The hosts looked favourites after three early wickets but the Windies rallied to chase down their target with four wickets in hand
Related: West Indies hold on for famous win over England after dramatic first Test
Related: Stokes says he understands Root's sleepless nights after loss to West Indies
Related: England-West Indies boxset saves the best drama for thrilling finale | Ali Martin
Thanks for your company. What a fantastic week for Test cricket in Southampton; a triumph to get on the field and then from the players to put on such a top show. And what a lovely weekend on the OBO. Thanks for your kind emails and tweets throughout, they are very much appreciated. Of course, we’ll be back for Old Trafford! Join us on Thursday for the second Test. Until then, goodnight.
Shannon Gabriel is player of the match. What a performance. He wasn’t in the original squad, but got himself fit and picked up nine wickets for the match.
Here is Vic’s match report. Words from Ali to follow.
Related: West Indies beat England by four wickets in thrilling first Test
Jason Holder is u. Says yesterday was the best day he had in Test cricket due to the toil it required. Talks about the discipline from the bowlers, “we knew what was at stake.” Knew they had a lot of time to get it done playing until 7pm; enough time to bring Gabriel back for a crucial spell last night. “Every time I ask the bowlers to charge in they do and give it their full effort.” A lot of love for Blackwood to close.
Ben Stokes speaks to Athers. Acknowledges it was a strange week behind closed doors but says it has been amazing to be involved in it. Says both sides had enough time to prepare for the week, so that isn’t why they didn’t win. Believed they had enough when defending 200 this morning but points to the first innings as the issue. Asked about the toss, says he stands by the decision to bat first. “We’ve got to be good enough to put first-innings runs on the board.” Annoyed that they got into the position to make big runs the first time around but failed to do so. “A great learning curve for the young guys.” Also says he doesn’t regret leaving out Stuart Broad as he thinks that would send the wrong signal to those he did pick. He was especially pleased about the interview he did on Sky with the passion he showed. “It was fantastic to see from a senior player. He is far from done.” Hints that we will see him again later this week in Manchester. Says it will be “interesting” with the quick turnaround, but notes they have a lot of options to pick from if anyone doesn’t bounce back. Says he “absolutely loved” being captain this week “but it is Joe’s team and we’re really looking forward to welcoming him back.”
Stick with me for the post-match. “Can I just say, it’s been a pleasure to listen to Bish and Mikey this last half hour,” writes Digvijay Yadav. “They sound HAPPY.”
What a victory! What a Test Match! Rally!
THAT’S IT! Campbell cuts a boundary off Stokes then takes a single to square leg. They have done it! The West Indies go one-up; a superb victory in this First Test.
64th over: West Indies 195-6 (Holder 14, Campbell 3) Target 200 Wood gets one to jump at Campbell, into his helmet. It’s only a glancing blow but they still need to give him a proper check, in keeping with the new concussion protocols. He keeps his cool after that’s done, taking a single to mid-on even if it requires him to run as fast as he can on that bad toe. Wood keeps slamming it in short of a pleasant length at Holder, but the Windies’ brilliant skipper wants nothing to do with it. Five to go.
63rd over: West Indies 194-6 (Holder 14, Campbell 2) Target 200 Holder takes a couple to square leg off Stokes but Campbell can’t run, quickly enough to race back as Holder might expect! But it needed to be a direct hit from Bess, and wasn’t. There’s nothing else to speak of from Stokes - no hooping reverse swing or searing bouncers. A couple of risk-free singles leaves six runs to win. Wood to continue.
62nd over: West Indies 190-6 (Holder 11, Campbell 1) Target 200 Holder takes a single to point from Wood’s first ball. How will Campbell go here with a bashed up toe? Can Wood hit the target? Ooooh, he first looks for the edge from around the wicket and just misses the blade; there’s still some reverse swing out there. Campbell gets bat to ball next up, defending solidly then leaving carefully. One ball to come in the over and he pushes it to mid-on. Well played. Back to the captains.
61st over: West Indies 189-6 (Holder 10, Campbell 1) Target 200 A big appeal from Stokes for leg before but it is going well down the legside and he isn’t going to do a Tim Paine with his final review. Campbell, in case you weren’t following earlier, was hit on the toe by Archer in the fourth over of the West Indies chase, retiring hurt. He still has some work to do here to make sure the tail aren’t called upon. To make sure Shannon Gabriel isn’t called upon! Stokes throws the ball to Mark Wood.
Carbon copy of Blackwood’s dismissal in the first dig, hitting a catch to Anderson at mid-off! A wonderful innings of skill and resilience but he falls five short of a ton with 11 still needed for the visitors and the injured John Campbell returning to the middle. To begin the Stokes over, he lifted him over the cordon for four - it felt done. It probably is done. But with an injured man, then three bowlers who really can’t bat, and Ben Stokes with the ball in his hand... it isn’t quite over yet.
60th over: West Indies 185-5 (Blackwood 91, Holder 10) Target 200 Very good batting, all along the carpet, Blackwood to point then Holder likewise. The captain clips a couple off Anderson behind square later in the over. They’re icing this. Meanwhile, 15 to win and Blackwood needs nine for a ton. Would be fitting.
“With the usual caveats about how this isn’t over yet, today has not been a resounding endorsement of Bess by his skipper.” Good point, Digvijay Yadav. One Mikey Holding is making on television as well. I get why Stokes went with his quicks to try and win the game with some reverse about, but still. Unusual.
59th over: West Indies 180-5 (Blackwood 89, Holder 7) Target 200 Wait, no! Much better calling. Bess makes the stop at midwicket to prevent Holder getting off strike, no risks from the West Indies pair after a couple of close calls between the wickets of late. Earlier, Stokes beat Holder with a gem. What he would give for the captain’s outside edge right now; one good look at this less-than-convincing tail. Not to be.
58th over: West Indies 180-5 (Blackwood 89, Holder 7) Target 200 The over the West Indies needed there, Blackwood taking an easy single to deep point then Holder pushing for another in that direction. Anderson bounces back the only way he knows how, with a gorgeous outswinger; too good for Blackwood’s edge. Stokes brings up the field with one ball to come in order to keep Holder on strike and it works. So, it’ll be Stokes v Holder with 20 runs to play with. The heavyweights.
“Hi Adam.” Hi Mac Millings. “I’d love to email you, but I can’t. Far too stressed by all of this.” Tell me about it! Either way, we’ll have a result in the next half an hour.
