PS: Brendon McCullum has confirmed Zak Crawley has a fractured finger, so he might be a doubt for the start of the Sri Lanka series.

Ben Stokes lifts the Richards-Botham Trophy to signal the end of a fun, if brief series. It was done and dusted in 10 days and just 718 overs, which makes it the third shortest three-match series since the first World War.

The two at the top of the list are England v Pakistan in 1978 (662 overs) and, yep, England v South Africa in 2022 (just 569 overs).

On that slightly dull note, let’s wrap things up. Thanks for your company and emails throughout the series – bye!

England captain Ben Stokes speaks

[On Mark Wood] Amazing. The rewards he got were long overdue. The effort he puts in is phenomenal. He’s got the heart of a lion, and that spell was exactly what you want as a captain: fast, extremely skilful. He blew the game open. [Chuckles] I’m extremely happy for him.

[On his innings] It was just to keep everyone in the same position. If it had been 150-200 we might have moved everyone else up.

[On his record-breaking fifty] I’d probably appreciate a bottle of champagne from Beefy than a message! Ducky mentioned it out in the middle. It was pretty cool to go past Beefy.

Gus and Jamie, what a first Test series to have. Gus’s debut couldn’t have gone any better. He’s been exposed to different conditions since Lord’s and he’s showed all his skills.

Jamie Smith has been absolutely exceptional behind the stumps, and he’s grown into the N07 role even though he has no experience whatsoever.

Eighteen months ago we might have responded [to being 50 for 5] in a one-dimensional way. We still want to put pressure back on the opposition but we also want to be smart in our choices.

We shouldn’t underestimate this win. West Indies put up a pretty decent total and we were 50 for 5, so to come back and win inside three days is exceptional. It credit to how far we’ve progressed from when Brendon and I took over.

We want to win every game and every series. We like to focus on our process, and then then results will look after themselves. But don’t underestimate how much we want to win.

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite reflects on the series

It was a better pitch than our score of 280 in the first innings. We fought back well and the Joe Root LBW was a big moment, but overall our groupings weren’t good enough to put any team under pressure for long periods. When we got it right, we took wickets. We just weren’t as consistent as we need to be. We need to get back to where we were in Australia, when our percentages hitting the top of off were much better.

We never gave up, we always fought hard. Kavem Hodge played really well, Jayden had a very good series, Motie got some crucial wickets. There are some positives and I’m very excited that we have two Tests coming up [against South Africa].

We need more cricket. The more we play against good teams, the more we’ll improve. We will see growth in this team, and Test wins.

West Indies’ player of the series is Jayden Seales

I’m proud to play for West Indies and that I came back and did well for the team. Playing for Sussex really helped me prepare for this series and get used to conditions.

You have to be on it all the time against England. If you’re off, they’ll take the opportunity to score.

I think this is a team that can grow and become a force to be reckoned with in the future.

England’s player of the series is Gus Atkinson

I didn’t come in with any expectations but to take 22 wickets is fantastic. It was a very special week at Lord’s. It seems ages ago now.

I tried to run in hard and hit the pitch hard. I learned a lot in this series – trying to swing the ball at different times and use the crease.

I love bowling with Woody. He’s great on the pitch, always giving you advice, and watching him today was special.

The series is great fun. I won’t forget it in a hurry, and I’m looking forward to the future.

The player of the match is the magnificent Mark Wood

I was a bit down on myself at lunchtime. Jimmy had a great chat with me, focussing on the skill side of things rather than the outcome. That changed my mindset a little bit. The first wicket gave me a lot of confidence and from there I just let them fly.

I’m proud of the fact I keep my speeds up. Over the years it’s been up and down but I manage to maintain it in these games. I’ve already watched the highlights of my spell twice and I’ll be watching them a few more times!

It’s boring bowling in the nets by yourself. Pick the ball up, go back, bowl again, pick it up. This is the reward: being back amongst the lads. It’s a great group, we all want each other to do well and I love being part of this team.

The physio does a great job patching me up. There’s no tape left. But I’m really pleased I managed to get through.

Time for the end of-series presentations. We could be here a while, and why not.

Play that one again and again

Our Own Mark Wood

A bowling performance like Mark Wood’s deserves the Brian Withington treatment. “A reworking of one sometimes underappreciated gem for another,” writes Brian.

