The second test starts tomorrow in Anitgua with at least two changes - see below.

A shame Joe Root didn't follow them!

England opener Keaton Jennings has been dropped in favour of uncapped Joe Denly for the second Test against the West Indies in Antigua.

Jennings, 26, who averages 25.86 in 16 Tests, was out for 17 and 14 as England lost the first Test by 381 runs.

Denly, 32, who bats at three for Kent, will open with Rory Burns.

Left-arm spinner Jack Leach replaces Adil Rashid, who will return home during the second Test because his wife is expecting their second child.

The leg-spinner will return to the tour before the one-day internationals.

The second match in the three-Test series, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, begins on Thursday at 14:00 GMT.

Makes you wonder why Jennings was selected in the 1st place, Denly 32 and uncapped is hardly the future but good luck to England, they'll need it!

Looking forward to a much better batting performance and as an optimist expect England to win the second test.

CleggHall wrote:Makes you wonder why Jennings was selected in the 1st place, Denly 32 and uncapped is hardly the future but good luck to England, they'll need it!

I'll look forward to having Jennings back at Lancs for the start of the season. But yes I agree that giving an opening batter their first cap aged 32 seems bizarre.

West Indies have won the toss and are batting.

Broad back in the team.

West Indies are bowling.

tybfc wrote:West Indies have won the toss and are batting.

Broad back in the team.

They have chose to bowl on a green top.

My apologies! It will be an interesting first hour or two.

tybfc wrote:I'll look forward to having Jennings back at Lancs for the start of the season. But yes I agree that giving an opening batter their first cap aged 32 seems bizarre.

It is bizarre but we are desperately searching for batsmen - a long time since our batting line up looked so fragile.

Yes- W Indies chose to bowl first. Root says he'd've bowled first if winning the toss too- so looks like it may be dicey batting at first. Oh dear- might have to watch the first couple of hours from behind the sofa.

Jimmy could get a 10fer from this match if the batters can post a total.

Looks very English conditions with a Duke ball.

First wicket gone, Burns out for 4 - we're 5/1.

England survive and lbw against Denley on umpire's call. Lucky man

Oh dear, oh dear. Burns got a good one, however, Denley needs to give himself a talking to and then some --- Test opening batsman? Not with shots like that.
This could be another of those days!

16/2. Denley gone chasing a very wide long hop. England test batsman? Words fail me.

Useless. Absolutely useless...limited overs game has ruined test cricket batsmen.

Denly had to play that shot, you don't get many free balls to score off in Test match cricket.

He just didn't play it right.

Anyone got a link to a stream for this?

Denly might have been right to play that shot if he had 125 on the score board. Not at that particular juncture, though.

Denly almost ended up throwing his bat at the ball….it was that wide of the crease.

The cricket provides a nice diversion from news on Peter Crouch

Found a few links here if anyone needs one.

http://cricsports.sc/watch/live/west-in ... -streaming" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

3 down Root gone to unplayable delivery and a "team" catch.

Looking af this wicket I'll be surprised if this game goes much further than day 3!

kentonclaret wrote:3 down Root gone to unplayable delivery and a "team" catch.

It certainly bounced on him but he didn't need to play it. Not going to hit the stumps and not trying to score.

It certainly bounced on him but he didn't need to play it. Not going to hit the stumps and not trying to score.[/quote]

Think that's a bit harsh. Don't think he had an option other than to play it. It spat rather than bounced!

Mondsley - no livelier than Littleborough's Hare Hill in Joel Garner's days though Gilchrist's pace there was nullified back in the 50s on a specially prepared wicket involving the use of hot cow s..t!

Buttler gone now 55-4,thank heavens Johnny Bairstow is showing some counter-punching.

CleggHall wrote:Mondsley - no livelier than Littleborough's Hare Hill in Joel Garner's days though Gilchrist's pace there was nullified back in the 50s on a specially prepared wicket involving the use of hot cow s..t!

I fielded short leg for Big Bird and took a shedful of catches. We used to tell him the top 5 batsmen of the oppo were taxmen to get him going!!

Mondsley wrote:It certainly bounced on him but he didn't need to play it. Not going to hit the stumps and not trying to score.