57th over: West Indies 178-5 (Blackwood 88, Holder 6) Target 200 Shotttt! Jason Holder gets the chance to go back into his crease to pull his opposing number and makes no mistake, nailing the stroke to the square leg rope. With that, the West Indies need just 22 further runs as the players take a drink for the final time. It is so rare (too rare!) that both teams can win at this stage of a Test Match. Drink it in.
56th over: West Indies 173-5 (Blackwood 87, Holder 2) Target 200 Jimmy on for Archer; a big play from Stokes. More confusion to begin though, Burns unable to land the direct hit on Blackwood’s stumps on this occasion. But when Holder gets his turn, he’s a model of calm. The skipper knows how important this is.
“Cocktails on me if this ends up tied, Adam!” Simon McMahon, if the first Test in England I’ve not been at for a long time is a tie, I’m going to take you up on that.
"Now promise me you won't be back-chatting anyone today? I do not want one more call from the office about you." pic.twitter.com/dVrHqgbCRg
55th over: West Indies 171-5 (Blackwood 86, Holder 1) Target 200 Nearly a run out! Holder calls Blackwood through after pushing to mid-on but the set man isn’t so keen until he has no choice in the matter. Had Wood’s throw been on target (or even close to on target) he would have been in major trouble. It’s written in the stars with Blackwood today; he’ll surely be there at the end, one way or another.
We haven’t talked about John Campbell in a few hours - when does he return to the middle? If you weren’t watching earlier, his toe was struck by Archer, coming off retired hurt. He can bat, we are told, but timing is everything with the tail.
54th over: West Indies 169-5 (Blackwood 85, Holder 0) Target 200 One final burst from Archer? Or will Stokes just keep him going? He’s still charging in, slamming it down, prompting an uppercut from Blackwood! As you do! He gets one for it. Holder’s turn, the man Stokes defeated with a gem on Friday. He plays him safely.
53rd over: West Indies 168-5 (Blackwood 84, Holder 0) Target 200 And he beats Holder first ball! So close to two in two. Earlier, Blackwood pushed on another drive through the posh side, worth three to deep extra cover. “He’s brilliant when he has it reversing,” added Nas before he found the edge with consecutive deliveries, arguing he should have bowled before Wood. Not wrong. 32 to win! Blimey!
It's not over just yet...
Live Scorecard/Clips: https://t.co/ldtEXLDT8V#ENGvWIpic.twitter.com/IKOSVnhLyL
He does it again next ball! An unplayable reverse-swinging delivery, squaring Dowrich up a treat and finding the edge. No issue with the front foot this time! Stokes has found the breakthrough. Here comes the final twist!
Oh dear! Stokes wins Dowrich’s outside edge, taken by Sibley at slip - easy as you like. But, they check the front line after the fact and, of course, he’s over the line. That’s the third we have seen in this match! Madness. MADNESS!
NOT OUT! Hip not bat. Stokes loses his second review; one left.
52nd over: West Indies 164-4 (Blackwood 81, Dowrich 20) Target 200 Singles to each earlier in the Archer over, who has done everything in his power today.
HAS ARCHER FOUND DOWRICH’S GLOVE? Umpire Illingworth says NO! Stokes says SEND IT UPSTAIRS! “Let’s stand by for spin vision...” We will.
51st over: West Indies 162-4 (Blackwood 80, Dowrich 20) Target 200 Jermaine Blackwood’s having a party! Want to york me, Woody? I’ll smash you through extra cover for four! Full toss? How about I hammer it past mid-off for four more? He’s 20 away from a ton! Yes, the same bloke who played that shot on Friday. What a sport this is! 38 runs required; time not a factor. Ben, you have to bowl now.
Who had Blackwood for the match-winning hand? #ENGvWIpic.twitter.com/xITK1SMvX4
50th over: West Indies 154-4 (Blackwood 72, Dowrich 19) Target 200 Jofra has been brilliant today but he gives Blackwood a chance to cream a cover drive here, one he takes full complete of: top shot, four runs. And it brings up the 50 partnership between these two, coming together as they did when the job was exactly half done. Fantastic batting. Another single from Blackwood late in the over, meaning he continues to take the majority of strike. Ben, mate, time to get yourself on.
49th over: West Indies 149-4 (Blackwood 67, Dowrich 19) Target 200 Blackwood keeps the strike again with a single out to point. Who would have picked him for the matchwinning hand a few hours ago? To quote the great Paul Rudd, “not me!”
“Many thanks for posting the instagram pictures of your daughter, Winnie, she’s an absolute smasher.” Thanks, Peter Rowntree! We took her for a walk earlier where there was a game going on at Alexandra Park. She doesn’t know it yet, but a bat will be in her hand before long. “England can have no regrets about losing this match, they have been totally outplayed. I have been keeping an eye whilst renovating floors here, after all what else should you do in a lockdown? But that’s now finished and I hope to take a more proactive part in the second Test. The lockdown though is coming back, with large parts of Bogota in quarantine again as from Monday.”
NOT OUT! Nowhere near it, really - sliding down and over the top.
Stokes reviews and I’m not sure why. He thinks Wood has trapped Blackwood and I can’t imagine this is getting overturned. But he has three reviews, so here we go.
48th over: West Indies 147-4 (Blackwood 66, Dowrich 18) Target 200 Blackwood ducks, cops one, then jumps out of the way. Archer continues to make life difficult. He gets bat on ball to finish, down to the man at point. Proper contest, this.
“A bottle of Oude Geuze Boon for me,” Adrian Armstrong informs us. “Nothing to do with the Tasmanian can-shifter. Though if he’d downed 52 of Lembeek’s finest (7%) on that 1989 flight, maybe the series would have turned out differently.”
47th over: West Indies 146-4 (Blackwood 66, Dowrich 17) Target 200 Wood rather than Anderson, with England hoping for some of that precious reverse swing. There’s a bit there too, hooping back into the pads of Dowrich a couple of times. Oooh, so close to finish - the inside edge no more than an inch from collecting the wicketkeeper’s leg stump! He keeps the strike.
“Do you get the feeling that Stokes is saving himself for Holder?” asks Oliver Pattenden. On the basis of what we’ve seen this week, that’s a pretty good shout! If he completes the pattern, surely it will be the first time ever captains have picked each other up in all four innings of a Test Match. The sort of stat I live for.