He knows how to bowl
And I should just add, very quickly
He comes from Durham
Isn’t he good our own Mark Wood?

Ben asked for one more
And he told him to bowl anywhere
Then Seales looked around
And noticed his stump wasn’t there

Joseph was the last in
And wasted no time
The tail had all gone minus Motie
Five for forty

Ben said he fancied golf
In the morning and started to laugh
Mark told him he didn’t
And walked off to have an ice bath

And when we looked up it was all done
The game had flown
But he lit the fire
Isn’t he good our own Mark Wood?

“I had tickets for tomorrow at the Test,” groans Robert Hill. “Could Stokes not have shouldered arms for 50 overs? I’m going to have to go to work now.”

“Dear Rob Smyth,” begins Pye Edgerton. How lovely to receive such a polite e- oh. “Yawn Yawn ad nauseam. So how soon will it be Australia and India and Blighty ‘playing’ just each other on Endless Loop Cricket for the delight of Endless Loop Cricketers and The Advertisers and The Modern Colonialists? Yours sincerely.”

Ten points for etiquette to be fair.

Don’t try this at home

“Sport eh?” says Niall Mullen. “If you told me yesterday when they both lost their 5th wicket that England would win by 10 wickets and that Ireland would close it out for the loss of only one more I’d have said you were mad.”

And you’d have been right, and I’ve got the certificates to prove it, but you’d have been wrong about the sport bit.

Guess who topped the bowling averages in this series? Yep, the fella who turns 42 on Tuesday. He took four wickets at 14.50, a nose ahead of Gus Atkinson’s 22 at 16.23. What a debut series that is by the way, the best for England in a three-match series since Alec Bedser in 1946.

England’s end-of-series report What do we think: A, maybe A minus? They won 3-0, the new players all excelled, Mark Wood was appointment TV and all the batters bar Zak Crawley got runs.

It doesn’t mean they are going to conquer the world in 2025, but the series went about as well as we could reasonably expect.

“Sitting in the sun watching my son playing seconds for Highland at Fochabers,” writes Allan MacDonald. “Had hoped to see a bit of cricket when we got back but that seems an increasingly forlorn hope. The only consolation is that BBC’s Today at the Test is likely to have England’s second innings in full…”

The Hundred will now be renamed The Forty-Four.

Stokes finished on 57 not out from 28 balls, Duckett 25 not out from 16. There’s plenty of goodwill as the teams shake hands. It’s been an enjoyable series, played in a terrific spirit, but West Indies couldn’t quite live with England in the key moments.

This afternoon session, though. It began with West Indies 151 for 5, a lead of 58. Then Mark Wood started violating stumps with a reverse-swinging ball and it was all done in a flash. Wood took 5 for 7 in 21 balls of utterly exhilarating fast bowling.

Then his mate Ben Stokes, opening in the absence of Zak Crawley, tried to hit every ball for 12 and almost succeeded. It was merciless, sadistic and all sorts of fun.

7th over: England 81-0 (target 82; Stokes 51, Duckett 25) Stokes scorches Shamar Joseph down the ground, and Louis round the boundary to make a brilliant diving stop. An act of utter futility, which makes it all the more admirable.

Although they’ve ultimately been pounded 3-0, West Indies have contributed plenty to this series. And, more importantly, they have four or five young players whose names may soon be written in ink rather than pencil.

Meanwhile, Stokes pulls Shamar for a bicep-busting six to reach England’s fastest Test fifty: 24 balls, nine fours, one six. He’s shaved almost 15 per cent of Ian Botham’s old record, 28 balls in 1981-82 (I think).

One to win. England were 54 for 5 yesterday morning.

6th over: England 72-0 (target 82; Stokes 42, Duckett 25) Duckett wants a bit of this free candy. He hits Holder’s second over for 20, including four boundaries: a blast down the ground followed by three superbly placed pulls through midwicket. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY ENGLAND CRICKET TEAM? O LOVEABLE LOSERS, WHERE ART THOU?

As Michael Meagher points out, Ireland beat Zimbabwe by four wickets doesn’t tell the story of a seriously squeaky run-chase. They collapsed to 21 for 5, chasing 158, but excellent knocks from Lorcan Tucker (56), Andy McBrine (55*) and Mark Adair (24*) got them over the line.

