First Test, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua (day two): |
England 311: Bairstow 140, Foakes 42; Seales 4-79 |
West Indies 202-4: Brathwaite 55, Holder 43*; Stokes 1-20 |
West Indies trail by 109 runs |
Scorecard |
The first Test in Antigua was won by the West Indies on the second day.
The tourists took 4-44 in the afternoon but struggled as the West Indies closed at 202-4,109 runs behind.
Without James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England were careless with the new ball and the hosts raced to 83-0.
England's seamers, helped by some poor shot-making, wrestled back the momentum but Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder blunted the bowling in the final session with a watchful, unconquered stand of 75.
After being dismissed for 311, England added 43 runs for their last four.
Bairstow was the last man out for 140, while Seales took 4-79 for the hosts in the rain-hit first day.
The first day was about whether England's batters could bounce back from their humiliation. After West Indies wrapped up the lower-order in the morning session, attention turned to England's new-look bowling attack.
When England decided to look to the future and leave Anderson and Broad, their two leading bowler in Tests who have shown little sign of slowing down, out of this series comparisons were always going to be made.
The West Indies were able to move into the ascendency because of this seam attack.
The leader of the attack in the absence of the veterans, Woakes was particularly careless on a slow pitch with little support through the air.
The first breakthrough was rarely threatened by Overton, who was opening the bowling for England for the first time. John Campbell was caught on the leg side.
Wood was the most threatening, as always, bowling with express pace.
He produced a probing spell of reverse swing after tea but Holder, who scored a double century on England's last tour to the Caribbean, frustrated the tourists again and, having come in at 127-4 with England on top, found able support in 33-year-old Bonner.
The West Indies held the edge in this Test after Holder and Bonner were both perfect.
West Indies were not able to pull away after being gifted a quick start because England limited the scoring.
England failed to hold their line or create opportunities in a 10-over spell before lunch.
The bowling sprayed down both sides of the pitch as Brathwaite raced to his fastest fifty from 62 balls.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach, who was accurate but largely unthreatening throughout, was brought on after just eight overs.
England did improve, however, because of the bouncer that dismissed Campbell.
The opener slashed a full, wide ball to the gully. Shamarh Brooks nicked Stokes to first slip for 18 and the review showed that a looped catch taken at gully had gone inside edge before the thigh pad.
The slow pitch and a soft ball did not help England in the end.
Bairstow skied a catch off Alzarri Joseph when trying to add quick lower-order runs, but he did at least ensure they passed 300 for the first time this winter at the sixth attempt.
It was a little bit indifferent. There were parts that we were 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- 888-609- We did not get it right in the first 15-20 overs. We did well when we came back after lunch.
We know we are going to be compared to Broad and Anderson because of the amount of talk around them. We have to do our best. We are not going to be a Jimmy and Broady.
The disappointing part for us is that we didn't get off to a good start.
Jonathan Agnew is a cricket correspondent for the British Broadcasting Corporation. It has been Broad and Anderson for a long time. He has a lot of shoes to fill.
It is a very slow pitch. There is nothing in it.
It was a very valuable partnership between the two men. The second ball will probably decide if England have a lead or not.