@collinsadam With Jermaine Blackwood 65* and West Indies requiring 57 to win, worth noting the current highest score by a visiting #6-11 in a victorious 4th innings chase in England... pic.twitter.com/b2Z06mNc81
46th over: West Indies 145-4 (Blackwood 66, Dowrich 16) Target 200 Blackwood continues to look sketchy against the high pace of Archer but is finding a way to survive and score, shovelling a short ball into the legside for one. Good batting from Dowrich to finish the over, using the depth of the crease to tuck another single.
“Hi Adam.” G’day Dave. “Knowing how Ben Stokes’ scriptwriter normally works I think he’ll win it with a hat-trick with Windies needing two to win.”
The players are back on the field! Archer has the ball again, which is a good call for mine. Dowrich is the man on strike. 57 to win; the final session awaits. PLAY!
“Afternoon Adam.” And to you, Thomas Hopkins. “Hope all is well and parenting is treating you well. I’d respectfully disagree with Jim Luetchford. I think the reason DRS by and large works and its football equivalent palpably does not is that it’s found a way to incorporate the fundamentally fuzzy and uncertain nature of the universe. Is the freeze frame on the TV showing the first moment of contact between ball and pad, or the last moment, or somewhere in between? The ball’s going to move appreciably in that time. Before technology appeared and promised us a certainty the doesn’t exist, we all accepted that there’s a grey area where either decision ‘feels’ right (or, even, when the technically correct decision feels wrong). You can’t write that into the rules, but I think it’s a valuable part of the game.”
“Umpire’s call is absolutely core to the spirit of DRS,” insists Thomas Jenkins. “The review system was brought into the game in an attempt to right the wrong of a howler. That’s it. That’s the whole reason. Umpire’s call was written into the system to specifically reflect that. If the incident is close enough that umpire’s call is a factor then the incident is de facto not a howler and therefore the review system should not change the original decision. We all know all of this, so why do we complain about it endlessly?”
For some, I think that remains the justification for it; I respect that view. But for most viewers and players, I reckon they have now moved to the point where they want every decision to be as ‘correct’ as technology will permit. Sort of related: I’ve noticed less care this week about the use of DRS with the third referral available. More, ‘throwing it upstairs because, why not?’ body language from the skippers.
“Hi Adam.” Romeo! Great to see your name pop up.“It’s been great to have you back on the OBO. If you’re allowed, put up a recent pic of Winnie, and if you’re not,
please send me one. Very best to all of you.”
Thank you, I’ve loved being back on the tools this weekend. I’ll be with you all again on Sunday and Monday of the Second Test. As for a photo of my little star, my instagram is almost exclusively shots of her, these days! A father’s prerogative, right? Enjoy! She will be five months old on Tuesday, would you believe.
West Indies need 57 runs in 43 overs to win the Test. For England, they need to get busy in a hurry once the players return, requiring a further six wickets.
John Starbuck has an idea, one he emailed 20 minutes ago so I’ve missed the jump on his suggested time! “How about we revive an old OBO tradition and all have a drink together? At 16:00 BST, readers should raise their glasses. Mine’s a long-established favourite: gin and Rose’s lime juice over ice (a Gimlet).”
45th over: West Indies 143-4 (Blackwood 65, Dowrich 15) Target 200 Anderson beats Dowrich! So close to that outside edge with a lovely little outswinger. It doesn’t dissuade him from playing at a similar delivery later in the over, opening the face of his bat to steer the penultimate ball before the break behind point for three. One behind square - albeit a leg bye - finishes the job. Tea! They made 108 runs in the session, losing just one wicket across the 30 overs. In all likelihood, a match-winning stint for the visitors. What a turnaround from the pre-lunch period.
“Umpire’s Call on point of impact infuriates me!” says Jim Luetchford. “I’ve always believed that umpire’s call for hitting the stumps is because of the predictive element – ie we can’t be sure that the ball would ACTUALLY have done what Hawkeye Predicts. As far as impact is concerned, it is showing what DID happen; it’s therefore as accurate as Hawkeye at Wimbledon, and so Umpire’s call shouldn’t come into it: just impact in line or not.”
44th over: West Indies 139-4 (Blackwood 65, Dowrich 12) Target 200 Wood is really slamming it down at pace and forcing an error from Blackwood., playing and missing an attempted cut. His calling is off too, looking for a single that was never there from the final ball of the over. We are actually one over away from tea, not 20 minutes as I said in the previous post. Anderson will be sending it down.
“As someone who’s observed coverage in both UK and Australia, is it fair to say that both Fox and Seven have a way to go before they can match Sky?” What’s certain - reinforced time and time again this week - is that Sky are the best in the world.
43rd over: West Indies 138-4 (Blackwood 65, Dowrich 11) Target 200 That’s Blackwood’s bread and butter! At his best - when he does get his eye in - he hits long and straight as well as just about anyone. The issue has been that he’s seldom in and reaches for his party trick too early. Well, this is the perfect moment for it, waiting for Jimmy to give him something to launch into and executing it expertly, straight back over his head to bank an eighth boundary. If they keep going at this rate through to tea in about 25 minutes, there won’t be much work to do afterwards.
“Afternoon Adam.” Simon McMahon, good afternoon to you. “I for one will be extremely disappointed if this match is not tied. After the last four months that we’ve all had to endure, I feel it’s no less than we deserve.”
42nd over: West Indies 134-4 (Blackwood 61, Dowrich 11) Target 200 Wood on for Archer; can he get hot? We know he has it in him. Not in this over, hitting the radar at 90mph but not the stumps. Dowrich is batting with confidence, as shown by his running of a quick single, giving the set man Blackwood the chance to cut hard for two not once but twice. Six runs, all told. They’ve put on 34 in just 38 balls.
“Apropos Shannon Gabriel’s brain fade and whether it’s ever been explained, Sidarth Monga had a piece about this in Cricinfo just recently.” Cheers, Jesse Galdston, I’ll read at the tea break. “Additionally, has there ever been a better, more hilarious, and more useful call than ‘Whyyyyy did he do that?!?’ My wife and I now regularly use our impressions of the call to comment on the actions of our 8 month-old son.” I’ll have to now work it into the language we use with our five-month old.
41st over: West Indies 128-4 (Blackwood 56, Dowrich 10) Target 200 Anderson is back and finds Blackwood’s outside edge with his first offering but it doesn’t go to hand at first slip, instead running away for another four! It completes a half-century for the right hander. Sure, England have dropped him a few times and could have run him out as well, but he’s still there and still scoring. Another boundary later in the over, clipping splendidly! Fabulous timing. Mike Jakeman asks me about the difference in output Blackwood enjoys against England compared to other nations. I haven’t got it to hand, but it was more than double before this Test started.