5th over: England 52-0 (target 82; Stokes 42, Duckett 5) A leg-bye brings up the England fifty in 26 balls, equalling the world record they set at Trent Bridge last week. We haven’t seen such anarchic audacity since the Ogg Monster and his mate turned up at Wernham Hogg.

Stokes cloths a delivery from Joseph for a single and snaps his head back in disappointment; he doesn’t care for many stats but he fancied the quickest half-century. Later in the over Alzarri spears one down the leg side to ensure Stokes can’t equal Misbah’s record, never mind break it: he has 42 from 20 balls.

“Nothing new about ambidextrous bowling,” says Peter Metcalfe. “The late Colin Smith of Baxenden and Settle Optimists CCs used to switch half way through an over. And he had one left-handed golf club for a particular shot he did not like doing right handed. Mind you, he was a genius.”

4th over: England 49-0 (target 82; Stokes 41, Duckett 6) The camera cuts to Sir Curtly Ambrose in the crowd: all alone, quietly seething. A fly has the temerity to buzz in his face, prompting Curtly to attempt a one-punch knockout. The look on his coupon!

West Indies turn to Jason Holder in an attempt to restore something resembling order. Fat chance. Stokes pulls four more, then picks a slower ball and monsters it back over Holder’s head for four. He has 41 from 18 balls; a six and a four in his next two deliveries would give him the fastest Test fifty.

I have no idea what sport we’ve been watching in the past hour. Whatever it is, sir, I want some more.

“Could I proffer a word of congratulations to Ireland who have just completed a hard fought and close Test win over Zimbabwe,” writes Martin O’Donovan-Wright. “Following on from their recent victory over Afghanistan, I think (but am open to correction) that Ireland have become the side that has achieved victories over two different nations in the shortest time since being granted Test status. Cricket would be so much healthier if these sides were given more test matches against the greedy big boys.”

You surely can. That’s a terrific win, especially after our friend Romeo almost jiggered them last night.

3rd over: England 38-0 (target 82; Stokes 31, Duckett 3) A short ball from Alzarri sits up nicely and is mullered for four by Stokes. He pulls another boundary, then drives a third over mid-off. This is brutal. But it’s nothing personal, just business.

You suspect it’s getting personal to Alzarri, who ends the over by ramming Stokes in the box and knocking him off his feet. Stokes has 31 from 15 balls. The fastest Test fifty came in 21 deliveries, by Misbah-ul-Haq. England’s fastest is Lord Beefy, 28 balls.

2nd over: England 23-0 (target 82; Stokes 17, Duckett 2) Stokes is batting with savage intent. He gets down one on knee to larrup Jayden Seales spectacularly over extra cover for four, then stands tall to batter another boundary to the same part of the ground. “He’s tuning himself up for The Hundred…” says Mark Butcher on Sky.

1st over: England 12-0 (target 82; Stokes 8, Duckett 0) Alzarri Joseph gets some dangerous inswing in his first over, but Stokes still takes him for two boundaries – a fierce cut and an elegant clip through midwicket. A hooping inswinger beats Stokes and Da Silva on its way for four byes.

Since you asked, Stokes batted at No1 when England were pushing for quick runs against West Indies in 2020. He delivered them. And he looks in the mood to deliver them again today. What’s the last tee time in Birmingham on a Sunday?

Fat chance! Thanks Jim, hello everyone. I hope you’re still high on that spell from Mark Wood; it was sheer delightful fast bowling.

Zak Crawley is having a scan on his finger, so Ben Stokes is going open the batting. If Duckett faces the first ball, Stokes will have batted in every position from 1-11 in a Test innings. But he hates stats, the killjoy, so of course he’s going to face the first ball.

Phew. That’s me done for the day. Here’s Rob Smyth, he’ll be far more articulate and erudite than me in the OBO armchair as England come out for their chase. Thanks for tuning in and your dishwasher themed invective. Goodbye.

Five for seven. Five for seven.