Think that's a bit harsh. Don't think he had an option other than to play it. It spat rather than bounced![/quote]
A batsman on a tricky pitch should be leaving every ball that won't hit the wickets unless he is trying to score off it.
That's from local cricket upwards.

Human error kicks in but training every day is supposed to counteract that.

A batsman on a tricky pitch should be leaving every ball that won't hit the wickets unless he is trying to score off it.
That's from local cricket upwards.

Human error kicks in but training every day is supposed to counteract that.[/quote]

I hear what you say but honestly don't think he could avoid it. But I think you have put your finger on why I was always getting caught out.

Fine margins of cricket.

Denly gets criticised for chasing a wide loose ball.
The commentators have spent the last 15 minutes praising Bairstow for climbing into anything wide. “It’s what you have to do on a pitch like this”.

Yep Bairstow will still get stick when he nicks one of the same shots he's been praised all day.

And off he goes.

Tried carrying on as he did before lunch.

A nick would have been helpful there, Bairstow out lbw on review just after lunch.

97-6
Moeen and foakes now in

Stokes goes, 93/6. In fairness to them, if there is such a thing as 'a good Test Match pitch', this is not one of them.

Not sure what’s worse England’s batting or Burnley’s transfer dealings.

Moeen out for 60.

Currently 181/7
We've raised our game from abysmal to merely crap.

Yet again another poor batting performance, we bat, long, deep and hopeless!

And let me guess this pitch that’s apparently doing all sorts will all of a sudden calm down now the Windies are batting?

Marginal recovery from the lower order Moeen,Bairstow and Foakes giving England some runs to defend.

However West Indies 30-0 from 21 overs,might not be exciting but that's the way to play on this pitch,their openers remembered this is a 5 day match.

Now that Chef's retired,no-one in this England batting line-up can construct a true test innings,and bat the whole day.

Even the 3 that scored reasonably had an air of desperation as to their approach.

Can someone please tell the new ball pair to pitch the bloody ball up,again England falling into the trap of bowling short stuff,firstly they don't have the pace for this tactic to be effective,and secondly the bouncer/short ball should be a surprise weapon.

If(big if) England can pick up 3/4 wickets before lunch tomorrow,they could still be competitive,after all the Windies have to bat last,as the pitch isn't likely to improve any target above 150 could be tricky.

England bowling well. Broad in particular. West Indies have left the ball for better than our lads.

Buttler dropped a simple catch in the slips.

Campbell gone for 47,Windies approaching 100 though with his wicket their only loss,England bowling fine,but you can't keep dropping dollies in the slips,the fielding has been a big difference between the two sides,England usually so reliable have put down some vital chances in both tests.

Foakes currently undergoing X-ray on his injured hand,i assume he will bat in the 2nd innings unless England are in a hopeless cause.

155-4 now Broad with two quick wickets.

Why the hell have we picked Curran ahead of another out and out bowler like Wood or Woakes? We have to get over this obsession of picking bits and pieces cricketers who can do a little bit of everything.

I like Curran but he was never going to be as effective on West Indian wickets,Woakes would have been the better option.

Agree the England top brass like all-rounders,great in the white ball format,but as the West Indies have perfectly demonstrated on day 2,this is a test match patience and occupation of the crease is the watchword,something England's batsman would do well to note 2nd time around.

Stuart Broad's comments puzzled my he said England need to be bowling on day 4,no Stuart England need to bowling on day 5,this test still has 3 days remaining,does it matter how quickly England accumulate in the 3rd innings,as long as they amass a challenging target for the Windies to chase,say England trail by 100 or so,if they have to bat 5/6 sessions to score 300 so be it,that would still leave a testing 200 ish batting last on a wearing pitch.

The catching has been woeful on this tour to match the batting.
The bowling has been good in general but too many 4 balls take the pressure off when on the ropes.

Jimmy strikes nabbing Holder for 22,lead nearing 100 though,and the pitch still providing extra bounce,not a good sign for England's batters.

And another for Jimmy 289-8,as Alzarri Joseph comes to the crease,sadly news of his mother's death emerged earlier,shocking at such a young age to lose a parent,he is only 22.

England 59/4
Still 60 runs short of making the Windies bat again!

97/6
We still need 22 to make 'em bat again.