40th over: West Indies 120-4 (Blackwood 48, Dowrich 10) Target 200 Precious runs, four of them, Dowrich having the presence of mind to jump across his stumps to tuck away a low full toss, timing it to the backward square leg rope. After surviving those two reviews, the Windies ‘keeper is already into double figures.
“One thing we can be sure about,” says Digvijay Yadav. “There won’t be flat and barren pitches for the rest of the series/summer.” Well, let’s hope not!
HAS DOWRICH EDGED ARCHER TO SLIP? It looked that way and was given but the batsman has sent it straight upstairs, suggesting that it came off his elbow. And that is quickly confirmed by the technology - NOT OUT! Another overturned decision. “You can’t blame umpires for this one though” Michael Holding adds on TV.
39th over: West Indies 113-4 (Blackwood 47, Dowrich 5) Target 200 Yet more handy runs, Dowrich steering the spin fo Bess between slip and backward point for three. Blackwood keeps the strike from the final ball with one to the man at deep point. On that basis, I’m certain Stokes will keep Archer one for another.
“Regarding Shannon Gabriel’s slog to get out,” writes Graeme Thorn, “I read somewhere that it wasn’t the worst shot to play as he’d spent the last overs prodding and poking at the spinner and just avoiding being caught by the phalanx of close fielders (he’d been given out bat-pad but a review saved him), and he’d spotted the massive gaps in the field that had been left, so he worked out that his best percentage shot was to try and get the ball past those fielders into the vacant space.”
NOT OUT! The ball is hitting leg stump, but contact wasn’t in line; umpire’s call. So, Dowrich survives and England retain all three of their referrals.
HAS BESS TRAPPED DOWRICH? Stokes wants a second opinion after it is given not out on the field. Stand by for the DRS!
38th over: West Indies 109-4 (Blackwood 46, Dowrich 2) Target 200 After some speculation on commentary that Archer might be given a chance to re-charge after his previous set, Stokes has him on again here and why wouldn’t he? This this electrifying fast bowling! Blackwood tries to cut him over the cordon early in the over, which isn’t a good strategy as it only guarantees two proper bouncers are coming and the first is absolutely bang on, the No5 ending up on his knees.
“Hi Adam.” Hi Ruth Purdue. “Hope you’re well.” I am; isn’t this a great way to spend our Sunday? To your query: “Some players are still not wearing a helmet with the protection on the back of the head/neck. Do you think it will be in the law soon?”
I’m a bit behind the pace on this, I must admit. There was a big push to make is mandatory at an ICC level but given a number of players still go without, so I assume that wasn’t successful. I’ll follow it up for you after the Test.
37th over: West Indies 108-4 (Blackwood 46, Dowrich 1) Target 200 Oh Jermaine, that’s a gorgeous cover drive. To the pitch of Bess: the timing, the flowing follow-through, the works. He angled a couple earlier in the over using the pace to third man, making it a most productive one for the visitors just after losing Chase.
36th over: West Indies 102-4 (Blackwood 40, Dowrich 1) Target 200 What an impact Archer is having on this final day. Dowrich is off the mark from the first of two balls remaining in the successful over, tucking behind square for one. We spent a bit of time talking about ties in First Class cricket yesterday. I don’t remember why, but it was quite good fun and I’ve been talking about it ever since on twitter. Could we be so lucky in the first game back to get the third tie in Test Match history? Dream big!
There’s that spark! And, sure enough, it comes via an unplayable Archer snorter, leaping from short of a length into the shoulder of Chase’s blade. There was not a lot he could do there. Buttler took the straightforward chance. Jofra has his third.
For the record. Blackwood might have been dropped three times, but had Burns held the chance at gully, it would have been overturned anyway as Ben Stokes was clearly over the line. To see my lengthy rant on this topic, see yesterday’s OBO.
35th over: West Indies 100-3 (Chase 37, Blackwood 39) Target 200 Bess once more to Blackwood, who has been dropped thrice by my count. I tweeted earlier in the week (before he holed out in the first dig) that I’ve never seen any evidence that he’s more than a Test No8. But what he can do is hit the ball a long way. He elects to carefully pick out the man at deep point earlier here instead, Chase steady enough in defence thereafter before collecting a single of his own to the same sweeper to end the over and bring up the West Indies 100. From 27/3 before lunch, they’re now half way to their target without losing a subsequent wicket. England need a spark.
34th over: West Indies 98-3 (Chase 36, Blackwood 38) Target 200 Archer to Chase, who has the big fourth-innings ton in him. Of course, he was famously down the other end on 101 when Shannon Gabriel tried to put Yasir Shah on the moon. Did anyone ever get to the bottom of why he did that, by the way? I had a poke around for an interview earlier today and couldn’t find one. I’m sure he’ll be involved again later today - maybe with Chase. We should be so lucky. The partnership advances to 71 with a couple to midwicket from that man. He leaves well to finish.
33rd over: West Indies 96-3 (Chase 34, Blackwood 38) Target 200 An excellent over from the England offie, bringing Blackwood forward to drive a number of times. We know it is the way the volatile right-hander plays. Not the worst plan to let him rip for half an hour in order to break the back of this chase. We’ll see.
Thanks, Daniel. Great shift; most enjoyable. Afternoon! Isn’t this fun? Bess to continue.
32nd over: West Indies 95-3 ( Chase 33, Blackwood 38) Target 200 CricViz, on the other hand reckons England are likelier winners, but I just can’t see it – there’s not enough in the pitch, and little prospect of reverse. Archer, though, looks England’s most likely champion, and he’s got the ball, a yorker squirted away for one by Chase before Blackwood slashes a slower ball over the cordon for four! This is a terrific innings, and how he should always bat – sensibly, but without forsaking his attacking inclination. Anyway, that’s drinks; here’s Adam Collins to navigate you through what promises to be a memorable finish.
31st over: West Indies 90-3 ( Chase 32, Blackwood 34) Target 200 England are all over the place now! Of course they are! Stokes persuades Blackwood to edge with one that looks like coming in then swings away, and in the gully, Burns can’t get hands to it! It comes fast, but he’s there to snaffle those which comes fast, and he might well look rueful! All the more so when the ball runs for four, and two singles follow to make this a really good over for West Indies. They’re big favourites now, with 110 required to win and the partnership 63.