51st over: West Indies 171-7 (Hodge 55, Motie 8) Atkinson is flicked for a couple of singles. Wood is returning for his sixth over on the spin, Stokes is going for the kill with his two quickest men. Can’t think Wood will have too many more…

50th over: West Indies 169-7 (Hodge 54, Motie 7) Wood is hurtling in with his dander up and with Gudakesh Motie in his sights. Fair play to the batter, he survives five fearsome balls and then nabs a single off the sixth. Meanwhile, Hodge hasn’t scored a run in over half an hour. How does he play this from here?

49th over: West Indies 168-7 (Hodge 54, Motie 6) Gudakesh Motie is the new batter, he gets off the mark with a thick edge past gully for four. West Indies still have a set Kavem Hodge at the crease and a lead of 73 runs. All is not lost but it’ll take someone to dig in and survive the fireballs being sent down by Wood and Atkinson. They shake your nerves and they rattle your brains.

47th over: West Indies 158-6 (Hodge 54, A Joseph 2) Gus Atkinson replaces Bashir, he’ll be sensing that there are wickets to be taken here, his tally for the series stands at 22. The next best? Jayden Seales on 13. What a debut Test series Atkinson has had.

46th over: West Indies 157-6 (Hodge 54, A Joseph 1) Alzarri Joseph is the new batter. Ian Bishop on the tv commentary says that West Indies need more innings of note from him at number 8, he’s got plenty of talent with the bat. The West Indies lead by only 63 runs so they’ll need him to hang around with Kavem Hodge at the very least in the short term.

45th over: West Indies 156-5 (Hodge 54, Da Silva 5) Just a single off Bashir as Da Silva leans on a drive into the covers.

Here’s a glimpse into the future. Ambidextrous bowlers.

44th over: West Indies 155-5 (Hodge 54, Da Silva 4) Judicious batting from Hodge and Da Silva. Wood looks threatening but both batters duck, weave and leave in order to make his efforts go unrewarded, for this over at least.

43rd over: West Indies 154-5 (Hodge 54, Da Silva 3) Bashir begins from the other end after lunch. He’s been impressive again today. He’s got 1-40 from his fourteen overs so far.

In other news, Zak Crawley has gone to have his hand scanned after hurting when shelling that catch before lunch. England might be an opener down when their turn to bat does come around.

Here come the players for the Afternoon session. The OBO inbox has exploded with dishwasher chat, proving once again, as if we needed reminding, that we live in truly polarised times…

Anyway. Mark Wood gets us underway, afternoon sun beating down on his wiry frame. There’s some more hints of reverse as the ball moves late back into Kavem Hodge, an inside edge saving the batter from a full throated appeal. Hodge gets off the mark with a dab down past gully. Da Silva is rapped on the pad by Wood and this time there is a big shout from bowler and fielders. Umpire Holdstock says nope but Stokes sends it upstairs for a second look. Close! The ball was hitting leg-stump but only enough for it to be ‘umpire’s call’ so Da Silva survives.

42nd over: West Indies 152-5 (Hodge 53, Da Silva 2)

Lunchtime reading: Sir Garry Sobers is 88 today. Celebrate with this wonderful extract from Scott Oliver’s Wisden Award winning book. It’s a belter.

Garry eventually made his entrance in late April 1964, greeted under soupy Potteries skies by a Pathé News crew, to whom he explained he was looking forward to “getting away from the sunshine” in “a class of cricket that had done a lot for me”. The Norton ground was owned by the National Coal Board and, although well appointed, was not much of a looker. Looming over the ground’s northern boundary like a sagging Goth pyramid was a jet-black spoil heap from the Ford Green pit, topped up throughout the day by heavy, rumbling belts.”

Wonderful.

Time to catch up on some correspondence. Robert Wilson is giving with one hand and taking away thumping with the other. His email is titled ‘Dishwashers Rot The Human Soul’ which I’m pretty sure is a B-side by The Smiths.

“Greetings from a grumpy and Olympicised Paris. This is a particular fine OBO effort this morning. Nice division of love and admiration between batters and bowlers (and between both teams too). Jubilant tone, sprightly comedy (Bazball in Excelsis was a lovely touch). Well done, son. You are representin’.

