England plod to 47-1 after early loss of Crawley

BRIDGETOWN: Jayden Seales took a wicket in his second over but England otherwise survived the first session unscathed to reach 47 for one at lunch on day one of the second test against West Indies at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Wednesday.

Fast bowler Seales removed England opener Zak Crawley for a seven-ball duck, coaxing the 24-year-old into getting a faint edge on a rising delivery, which was caught by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.

Alex Lees (16) and Joe Root (31) were at the crease at the end of the first session after England won the toss at the Kensington Oval.

West Indies bowled well to keep the scoring rate in check on a placid wicket, but will rue a missed opportunity to send Root back to the dressing room.

The England captain benefited from a huge slice of luck on 23, when a Jason Holder delivery appeared to nick his bat and carry into Da Silva’s hands, but West Indies, who had earlier wasted a review, decided against another one.

The opening test in North Sound, Antigua, ended in a draw and West Indies fielded an unchanged team for the second match.

England were forced into two changes due to a growing injury and illness list among their fast bowling stocks.

Saqib Mahmood, who played in the five-match T20 international series at the same venue in January, was already earmarked for a debut in place of Mark Wood, the tearaway pacer who sustained a right elbow injury during the opening encounter of the three-match series.

Joining him now for a debut Test is Matthew Fisher, who only learnt of his inclusion in the final team this morning when fast-medium bowler Craig Overton fell ill overnight and was ruled out of consideration.

England were hoping to have Ollie Robinson return but he has not sufficiently recovered from back spasms sustained in the lone warm-up match two weeks ago in Antigua.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND (1st Innings):

A. Lees not out 16

Z. Crawley c Da Silva b Seales 0

J. Root not out 31

EXTRAS 0

TOTAL (for one wicket, 30 overs) 47

FALL OF WICKET: 1-4 (Crawley)

YET TO BAT: D. Lawrence, B. Stokes, B, Foakes, J. Bairstow, C. Woakes, M. Fisher, J. Leach, Saqib Mahmood

BOWLING: Roach 8-3-14-0, Seales 7-4-6-1, Joseph 5-0-13-0, Permaul 6-1-10-0, Holder 4-2-4-0

WEST INDIES: K. Brathwaite, J. Campbell, S. Brooks, N. Bonner, J. Blackwood, J. Holder, J. da Silva, A. Joseph, K. Roach, V. Permaul, J. Seales

UMPIRES: Joel Wilson and Nigel Duguid (West Indies)