BRIDGETOWN: West Indies opening batsman John Campbell scored a quick 44 on debut as the hosts advanced to 89 for one at lunch on day one of the first Test against England in Barbados on Wednesday.

Campbell played aggressively against a three-pronged England bowling attack on a Kensington Oval wicket that was already showing signs of turn in the first session in Bridgetown.

Off-spinner Moeen Ali was deployed after only 16 overs and got the breakthrough in his second over when Campbell was struck on the front pad trying to sweep.

Campbell and opening partner Kraigg Brathwaite did not even bother with a review, a correct decision as it turned out since replays showed the ball would have hit middle stump.

Brathwaite scored only nine in the opening partnership of 53, but he opened up after Campbell’s departure, helping himself to a six and a four in Moeen’s next over.

He was 31 at lunch, with Shai Hope on 14.

Earlier, West Indies captain Jason Holder won the toss and batted, with the visitors dropping veteran paceman Stuart Broad to field two spinners, Moeen and Adil Rashid.

The hosts recalled top-order batsman Darren Bravo for his first Test appearance in more than two years.

The teams will play three Tests in the series.

England have not won the last two tours to the West Indies, with only one series victory in the Caribbean since the 1960s.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES (1st Innings):

K.C. Brathwaite not out 31

J.D. Campbell lbw b Moeen 44

S.D. Hope not out 14

EXTRAS 0

TOTAL (for one wkt, 30 overs) 89

FALL OF WKT: 1-53.

TO BAT: D.M. Bravo, R.L. Chase, S.O. Hetmyer, S.O. Dowrich, J.O. Holder, K.A.J. Roach, A.S. Joseph, S.T. Gabriel.

BOWLING (to-date): Anderson 8-4-5-0; Curran 5-1-21-0; Stokes 8-1-27-0; Moeen Ali 7-1-32-1; Rashid 2-1-4-0.

ENGLAND: R.J. Burns, K.K. Jennings, J.M. Bairstow, J.E. Root, B.A. Stokes, J.C. Buttler, Moeen Ali, B.T. Foakes, S.M. Curran, A.U. Rashid, J.M. Anderson.

UMPIRES: C.B. Gaffaney (New Zealand) and R.J. Tucker (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: H.D.P.K. Dharmasena (Sri Lanka).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2019