30th over: West Indies 83-3 ( Chase 30, Blackwood 29) Target 200 Archer has found some rhythm, while behind the stumps Buttler looks to still be chastising himself for the drop – he may also have hurt a finger – and with good reason. There’s lots of work still to do, but that was a key error ... but Crawley saves him by making one of his own! Chase plays down to short cover, can’t decide whether to run, and Crawley fumbles with pubescent clumsiness! That’s two chances England have ruined, and things are looking good for West Indies now!
29th over: West Indies 82-3 ( Chase 29, Blackwood 29) Target 200 there’s nothing happening for England. Four from the over, during which Stokes tries a bumper and after which Stokes disburses some verbals in Blackwood’s direction, seeking to distract a man who’s very nicely in.
28th over: West Indies 78-3 ( Chase 28, Blackwood 28) Target 200 Archer gets some tail on his loosener but Blackwood is in now, timing a lovely shot to the fence at deep backward square, after which a single raises the 50 partnership. Basically, this is a new-ball pitch, and after nearly an hour of the crucial first hour, England are in trouble. The next hour is crucial, I’d say.
“I had read yonks ago that the American accent evolved from the Lincolnshire accent,” emails Andrew Benton, “as brought to the New World by the Pilgrim fathers from Boston. The long vowels nail it.”
27th over: West Indies 73-3 ( Chase 28, Blackwood 21) Target 200 Blackwood looks to whip Stokes around the corner, missing, but will gladly take the leg bye it gets him, because it brushed his glove and Buttler, diving to his left dropped the catch! And look at Stokes’ coupon! He knows. And so does Buttler. In commentary, they’re discussing his place in the side; Nasser would’ve stuck with Bairstow. I don’t get that, I must say - he’s a huge talent, but ought to have been dropped sooner. If he had, he might be back in already, but given that his issues are not just form but technical, it seems unlikely that he’d make the necessary adjustments while playing Tests. Foakes, on the other hand, must be pretty close to a recall – if Buttler fails with the bat in the next Test, that might do it. Three off the over, but here’s ... Jofra!
26th over: West Indies 70-3 ( Chase 27, Blackwood 20) Target 200 Anderson is unofficially hectored for running on the pitch, then persuades a little more lift from his third delivery ... but Chase gets over it well, playing it down into the dust. The batsman then takes a single, skewed wide of gully, before Balckwood half-bats one into the leg side to chalk another one up and off.
25th over: West Indies 68-3 ( Chase 26, Blackwood 19) Target 200 And that being the case, Stokes turns to himself; game recognise game. And when he goes short, second up, Blackwood has a flash at him ... and misses. Stokes then tweaks the field, looking to go straighter, then goes too straight, allowing Blackwood to turn two away to fine leg, the only runs from the over.
24th over: West Indies 66-3 ( Chase 26, Blackwood 17) Target 200 We started the day wondering if Stokes’ decision to bat first or omit Broad would cost England the game; now, we’re wondering if that in fact applies to his decision to anticipate Blackwood’s cut. In the meantime, England’s maidens have dried up, and the batsmen nab a single each, then Archer rejoins proceedings. England need a wicket, badly.
23rd over: West Indies 64-3 ( Chase 25, Blackwood 16) Target 200 Chase has looked calm out there, and he cuts two behind square, he comes down the track to clobber Bess over the top for four. Archer has now gone off, with Curran replacing him.
“This is nice to hear,” says Bob O’Hara of the news that John Campbell is having his toe iced. “Once they’ve finished icing, will they put a cherry on top?”
22nd over: West Indies 57-3 ( Chase 18, Blackwood 16) Target 200 Anderson replaces Wood, and I guess I see that – he’s quite good at bowling – but he wasn’t as good as Archer in the morning session, and there’s not much doing for him out there. Three singles from the over, and this partnership has now yielded 30, a significant contribution given a target of 200.
“The reference to Little Steven earlier is a good excuse to send this link,” says David Wall. “I’m sure Jimmy Anderson would echo those sentiments too.”
21st over: West Indies 54-3 ( Chase 16, Blackwood 15) Target 200 Wood nips off the pitch so Woakes come out; I can’t decides if he looks his usual immaculate self, or just immaculate for someone with a beard who doesn’t usually have a beard. Four from Bess’ over, and already this is a key partnership. Surely England will get Archer back on before the ball totally loses its hardness and shine?
“I don’t usually care for the expression ‘Too clever by half,’ says Gary Naylor, “but Ben Stokes was half a step away from where he needed to be by dint of being too clever.”
Related: The Joy of Six: showboating
20th over: West Indies 50-3 ( Chase 15, Blackwood 12) Target 200 Blackwood lets himself go, picking up Wood really quickly and meeting a full one with the full face, sending four through cover. That was a really nice shot, and not entirely typical of Blackwood who likes to hit them harder than that.
“The original Received Pronunciation and ‘standard English’ was based on the Mercian version,” reckons John Starbuck. This was adopted, more or less, by university towns and to a certain extent London, once it had been acquired by Mercian kings. Its purest form used to be Leicester, but things have changed. Supposing you were able to go to Leicester just now, you’d still hear a standard English pronunciation, but the rhythm is completely different, having been modified by the large Indian intake of the past 50 years or so. I confirmed this by hearing how some of my nephews’ speech changed over the years.
19th over: West Indies 45-3 ( Chase 15, Blackwood 8) Target 200 I’ve really enjoyed watching Bess in this Test. He’s looking to toss it up and find drift – to take wickets, not put a brake on the scoring. But have a look! After five dots, Stokes espies Blackwood plotting a cut, so dances to his right, only for the predicted edge to fly to his left! Had he stopped where he as, he’d have taken the catch, but instead he can only get a hand on it and the batsmen run three.
18th over: West Indies 42-3 ( Chase 15, Blackwood 5) Target 200 Wood continues and this has been a good start to the session from West Indies, who take four from the over. Blackwood does survive a beauty, but otherwise things are slowing down out there.
“Accents: a funny old business,” says Trevor Harris. “When I started university at Reading in 1974 (having been born in Hornchurch and grown up in Chelsea) there was a blindingly obvious change in accent when I listened to people there. Definitely ‘west’ , and similar when I visited Lewes in the same year - not at all the English I was used to listening to. Today some linguists talk about SEABRUE - South East British Urban English, which covers about from Peterborough to Bournemouth. You’re right - it’s mainly the media I think. British, but also American? Australian? Virtually nobody under 35/40 speaks without a rising intonation today. Mind you, same thing here in France - standardisation: am writing from the Loire Valley. 30 years ago, people in Bergerac, 150 miles south of here, spoke with a noticeable south-western accent. Today they sound like everyone else.”
