but on his first appearance against the English, in Kingston that February, took four wickets in each innings. There have been four other Tests against England and he’s never had quite that impact since, with two wickets in each of them.

4.32pm BST16:32

17th over: England 34-3 (Bell 7, Root 0)

Holder bowls short, and Bell hooks it away for three, all of it happening as if in slow motion. England run three, bringing Ballance, fatefully onto strike. The rest is history.

4.31pm BST16:31

It's not raining any more!

The players are back out, with Root yet to face his first delivery, and one ball remaining of the 17th over. Mike Selvey sums things up nicely:

YEA GRAVES TALK NAH. #mediocre

Updated at 4.31pm BST

4.24pm BST16:24

It's raining!

It’s as if the heavens themselves are mourning England’s vanishing self-respect. As the third wicket falls, so too does the rain, and on come the covers. It doesn’t look like a long-term thing.

4.23pm BST16:23

WICKET! Ballance c Bravo b Holder 10 (England 34-3)

After surviving all of those excellent Roach deliveries Ballance gets himself out throwing his bat at a wide one from Holder, and top-edging straight to Bravo at first slip.

Updated at 5.29pm BST

4.19pm BST16:19

16th over: England 31-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 4)

Another over, and again Roach gets the ball to move away from Ballance, forcing the batsman into a shot. Again, it misses the bat by the merest smidge. A maiden, the sixth of the innings. “Who are we kidding here?” asks Robert Wilson. “22 for 2? Isn’t this exactly the kind of opening that England fans adore? As an Irishman my right to comment is limited, but I’ve always noticed the best England fans absolutely beam and glitter under such circumstances. Their dogged acceptance of absurdity and disappointment is a model to many. Screw Camus, you guys have it sussed. Trott’s comeback was perfect. A scratchy two-hour 16 would have been something but a three-ball duck is kismet to you guys.” We may be used to it, it doesn’t mean we welcome it.

4.15pm BST16:15

15th over: England 31-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 4)

Ian Bell has scored a run! Four of the little blighters! Holder bowls a little wide and Bell cracks it past backward point and away to the rope.

4.11pm BST16:11

14th over: England 27-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 0)

Lovely bowling from Roach, getting successive deliveries to fade away from Ballance, just past the edge as the batsman plays and misses, and flying through to Ramdin. Lovely stuff. “Pillows?” wonders John Starbuck, “you’d think whoopee cushions would be more appropriate.”

4.04pm BST16:04

13th over: England 27-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 0)

Another six deliveries to Bell, and he’s still not off the mark. When he next tries, he’ll be fortified by whatever he’s currently drinking. “Do you reckon tailenders invest in comfortable seats?” wonders Elliot Carr-Barnsley, as finally conversation shifts to the big topics of the day. “You always see players hanging about on plastic lawn chairs on team balconies, that can’t be comfortable day after day.” I’m not big on cheaty beds and the like, but I always take a pillow camping (except when I forget). Perhaps Test cricketers stash one in their suitcase as well?

4.00pm BST16:00

12th over: England 27-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 0)

Roach continues, and it’s a drama-free maiden with Ballance’s bat only once being called into action. “It’s a strange feeling hoping for a complete and utter shambles of a performance from England to get some excitement/forward thinking in this set up,” writes Steve Fairman. “Our cricket – red ball/white ball/beach ball – is stuck in grind mode. In five years no-one will be watching test cricket and we’ll still be sending out textbook cricketers to score at 2.75 rpo and ‘bowl dry’. It seems only a 3-0 defeat here would get us thinking about players (young or old) who want to play aggressive, entertaining and proactive cricket. It’s not only our limited-overs stuff that needs a rethink – hit big, bowl fast, turn it, field aggressively could work in Test matches as well. Or we could just have a top order of Cook, Trott, Robson and Bell in every format, which I suppose is radical in its own way.”

Updated at 5.29pm BST

3.56pm BST15:56

11th over: England 27-2 (Ballance 10, Bell 0)

Holder replaces Taylor, and Ballance ticks gently into double figures from the first ball. Bell has now faced 10 deliveries without scoring.

Windies bowling with commendable discipline which is what Curtly promised

3.50pm BST15:50

10th over: England 26-2 (Ballance 9, Bell 0)

Ballance takes a single to square leg. As many have pointed out, the score at the end of the eighth over was rather appropriate.

@Simon_Burnton That sound you hear is the great man saying "tchoo for twenchy tchoo" from the great commentary box in the sky.

3.46pm BST15:46

9th over: England 25-2 (Ballance 8, Bell 0)

“I am highly impressed by their preparation and Ramdin’s captaincy,” writes Krishnan Patel. “He elected to bowl after winning the toss in a test match, they seem to have plans for every single batsman. Hmm, is it time to get anxious yet?” It’s been an impressive start, yes. And I’d say England were probably pretty anxious even before play started.