But I just can’t get over the news that you use a dishwasher - casually slipped in before the start of play (how people often reveal their grossest moral crimes). Dishwashers are satanically evil. They fatally corrode democracy and liberty. Simply put, they make you a bad person. I don’t care if you have twenty three children and forty-seven elderly relatives. Wash your goddam dishes! Washing dishes teaches you everything you need to know about being a man. Viv Richards washed dishes like a wizard. Plus they teach you the Eighth Newtonian Law of Motion (the one everyone has forgotten). People with dish-washers aren’t really allowed to like cricket. Do better, kid (Harrison Ford voice)...

Robert Wilson (on the cutlery now)“

That was entertaining and terrifying in equal measure, Robert. Brill(o) stuff.

40th over: West Indies 148-5 (Hodge 51, Da Silva 1) Oucheee! Stokes thuds one into Da Silva’s elbow and the batter hits the deck wincing in pain. On comes the physio with his funny bone spray. After a short delay he’s good to continue. That will sting. A nudge to leg gets him off the mark and he’ll have the strike for the final over of the morning session.

39th over: West Indies 146-5 (Hodge 50, Da Silva 0) In and amongst it, Kavem Hodge brings up his fifty – classy and battling knock from him. The pugilistic Josh Da Silva joins him out in the middle with five minutes until lunch.

38th over: West Indies 145-4 (Hodge 49, Holder 12) Holder slaps a Stokes short ball away for four but is then DROPPED the next ball by Crawley in the slips. It went fast but it should have been taken, Crawley got two hands to it but shelled it. He scampers off the pitch afterwards too… reminding me of the old school adage that they don’t hurt if you catch them.

“It is such an unpredictable game, that is why Test Cricket is gripping and fascinates. I hope the WIndies take it to a fourth day.” Michael Galvin echoing the thoughts of many.

“Cher Monsieur James, or Jacques as the Jims of the world are known in France, thank you for your enthusiastic and unbiased account of the goings on.”

My pleasure, Tone White. I might be slightly biased to West Indies, but for the good of the game and those with day four tickets!

“Re The Tiller Girls, an act I considered a bizarre and tedious opening for a show which I hoped might offer something risqué later on, sitting between parents on a sofa which also supported tea cups and saucers, mugs being a thing of the future. Seeing the Tillers now I would class them as an Olympic quality synchronised gymnastic team. Like certain cricketers, capable of doing what seems intellectually impossible.
I at that stage of life where correctly tying shoe laces brings a sense of pride in achievement.”

37th over: West Indies 141-4 (Hodge 49, Holder 8) Woakes strays onto Jason Holder’s ferry boat sized pads and is whipped away for four. A frustrated tug of the grey flecked forelock by the local lad.

Here’s the end of Mikyle Louis. Fencing is on at the Grande Palais this afternoon. Not sure what made me think of that…?

36th over: West Indies 136-4 (Hodge 49, Holder 3) Stokes is keeping it full, giving the ball every opportunity to move late. Hodge forces a full ball away wide of point for four but is then nearly skittled attempting to pull a ball that wasn’t short enough. Settle down. Twenty minutes til lunch, these two need to still be at the crease to keep West Indies hopes alive.

35th over: West Indies 128-4 (Hodge 42, Holder 2) Chris Woakes is into the attack for the first time today. He’s on it from the get go – landing the ball on a pocket square on and around off stump with a whiff of movement.

34th over: West Indies 127-4 (Hodge 41, Holder 2) Jason Holder is the new man. He gets a couple off his first ball with a tickle off his hip. West Indies are effectively 36-4, they need a big contribution from the big man.

33rd over: West Indies 124-3 (Louis 57, Hodge 40) Bashir is flighting the ball nicely, getting it up and above the eyeline of the batters. After four such tempters Mikyle Louis opens his shoulders and plops the ball down the ground for SIX! Lovely shot and brilliant catch by a bucket-hatted member of the crowd. BazBall in Excelsis.

32nd over: West Indies 118-3 (Louis 51, Hodge 40) Eventful over! Ben Stokes is getting the ball to jag with what looks like a hint of reverse-swing. He beats Hodge with an absolute beauty that zips away past the forward press at the last moment. Hodge pulls for a couple through the leg-side. Stokes beats him again. Hodge responds with a drive past point for four! Fantastic back and forth between the two men. West Indies lead by 24 runs.

31st over: West Indies 112-3 (Louis 51, Hodge 34) Bashir tosses the ball up, trying to tempt the big shot and Mikyle Louis decides to go for it. He slog sweeps a length ball high and long over mid-wicket for SIX! Great shot and one that take him to a maiden Test match fifty. Well batted that man. Keep it coming.