17th over: West Indies 38-3 ( Chase 14, Blackwood 2) Target 200 I’d wondered if Stokes might give Archer a quick burst, but it’s Bess who slings down a maiden. His penultimate delivery beats the bat, and England appeal for leg before while Pope dives for a catch, but both are wasting their time.
“Just for the benefit of anyone unable to follow the rest of the day’s play,” says Geoff Wignall, “Jason Holder’s 84* was decisive in WI’s dramatic, final over victory by two wickets.The injuries to Anderson and Wood are not thought to be serious, though Broad and Woakes are expected to step in for the second test. Joe Denly has announced his retirement from Test-match cricket.”
16th over: West Indies 38-3 ( Chase 14, Blackwood 2) Target 200 England have been really good with their lengths so far this innings, attacking the stumps and making the batsmen play. I wonder, though, whether Jermaine Blackwood will try and hit his way into things, because even a breezy 40 will make a huge difference. But he makes do with a single for now, while Chase adds two towards midwicket.
Back to accents, Tim Maitland emails in “That’s because Hollywood and the American aristocracy were faking the Mid-Atlantic drawl.”
Mark Wood is ready...
Right, here we go again. Eyes down.
Injury Update
John Campbell is having his toe iced and will bat if needed.#WIReady#ENGvWI#MenInMaroonpic.twitter.com/ZWU6rDcaOW
And we have more on Jimmy’s headdress, from Phil Withall: “I’m not sure what is more worrying, the prospect of England actually winning this test after the first couple of days. Or the fact @jimmy9 has morphed Into Ian Astbury of the Cult.”
Lunchtime email: “I’m not sure that the accents have diverged all that much,” says Mac Millings of English and American pronunciation. “For one thing, which accents? It’s not as simple as ‘the American accent’ and ‘the English accent’, since each country (I’m guessing you mean Britain for the latter, but the point stands if you mean England) has numerous accents. The most common place for each population to encounter the other’s accent(s) is probably still television and film (or, like, YouTube or whatever), and in those kinds of media, I’d say the true change has been a dramatic decrease in the importance of the ‘standard’ accent over the various regional ones, leading to a perceived divergence of the accents. Maybe. I mean, this - like everything I say or type - is made up off the top of me ‘ead.”
I guess I should have said RP, and whenever I watch US telly from the 50s and 60s, I’m surprised by the similarities, or more particularly by how little differences there are.
What an absolute joy, privilege and mechayeh it is to be totally absorbed by this. Every ball is an an event because every ball counts, and we’ve not a clue how it’s going to pan out, though England are favourites now. Archer in particular bowled beautifully, with good support from Anderson before Wood did what he does, but if West Indies are even five down when the ball loses its shine, they’ve a really good chance of getting home. I cannot wait for the afternoon session – see youse in half an hour or so.
15th over: West Indies 35-3 ( Chase 12, Blackwood 1) Target 200 Chase takes Bess’ final two deliveries for twos, and that’s lunch!
It’s good ball from Bess, pitching in line and forcing Chase onto the back foot, but it hits on the thigh and Hawkeye says umpire’s call on height.
15th over: West Indies 31-3 ( Chase 8, Blackwood 1) Target 200 My SkyGo crashes, but returns just in time to see Bess rag one into Chase’s pad, and when the umpire says no, England review! The major excitement, of course, is the opportunity to be talked through another passage by Michael Gough.
14th over: West Indies 31-3 ( Chase 8, Blackwood 1) Target 200 From a shot we saw, it looked like James Anderson was polishing the ball with gozz, which is now against the rules, but we now pan out to see that he’s actually using the sweat off his brow – that is a lovely metaphor. Wood is absolutely loving this, even more than he loves everything else, but Blackwood gets himself going with a single to deep backward square, then Chase nudges two towards a similar area and leg bye follows. West Indies remain little more than a big partnership away; might this one be it?
13th over: West Indies 27-3 ( Chase 6, Blackwood 0) Target 200 What a morning of “Test-match cricket” this has been. To finish it off, Ben Stokes introduces Dom Bess, who starts really well - it’s tough on Leech and tough on Moeen, both of whom have done a lot of good things, but I’d expect him to get a serious run after his efforts over the last few days. He beings with a maiden.
12th over: West Indies 27-3 ( Chase 6, Blackwood 0) Target 200 Wood is into this, spearing one into Blackwood’s pad. There’s an appeal, but it looked high and sliding down, so no review.
“Not having runners isn’t a law change,” says Clive Fane, “just a change to the playing conditions for Tests.” And he is also one of various to note that Hope and Chase is a perfect partnership given the state of the match; the extinguishing of such looks a key moment.
What a change! What a natural vector of disease! Wood hurls down a fast bastard that swings in, but what really does for Hope is the length; the ball beats the bat and clatters the top of off.
11th over: West Indies 26-2 ( Hope 8, Chase 4) Target 200 A quieter over from Anderson, as Bess gets loose; two singles from it, and West Indies look a little more comfortable out there. I think Wood is coming on to replace Archer, which is understandable – Wood is good – but Archer looked in the zone.
“Swings and...” emails Dave Manby.
10th over: West Indies 24-2 ( Hope 8, Chase 4) Target 200 If I were Ben Stokes – FAOD, I’m not, though I’ve tried to be – I’d be keeping Archer going for as long as I could. But this is probably the least impressive of his overs so far, four dots followed by two twos that get Chase awat.
“First chance to watch some of the Test,” emails Lee Smith, “and amidst some excellent bowling I note that Jimmy Anderson looks as though he is auditioning for a 90s music video.”
9th over: West Indies 20-2 ( Hope 8, Chase 0) Target 200 Stuart Broad enjoys a relaxing Sunday stroll around the boundary, chortling at the glorious black comedy of how much he’d love to be out there, and how he absolutely is not out there. Meanwhile, Hope flashes at one that holds up in the air, crunching the first boundary of the innings through cover; West Indies needed that. And have a look! Hope goes again, climbing into a cutter for four more! We move.
8th over: West Indies 12-2 ( Hope 0, Chase 0) Target 200 Archer is just so good, beating Chase for pace outside off. He looks like he could bowl all day here, Don Anurasiri-style, and there he is again, insisting Chase dig out a savage of a yorker.
