ENG vs WI 3rd Test is taking place at Old Trafford, Manchester
England vs West Indies (ENG vs WI) 3rd Test Day 1 Highlights: England, batting first in the third and final Test of the series, got off to a rocky start on Day 1. Rory Burns reached his 50 without anybody realizing in the second session, but he kept losing partners at the other end. Burns departed towards the end of the second session, plunging England into deeper crisis.
Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler played an aggressive partnership after the Tea break, turning the course of the innings. From 122/4, they put on a counter-attacking stand to take England to a score of 258/4 from 85.4 overs before umpires called the day to a close because of insufficient light.
Poor light has forced a premature end to Day 1. At the end of the day, Jos Buttler (56) and Ollie Pope (91) are walking back undefeated, with thunderous applause greeting them from the England dressing room. At 122/4, with Root and Stokes gone, nobody would have blamed West Indies to go for the kill. But this partnership turned the course of the innings in the last session, and England will go into Day 2 - if weather permits - with momentum on their side.
The Papal order has been served by him and Buttler to West Indies today! The umpires are discussing the deteriorating light at the moment. ENG 258/4 after 85 overs
Jos Buttler, who had his detractors after failures in the 1st Test, has also made quite a statement today. This is the first time in 16 innings Buttler has survived 100 balls. West Indies take the new ball in the 83rd over. Kemar Roach steams in. And gets driven for four by Buttler. Holder reacts angrily. Roach just smiles and walks back. ENG 252/4 after 83 overs
West Indies not keen to take the second new ball. Pope has found the fence in both the last 2 overs, as he nears his 100. West Indies are still continuing with spin from either end. ENG 244/4 after 81 overs
Buttler brings up a boundary after a while off Roston Chase. West Indies go for an LBW review against Ollie Pope but the batsman survives narrowly. This partnership is now worth 101. Like the Stokes and Sibley partnership had defined Day 2 of the 2nd Test, this Pope and Buttler pair has stood up and raised their hand in this Test. ENG 223/4 after 77 overs
West Indies operate with spin from both ends as they try to restore some sanity into proceedings. Buttler and Pope content to score their runs in singles for now. Their counter-attack in the first half of the third session has handed their team the initiative, they will dearly want to hold on to this position of strength till the end of the day. ENG 215/4 after 74 overs
Another lull in the scoring after those two huge shots from Buttler. Drinks come on to the field to signal that one hour of play is left today. ENG 205/4 after 70 overs. This pair has added 83 runs, attacking against the run of play. West Indies were on top of this game at Tea, this partnership has given them a knockout punch.
Whoa! Make that super temporary! Buttler launches a six off Cornwall. Walks down the pitch and lofts it over deep midwicket for a clean six. And there's another six later in the over! Another huge shot from Buttler. England cross 200. This partnership now worth 82 off 124 balls. What a game-changing partnership this has been. ENG 204/4 after 68
West Indies started the third session with a barrage of pace bowling but it has backfired on them. Cornwall is thus brought back into the attack to bowl at the other end from the skipper. The change in rythm seems to work (temporarily at least) in quelling the Pope fire. In a rare display of containment of runs in this session, no boundary has now been hit for three overs. ENG 191/4 after 67 overs
Two more fours for Pope in the next over, bowled by Gabriel. Pope moves into his 60s. Not too long ago, he was in his 30s. West Indies don't know what has hit them. Buttler, after that one over of two attacking shots, has been more content to let Pope do the bulk of the scoring since then. West Indies are losing a bit of their discipline. Three no balls in the last few overs. ENG 189/4 after 65
Ollie Pope is on fire! He is dealing in boundaries and lbw appeals right now. Pounds Gabriel for two boundaries in one over. Is rapped on the pads as he misses a shot. West Indies go for an LBW Review but it remains not out. The next over, he smashes Holder for another four to get to his 50. His 4th Test fifty and his first of the series. ENG 173/4 after 63 overs
Pope and Buttler are launching a bit of a counter-attack in the last few minutes. Pope gets three with a flick towards the boundary and follows up later in the over by rocking back and cutting Roach for four. After adding just 20 off 59 balls, this pair has added 18 runs in the last 2 overs.
Buttler gets going! Shannon Gabriel bowls with fire as he is re-introduced into the attack. Buttler flicks him for four on to fine leg. Gabriel strays on the leg side again two balls later and again Buttler swats him away for four. England's 150 comes up with that. Pope and Buttler can punish the West Indies bowlers if they get into their fluent rythm here. Buttler, after being stuck on 3 for the longest time, has finally moved to double digits. ENG 151/4 after 60
Positive signs for England. First Pope gets a four in very fortunate fashion. A thick outside edge flies off to the third man fence. Then Buttler plays a sweet off-drive to perfection as Holder pitches it too full. Some welcome runs coming from this pair. Will do their confidence a world of good. ENG 145/4 after 59
True to prediction, Roach and Holder start off the attack for West Indies after Tea. One more wicket for the West Indies, and they would have really taken this game by the scruff of its neck. This is the last pair of specialist batsmen. Woakes, Bess and Archer to come after this. Buttler has timed a couple of shots but has not found too many runs yet. Pope, looking compact, is also in a rut right now, having blasted off to a quick start. ENG 134/4 after 56
The final session of Day 1 begins, with Buttler and Pope looking to rescue England's batting essay. Holder starts off proceedings for the visitors. West Indies will probably not get a chance to bowl too extended a spell with the second new ball today. With their pacers looking in fine rythm, could they pepper the English middle order in this session? ENG 131/4 after 54 overs
That is the end of the second session. Buttler and Pope survive the West Indies attack to take England to the pavilion with some of their batting order still intact. Two huge wickets - Stokes and Burns - in that session for the visitors, rounding off what has been a happy day for Holder's men in Manchester. With one session left on Day 1, England are 131/4 after 53 overs
Holder brings himself back into the attack as the West Indies sense a window of opportunity. Pope has been tied town after his brisk start to the innings. Jos Buttler, with form not on his side, is doing his best to see out his first few overs at the moment. ENG 128/4 after 52
The bowling change does the trick! Roston Chase gets Burns to top edge one and Cornwall grabs on to the catch. That is the fourth time in the series Chase has cleaned up Burns in this series. Burns goes for a well-earned 57. Buttler joins Pope, with the England top order having been uprooted. New man Buttler is being made to hop around by Gabriel. ENG 123/4 after 49
Roston Chase is brought into the bowling attack for the first time in the 3rd Test. Cornwall was being hit around a bit, so a change of bowler from this end. Interesting to see how West Indies have dealt with their pacers' fatigue by fielding two spin options here. Gabriel, who has had a tortured time in the field over the past 2 weeks, continues at the other end. He even gets Pope in trouble with one delivery which cuts him in half. This partnership between Pope and Burns is moving along comfortably now, worth 30 runs now. ENG 122/3 after 47