30th over: West Indies 103-3 (Louis 45, Hodge 31) Stokes after drinks – Close! Hodge jams down on a yorker and the ball bounces up and over the bails. Stokes slipped himself there – that looked quick and certainly surprised Hodge after his slurp. Shot! Mikyle Louis leans on another Stokes full ball and gets four through mid-off. Good stuff this from West Indies, they bring the team ton up too.

29th over: West Indies 96-3 (Louis 39, Hodge 30) Time for a drink – West Indies lead by two runs after a closely contested first hour of play. I’m heading to the fridge for some ‘electrolytes’ of my own.

28th over: West Indies 92-3 (Louis 36, Hodge 30) Ten runs off Stokes’ over and two lovely shots. Hodge drives down the ground for four and Louis follows up with a square drive for another boundary. West Indies nearly level – just two runs to wipe off before England have to get every one they then make.

27th over: West Indies 82-3 (Louis 31, Hodge 25) A couple off Bashir. West Indies putting a partnership together.

Tom Van der Gucht is feeling is on nostalgic form too this morning.

“Morning. I think the last time England whitewashed the Windies was 2004- my all-time favourite cricketing year. I’ve been reading a Tom Cox book where he writes about how some years you’re more you than others and 2004 is a year I felt very much like me- swaggering along drunk on the possibilities that life had to offer and the England team of the time mirrored my sense of optimism.

Are England building a similar squad? Atkinson the new Harmy... Wood the Simon Jones coming back from injuries with searing pace... Jamie smith the new Geraint Jones... Slotting together for the next Ashes series?”

Very nice, Tom – trying to think which year I was my truest self? Maybe I’ve not had it yet.

26th over: West Indies 80-3 (Louis 30, Hodge 24) First bowling change of the morning, Ben Stokes is bringing himself on for a bowl. Swept back ginger locks bobbing luxuriantly as he runs in – the best hair transplant in modern sport? – He keeps it full to Hodge, tempting the big shot. The batter declines to engage but does pick up two runs off the final ball with a glide past point.

25th over: West Indies 78-3 (Louis 30, Hodge 22) West Indies chip away at the deficit, three singles worked off Bashir reduce it to just nineteen runs now.

24th over: West Indies 75-3 (Louis 29, Hodge 20) Great contest so far this morning. Hodge shows his class by pulling Wood away to the fence, 92mph and no mither – the ball flashing to fence with Hodge swivelling emphatically on one leg.

A childhood memory is invoked of a grizzled coach – let’s call him Terry – calling me a ‘Tiller Girl’ when I used to play that shot in a similar fashion. I was 12 years old and this was pre- YouTube. I see what he means now though… and I did insist on going to the crease with a feather boa trailing out of my pocket a la Steve Waugh and his red hankie.

Anyway, enough of that. Hodge gets on the front foot and drives Wood away for another boundary. Classy stuff.

23rd over: West Indies 64-3 (Louis 29, Hodge 9) Another probing over from Bashir, just a couple of singles off it.

Meanwhile:

22nd over: West Indies 62-3 (Louis 28, Hodge 8) Louis jabs at a short ball in at the ribs from Wood and serves only to frying pan the ball just short of a diving short mid-wicket. Wood looks like he could have a wicket with every ball at the moment! Catchim’! Hodge flirts outside the off stump to a 92mph length ball and edges through the cordon for four more!

The Art of Living Dangerously by Kavem Hodge.

21st over: West Indies 57-3 (Louis 27, Hodge 4) Kavem Hodge arrives at the crease and very nearly bags a pair! Bashir gets one to bounce on him first ball and his defensive poke flies past Joe Root diving to his left at first slip and away for four runs.

20th over: West Indies 53-2 (Louis 27, Athanaze 12) Eeeesht! Athanaze unfurls a full blooded cut off Mark Wood and it flies in the air just past Harry Brook. Hard to call that a drop, it would have been a screamer if he’d clung on. Four runs is the result and West Indies bring up their fifty.

19th over: West Indies 47-2 (Louis 26, Athanaze 7) Close! Bashir gets one to turn and bite, the ball taking the inside edge of Louis’ bat and popping up just out of reach of Pope at short leg.