“We, too, are glad that you are climbing back into your screen,” says Bill Hargreaves. “You mentioned (5th over) that Campbell won’t be allowed a runner. Why might this be, please?”
JOFRA ARCHER IS A SUPERSTAR! With Brooks concerned for his incisors, Archer absolutely nails him with a full, fast brute that swings towards the stumps. It’s so out as to be ridiculous.
7th over: West Indies 7-1 ( Hope 0, Brooks 0) Target 200 Anderson flows through another maiden; that’s five in seven overs. England’s bowlers have showed, and batting looks the opposite of fun, except for the weird species of elite sportsmen, it’s the embodiment of fun.
“Do you know how many overs are left please?” asks Peter Byrne. “I’m a simple chap – I’d be happier knowing what run rate the Windies need and Sky aren’t saying!”
6th over: West Indies 7-1 ( Hope 0, Brooks 0) Target 200 Until he got out, Brooks was very assured in the first innings, perhaps more than anyone else in the match. But now he has to face Archer in the groove, forced to veer away from an absolute teeth-seeker.
Not anymore he isn’t! Archer has been brilliant so far, and he fires one just outside off and seaming in that has Brathwaite hotstepping, then tentatively chopping down into feet and stumps!
6th over: West Indies 7-0 (Brathwaite 4, Hope 0) Target 200 Brathwaite has answered the question we posed earlier: he’s looking to hang about.
5th over: West Indies 7-0 (Brathwaite 4, Hope 0) Target 200 Campbell has a sit down, and the physio comes on to address his right foot, and oh dear – he walks off as we see a replay of an Archer yorker caressing his toe. Eeek. It seems like it’s broken, and though I expect he’ll be back later if he needs to be, he won’t be allowed a runner; bad news for West Indies. Anderson, meanwhile, gets himself five balls at Hope when Brathwaite takes a single to mid on, running through the ludicrous genius of his variations, but Hope survives.
4th over: West Indies 6-0 (Brathwaite 3, Campbell 1) Target 200 Can Archer maintain the pressure of that first over? Not really. Campbell takes a single to fine leg, then Brathwaite twizzles a too-straight one to backward square and they run three. But he’s back on the money thereafter – what a ridiculous talent he is, and what a ridiculous privilege it’s going to be watching him play over the next 10 years or so – sending down four dots. My daughter has just come into the room I’m working from and noted that I look like I’m about to climb into my screen. My days I’ve missed that feeling.
3rd over: West Indies 2-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 0) Target 200 Brathwaite looks comfortable out there, composed and playing late. This is such a huge match, and such an opportunity to be a hero; I say this a lot, but I’ve not a clue how these lads compete without bursting into tears and the sheer emotion of being in such a position. My eyeballs or on the verge of perspiration just thinking about it.
“Richard Kettleborough has experience in umpiring a tie,” emails Andrew Goudie. “Worcestershire vs Zimbabwe. Here’s hoping for a second one today.”
2nd over: West Indies 2-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 0) Target 200 West Indies also have a choice to make: do they protect their wickets at all costs, batting time on the basis that if they’re in for long enough, they’ll win? Or do they try and get it done as quickly as possible, before things can go wrong? Stokes goes with Archer from the other end, who opens with a full, fast yorker that cracks Campbell on the pad; there’s an appeal – rejected – then a discussion but no review as they run two. Archer gets very close to the stumps, so has a better chance of getting a lefty lb than most bowling right arm over, but this looked to have pitched just outside the leg ... and it did. Archer looks in the mood though, beating Campbell angling across, then persuading him to top edge ... only for the ball to drop just shy of Pope at short leg. That was an excellent over and I cannot wait for his next one. This is gorgeously tense.
1st over: West Indies 0-0 (Brathwaite 0, Campbell 0) Target 200 Anderson finds some away-swing first up, but can’t persuade Brathwaite to play at either of his first two deliveries. His fourth ball, though, is right where he wants it, pitched up and moving away late – Brathwaite waits and waits, then leaves alone. Maiden.
Here we go!
Here come the batsmen...
“Morning Daniel,” says Simon McMahon.“Can we have a tied Test, please? Thanks.”
Sure.
How Ben Stokes uses his bowlers will be crucial. He’ll obviously open with Anderson, but at the other end there’s a choice to make, as there is regarding his use of himself and how early he turns to Bess. England will fancy themselves, but they’ll need to bowl really well because there’s not loads in what is essentially a day 4 pitch.
“We acquired a new puppy yesterday,” brags Kim Thonger. “We brought him home yesterday for the first time, he promptly dived into the garden pond, and swam across it to be lifted out. So he’s now called Spitz, obviously. His elder ‘brother from another mother’, Dakkers, is now behaving exactly like Stuart Broad earlier this week, glaring furiously, watching every move his usurper makes, and generally readying himself to steam in from the Nursery End later in the season, legs pumping and nostrils flaring.”
Spitz, one of few names in a very light read.
I’d have them as pretty warm favourites, but England certainly have the bowlers to make them and me look silly.
As the last man, Archer may as well, but it’s no use. He’s gawn.
Archer swishes a pull, edges, and Gabriel has his fifer!
112th over: England 313-9 (Archer 23, Anderson 4) What colour are we calling West Indies’ cap? The internet offers maroon, but I’m going for magenta – it’s not unlike those worn at Linbury Court Preparatory School – and is brighter and more profound than simple maroon. Anyhow, Gabriel no-balls, then Archer makes room to clout him over midwicket for four!
111th over: England 308-9 (Archer 19, Anderson 4) Holder spreads his fielders, assuming Archer wants to play shots and protect Anderson – understandable, though there’s not much between these two batsmen in terms of what we’ve seen in Tests so far. And Archer illustrates the point by taking a single from the second ball, before Anderson plays out four dots.
110th over: England 307-9 (Archer 18, Anderson 4) Ian Bishop suggests Wood was perturbed by a leg slip and expecting some short stuff; by the look of the field, Anderson might get some too. But instead, Gabriel goes at him – from around – with two full ones, then a straight one allows Anderson to glance around the corner and past leg gully for four!
Richard Woods emails in the overseas link - thanks very much.
What is Wood doing? Does he think he Jofra Archer? He backs away, looking to drive through the off side, and instead edges behind. West Indies need one more wicket; England’s lead is 189.