3.40pm BST15:40

8th over: England 22-2 (Ballance 5, Bell 0)

A boundary! A proper one this time, Cook pushing through the covers, nice timing. Not a taste of things to come, as it turns out. “The problem (and time-wasting) of Trott’s Trench and similar markings (digging a hole with a bail, anyone?) could be solved by that old stand-by proposal for a set of horizontal lines from the stumps,” writes John Starbuck. “It would also reduce the number of daft DRC appeals too. But if it doesn’t involve some whizzy technology …”

3.40pm BST15:40

WICKET! Cook b Roach 11 (England 22-2)

The last ball of the over does for Cook, just kissing his inside edge as the England captain looked to defend and deflecting into the stumps!

Updated at 5.29pm BST

3.36pm BST15:36

7th over: England 18-1 (Cook 7, Ballance 5)

A boundary! The first of the innings, the day and indeed the series, and West Indies score it! It’s just a poor delivery from Taylor, blown further off course by the wind, and then it swings a little further before it reaches Ramdin, who gets the tips of a glove to it but no more.

3.31pm BST15:31

6th over: England 9-1 (Cook 6, Ballance 2)

Cook survives a decent if ultimately optimistic lbw appeal – the ball was heading down leg side, and umpire Steve Davis was considerably less excited about the whole thing than the fielders. “Such a typical conservative safety first selection from England,” complains Martin Kinrade. “Why not play two spinners? So straight down the line, never any what would be called left field sections, why take a punt on Lyth and Rashid, on a slight plus glad Stokes is playing. Excellent cricketer.” Ramdin was asked after the toss whether he’d ever considered picking two spinners here – as had been rumoured in the press – and he actually laughed at the idea.

3.26pm BST15:26

5th over: England 7-1 (Cook 5, Ballance 1)

Runs! Cook scores most of them, flicking the ball through midwicket, where it runs out of enthusiasm about a foot from the rope, and the batsmen take three. Trott’s habit of digging a great long line to mark middle-and-leg before he takes guard just makes him look silly every time we see the view from stumpcam, with that great big trench the only reminder of his three-ball cameo here.

3.21pm BST15:21

4th over: England 3-1 (Cook 2, Ballance 0)

Another maiden. The highlight is a mean bouncer from Roach, which would have scared the living daylights out of Cook had he only been eight feet tall.

@Simon_Burnton Total vindication of Trott's selection - prevented Adam Lyth playing and showing up his captain. Job done Trotty.

3.17pm BST15:17

3rd over: England 3-1 (Cook 2, Ballance 0)

There’s a delay, a couple of balls into Taylor’s second over, while West Indies strap up and stick in a short leg. And it almost pays off, as well, when the final delivery of the over claps into the very top of Ballance’s bat and floats into the leg side, but it’s well wide of the fielder. A maiden.

3.11pm BST15:11

2nd over: England 3-1 (Cook 2, Ballance 0)

Roach bowls, Cook edges, and he survives! The ball lands six inches in front of Bravo, though perhaps Ramdin might have caught it had he only tried. “Only England could pick an orthodox off-spinner who can’t get in a middle-of-the-road county side over a talented leg-spinning all rounder who was instrumental in his county winning the CC,” complains Ian Truman. “What is the best case scenario in picking Tredwell? That he performs adequately and ‘does a job’?” I think the pressure that England are under to win this apparently straightforward series must encourage them to seek a safe pair of hands, especially with the only alternative not showing the kind of form that might have forced the issue.

3.06pm BST15:06

1st over: England 1-1 (Cook 1, Ballance 0)

Cook prods the ball to cover and takes the first run of the series. “What are the odds on Anderson still overtaking Botham’s record today?” wonders Steven Larcombe. Everyone agreed that the pitch looks excellent for batting, or at the very worst that it will become excellent for batting pretty quickly, but if wickets keep falling at one an over I suppose he’ll be sipping champagne by tea.

3.05pm BST15:05

WICKET! Trott c Bravo b Taylor 0 (England 1-1)

Decent length from Taylor, and the ball – pushed on its way by the wind – moves away from Trott, takes the edge and is caught at slip.

Trott come back ended rather swiftly as he edges third ball to slip.

Updated at 5.30pm BST

2.59pm BST14:59

And now they’re making their last preparations before play begins, wind whipping the players’ shirts. Jerome Taylor will bowl the opening over. “I didn’t even realise the Test was starting today, that’s how unenthusiastic I am about this series,” writes Kevin Wilson. “West Indies missing a trick not picking Shai Hope, easy terrace chant for him: We’ve got Shai Hope, we’ve got Shai Hope, we’ve got Shai apple pie in the sky Hope!”

2.57pm BST14:57

The players are in the middle for a minute’s silence in memory of Richie Benaud.

2.48pm BST14:48

“Tredwell? Would have preferred Rashid,” writes Lennie Lenford. “Any thoughts on that to keep me awake between CC updates?” The Sun’s John Etheridge seems to have the answer:

Anybody who watched England's four days of practice in St.Kitts will know why Tredwell has been preferred to Rashid.