“Yesterday I had asked if West Indies would enforce the follow on when England were reeling at 50 for 5” emails Krishamoorthy. “Today I am wondering if there will be a need for England to bat again. The vagaries of this game I tell you”

Doesn’t that just show how hard graft is rewarded in this format? Things are undoubtedly tough out there for the batters at the minute but if they can survive they can then thrive. Get the likes of Wood, Woakes and Atkinson into their third and fourth spells and really make England work for their opportunities. Bat most of the day and set England a tricksy target of 200-250? I’d be very much into that.

18th over: West Indies 46-2 (Louis 25, Athanaze 7) Wood gets another delivery to spit like a camel having a tantrum, Louis looked very uncomfortable fending that off his ribs with one hand off the bat. And you wouldn’t?! Ollie Pope gestures towards Ben Stokes about getting the lid on and camping out at ‘Boot Hill’/short leg.

17th over: West Indies 44-2 (Louis 24, Athanaze 6) Bashir continues, a light breeze fluttering the back of his shirt as he approaches the crease. A tidy over of dots is spoilt by a leg side ball that Louis sweeps with a minimum of fuss for four.

16th over: West Indies 40-2 (Louis 20, Athanaze 6) Mark Wood thunders in. “A fast bowler in heart and mind” Mike Atherton channels the late, great John Arlott in his appraisal of the Durham fast bowler on the tv commentary. Wood is clocking 90mph plus already, which boggles the mind really. Ouch! A snorting delivery from Wood rises sharply and crashes into Athanaze’s shoulder. That’ll be a peach sized bruise in no time.

15th over: West Indies 39-2 (Louis 19, Athanaze 6) Bashir shuffles to the crease with quick feet and a high arm. Athanaze rocks back to pierce the covers with a push and he takes a single. Mikyle Louis on strike. He’s had a decent series without yet making a stellar contribution. Bashir finds some turn but it drifts down the leg side and beats Jamie Smith behind the stumps, the first boundary of the day comes in byes.

To the strains of Jerusalem – here is the TMS overseas link

https://m.youtube.com/live/dtcDCZKUx1A?cbrd=1

Merci to Simon Dennis for that.

Here come the players. Edgbaston a picture in bright sunshine. We’re going to have spin to start with so I better be on my mettle. Shoaib Bashir was rattling through his overs at warp speed last night, clearly not giving a solitary shiny one about the poor OBO scribe. Let’s play!

Bending over to load the dishwasher puts about 2 x through it I reckon…

Back to the cricket – our man Ali Martin’s report from Day two is well worth a read before play gets underway in a little over five minutes.

Big Boss Steve McMillan is our Olympics Editor and I’ve just chuckled into my Kenco reading his diary from a week in Paris.

Emmanuel and Brigitte do a walkabout. I try to get close for pearls of wisdom but bodyguards fend me off. My colleague Nick Ames bursts past and thrusts out a paw: “Bonjour monsieur, le président!” Eyes meet, hands are shaken. Macron utters the immortal words: “The Guardian? Thank you for being here.” Nick has the scoop. I am empty-handed. This is why he is an intrepid war-zone reporter and I eat packed lunches at a desk.”

Not that you’ll be diverting your attention away from the OBO for single second but the Olympics are in full swing and of course The Guardian have got you covered - follow on with the Olympics blog right here:

I watched the swimming last night after eating a huge Spaghetti Bolognese. Adam Peaty’s droplet laden hulking frame a totem of athletic masculinity. One last dip of garlic bread into the ragu and a vow to do some press ups today…

Joe Root is a great of the game. Watching him yesterday was an absolute joy. If I was Sachin Tendulkar (and I must stress that I am not) then I reckon I’d be having a nervy little look over my shoulder.

At Trent Bridge, Root had produced a match-defining partnership with Brook to usher England safely through the most awkward period of the game. Here, he did a similar job in the company of Stokes, gradually lifting the pressure on his team and transferring it on to their opponents, creating the conditions that would eventually allow Smith and Chris Woakes to put the home side fully in control, making the unlikely achievable.

On which subject Sachin Tendulkar, the greatest of them all, is 3,960 runs away. On days like this it feels like just a matter of time.”