110th over: England 303-8 (Wood 2, Archer 18) “CricViz has an England win as slightly more likely,” emails Michael Meagher, “and feels there’s going to be a result on way or another”.
It was 50 percent Windies earlier this morning, I think. I’d still have them as slight favourites, but it won’t take much to tip it, and agree with England’s tail and their line-up, a draw is extremely unlikely.
109th over: England 302-8 (Wood 2, Archer 17) What do you do when things aren’t going your way? You bring yourself on. So here comes Jason Holder and he’s on the money right away, beating Archer outside off; there are certain players whose bowling speaks to their integrity – Ryan Harris was one, and Holder is another. But have a look! Holder’s second ball is full outside off, and Archer shuffles away from absolutely punish through extra cover for four! Of course he does!
108th over: England 297-8 (Wood 2, Archer 12) Gabriel’s first ball is speared way down the leg side, and it beats the dive of Dowrich to hurtle to the fence for four byes; imagine the sound of loud, beery cheers coming from the breakfasting crowd. Gabriel hasn’t quite found his consistency yet – he oversteps, but no one but TV notice, in the process of sending his fourth ball down the leg side; this time, Dowrich rescues him.
107th over: England 293-8 (Wood 2, Archer 12) After two dots, Archer flaps at a wider one, which flies just wide of the diving gully for four. They’re the only runs from the over.
106th over: England 289-8 (Wood 2, Archer 8) Right, here comes the wonderful Shannon Gabriel. England’s batsmen found him hardest to play in the winter, and he’s been the pick of the bowlers in this Test. But Archer – who’s yet to show the batting ability he’s meant to have – takes his first ball for a single, the a misfield allows Wood to nudge one too. The pitch is not misbehaving really, which makes you wonder at what score the balance of play tips towards England; I’d guess that anything up to 220 and West Indies are favourites, but much beyond will be deemed defendable. Anyhow, Archer adds a further single, then, with his fifth delivery, Gabriel nails one, moving it away from Wood’s outside edge. Good start for England.
105th over: England 286-8 (Wood 1, Archer 6) How do the batsmen go about this? Do they trust their techniques and bat, or look to thrash a few while they’re still out there? A leg bye and a single to Archer, turned down to fine leg, get the scoreboard moving, and England will feel ok with that start, both Wood and Archer feeling bat on bowl.
Here we go!
The players are with us, and Alzarri Joseph has the natural vector of disease in-hand.
“They have educated us, moved us and inspired us to change the world, encapsulating and personifying unifying, transformative power of sport,” tweets CC O’Hanlon, quoting me back to myself. “@DanielHarris gets a bit carried away about the English cricket team in his guardian live blog of the Test match against West Indies.”
Just Holding and Rainford-Brent. People have learnt important stuff because of them.
“I’ve been emailing daniel.harris.formal@theguardian.com,” says Tom Morgan. “That’s why I never got a response.”
It’s a reflection of my post-modern (yet approachable) lifestyle.
“Oh please please,” asks Jimmy in Munich, “the link for all us non-techy cricket lovers abroad ... I’m on my knees with palms together ... it’s Sunday.”
If someone could oblige, please.
There are many reasons I love the OBO, but this, from Neville Morley, encapsulates one: “A classics professor writes: Don Draper’s account of the etymology of ‘nostalgia’ is predictably wrong, in a revealing manner: it’s not about ‘the pain of an old wound’ but ‘the pain of homecoming’, extended to the longing for past innocence or certainty. Which of course includes the fundamental truth of my childhood, that the Windies are always magnificent and terrifying and will best England.”
That is extremely unsurprising to learn – Don is basically a cipher that allows us to engage with actually interesting characters like Peggy, Betty, Sally and Joan anyhow. And yes, in the end, West Indies win.
I’ve just noticed that my email is not as previously stated above. That’s been changed, but to be clear, please send wisdom and such to daniel.harris.casual@theguardian.com.
Nasser and Ian Bishop are checking out the pitch, which is slow but up and down – precisely the conditions for which you definitely, totally, absolutely, do not, under any circumstances, ever, want the cutters and fourth-innings bronca of Stuart Broad.
Michael Holding says this is a bigger day for West Indies than England. He can’t remember the last time they beat a higher-ranked team at home, and is as concerned about the batting as you would be. There’s no one you look to as the one to get it done, but there are various you think might get useful 30s and 40s, a few of which will be enough.
Email! “I remember the game here a couple of years ago,” says Digvijay Yadav. “England set 246, India fell short by about 60. If England set somewhere around 200, this could be a proper humdinger.”
What a strange and fun series that was. Moeen took four-fer that day, including Kohli and Rahane, India’s top scorers. He’s not here now, but it must just be that England have found their spinner: Dom Bess has been extremely impressive so far, but can he deliver when he’s expected to?
The final morning is a good time to take stock of what we’ve seen these last few days and, whatever happens out in the middle, chances are most of us will remember this Test for the integrity, candour and strength of Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent. They have educated us, moved us and inspired us to change the world, encapsulating and personifying the unifying, transformative power of sport. Let’s not let them down, folks.
To get us in the mood, here’s Gordon Greenidge performing one of the great final days, at Lord’s in 1984 – the first cricket I remember, now that you ask. West Indies might not have a batsman of his class these days, but they’ll not be chasing 344 either.
The likelihood is that West Indies will need to make in the fourth innings roundabout what England made in the first innings and, in the process, we will enjoy a thorough interrogation of Ben Stokes’ judgment. If he read the pitch correctly, then he was right to bat first, right to pick Mark Wood and right to pick Jofra Archer, so his team will win; alternatively, he ought to have made the most of the game’s best bowling conditions, ought not to have dropped Stuart Broad, and West Indies will beat England again.
“Nostalgia is delicate, but potent,” Donald Draper once surmised. “In Greek, nostalgia literally means ‘the pain from an old wound.’ It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than memory alone. This device isn’t a spaceship, it’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards… it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels - around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved.”
Ostensibly, these profundities were deployed to describe a slide projector, but like all good screenwriting this was a speech dripping with subtext: what Don was really getting at is the special, unique joy of an England batting collapse. And even by the standard, yesterday’s was a jazzer: first, after four days chasing the game, they inched into a decent position thanks to much work and struggle, then they carelessly tossed five wickets for 30 runs like they were so many womb sounds. So now we wait, ready for yet another glorious, infantilising regression of a final day, the beauty of Test cricket, the beauty of sport and the beauty of life right there inside us; this should be absolutely immense.
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