Rashid bowled very poorly in St.Kitts (like he did on the Lions tour) while Tredwell was good.

2.43pm BST14:43

Hmmm, nice question. I don’t remember Underwood, so he’s out of my selection. I’d include Swann and Anderson, with Flintoff probably dropping out. I also really liked Simon Jones, and would have loved to see him enjoy a full career with England.

@Simon_Burnton Best England attack chosen from bowlers I've seen? Botham, Willis, Flintoff, SP Jones, Underwood 12th Man Swann.

2.37pm BST14:37

The England team in full: Cook, Trott, Ballance, Bell, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Jordan, Broad, Tredwell, Anderson.West Indies: Smith, Brathwaite, DM Bravo, MN Samuels, S Chanderpaul, J Blackwood, D Ramdin*†, JO Holder, JE Taylor, KAJ Roach, SJ Benn.

Updated at 2.50pm BST

2.34pm BST14:34

Alastair Cook’s post-toss reaction:

We were going to have a bat. It’s a little bit tacky now but if you can get through the first session it should be a good wicket to bat on and we wanted first use of it.

Trott opens, Stokes is at six, Tredwell plays.

2.33pm BST14:33

It looks extremely windy in Antigua. Denesh Ramdin says this:

We’re going to exploit whatever moisture there is and try to put them under pressure early. First hour, hour and a half there should be some moisture.

2.32pm BST14:32

West Indies win the toss and choose to field

WI win toss and stuck Eng in. That is a surprise. Must be confident pitch will hold up.

2.32pm BST14:32

Ooh, I’ve seen the cap. It’s made out of metal, so on the downside isn’t particularly wearable, but on the upside it’s very shiny, and it’s in a presentation case anyway.

2.25pm BST14:25

The toss is five minutes away. In the meantime, James Anderson gets “a special cap”. I’m not sure what a special cap looks like, but I’m sure it’s absolutely great.

Presentation: @jimmy9 receives a special cap from Michael Atherton to mark his 100th Test match. #WIvEng pic.twitter.com/6PAqVUnWC9

2.20pm BST14:20

Hello world!

James Anderson has 380 Test wickets for England. Only one man has taken more - Sir Ian Botham, who retired with 383 to his name (having played three more matches than Anderson, even if he bowled 299 fewer deliveries than the man eyeing his all-time wicket-taking crown has already banged in). Anyway, barring injury, at some point in the next couple of weeks, perhaps today, on the occasion of his 100th cap, Anderson will overtake Botham and become England’s greatest-ever bowler, a statistically-proven fact.

So, that’s something for England to look forward to. Outside that, well, not so much. Either they’ll beat West Indies in this series, in which case everyone will shrug their shoulders and point to the hosts’ dismal ranking, or they will fail to beat West Indies, in which case, after the Ashes and the World Cup and such, we’re talking disaster piled upon disaster and served with a side order of disaster. Like that time when the Darkness, having found an illusory glimpse of success, endured their second album selling no copies and then their lead singer going into rehab and then him quitting and then them getting dumped by their record label. Sooner or later they just needed someone they knew and respected to stand up and say, “You know what? I also believe in a thing called love!” And, on some level, don’t we all?

Like the Darkness back in the day, England have to reshape their line-up following recent setbacks, though it looks like the first step on the long road to transformation will involve the return of Jonathan Trott.

As for West Indies, they should have this quote, from ECB chairman-elect Colin Graves, writ large in their dressing-room.

I’d certainly be disappointed if we don’t win the West Indies series, because I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have a mediocre team,

Team talk done. Way to motivate the opposition, big guy.

Updated at 2.20pm BST

2.00pm BST14:00

Simon will be here shortly. In the meantime, read up on how Kevin Pietersen has been

trolling England

scoring freely for Surrey.

It seemed inevitable from the moment Kevin Pietersen strode out to the crease. Well, not all of it, of course. The owner of the Peugeot 207 who parked beyond the mid-on boundary did not, presumably, do so expecting a cricket ball-shaped dent in its boot.

And the elderly patron who settled in to watch from the comfort of his collapsable fishing chair certainly did not see it coming when he was sent flying by a screaming drive through extra cover from the right-handed batsman.

But of the 500 or so people who turned up for a sunny but cold Sunday at The Parks to watch Oxford MCCU host Surrey in a three-day friendly match, few would have bet against Pietersen plundering a century in his first game of red-ball cricket for 15 months, and on the eve of England’s first Test with West Indies in Antigua.

By the time his three-and-a-half hours in the middle had come to an end, caught in the deep, some 24 fours and two sixes had flown from the bat. A 149-ball 170 in Surrey’s 420 for seven declared will not count towards the weight of runs the incoming chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Colin Graves, believes could force a rethink from the selectors.

Given this was a first hundred for Pietersen in any form of cricket since August 2013, the third Ashes Test against Australia, there will need to be plenty more mischief made when Surrey’s season starts for real against Glamorgan next Sunday. It was great fun to watch, though.