England vs West Indies Test Live Updates: Stumps on Day 2, WI trail by 147

Stumps have been called on Day 2, after dad light interrupted play. Windies trail by 147 runs and are 57/1

Even though Windies look in great form and without any rust, bad light continues to interrupt play. The visitors are at 57/1

John Campbell and Kraigg Braithwaite look well settled even as Jofra Archer and James Anderson look desperate for an early wicket. 
 

Brathwaite - 9 (39)

Cambell - 21 (28)

West Indies openers return to pavilion at the end of 7 overs as bad light stops play.

England vs West Indies: Visitors begin innings

After a fiery display by the speedsters, the Windies batsmen have come out to bat right after tea on Day 2. Kraigg Brathwaite has been joined by John Campbell to open the innings. Windies are 21/0 at the end of 7 overs. 

England vs West Indies: Holder bags six wickets, Gabriel gets four

The Men in Maroon have presented their A-game as international cricket resumes action with the first Test at the Ageas Bowl. Considered as the underdogs, Windies skipper led from the front as cleaned up six English batsmen including his counterpart Ben Stokes. Shanon Gabriel, too, came down all guns blazing as he picked up four wickets and England could only manage 204 in the first innings after winning the toss. Tea has been called on Day 2 and the Windies will return to bat on the last session of the day and look forward at keeping their guard. 

England vs West Indies: Jason Holder accounts for half of England team 

Holder gets a fifer! The Windies skipper's latest target was Jofra Archer who was trapped before the wicket. Jason Holder also dismissed Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler in quick succession as the Windies look to wrap up the English innings before tea. While Stokes fell 7 short of a half-century, Buttler was caught behind when he was at 35. Jofra Archer and Dominic Bess on the crease now as England stand at 157/8 

England vs West Indies: Men in Maroon dominate first session 

West Indies have completely dominated the first session of the second day. Even as quick wickets continue to fall, skipper Stokes looks determined to hold one end strong. Stokes has scored 21 off 62 while Buttler is at 9. The visitors will look to wrap up the English innings in the next session to get an upper hand in the first Test post the COVID break. England are 106/5

England vs West Indies: Holder gets Pope's wicket 

Jason Holder gets Pope's edge for Dowrich to bag the catch and the fifth wicket. Buttler joins Stokes on the crease. The skipper looks settled with England nearing 100. England are 93/5

Ben Stokes 16 (56)
Jos Buttler 1 (5)

England vs West Indies: Visitors dominate at the Ageas Bowl 

Following Gabriel's triple strike, skipper Jason Holder trumped Zak Crawley and the umpire as well with a successful review. Crawley falls for the trap and the ball crashes into his pads before the leg stump. England at 71/4 as Ollie Pope walks in to bat with skipper Stokes

England vs West Indies: Skipper Stokes walks in to bat

West Indies bag two wickets in quick succession as Gabriel breathes fire. The speedster traps Burns before the wicket, however, the umpire was not convinced and Holder sent it up for a review. Crashing into the leg stump, the umpire signals out and Burns has to go. England are 51/3 and the stand-in skipper has come to the crease

England vs West Indies: Hosts lose second wicket

Shanon Gabriel gets his second wicket as he knocks off Denly's stumps. Joe Denly returns to the pavilion after scoring 18 as England lose their second wicket at 48. Zak Crawley walks in to bat next.

Meanwhile, Rory Burns has become the second batsman after Sir Alastair Cook in 2007 to score 1000 runs as England opener.

ENG v WI: DAY 2 OF INTERNATIONAL CRICKET

With the play being cut short on the first day of international cricket since the COVID forced break, more action is expected on the second day as the weather at the Ageas Bowl is expected to be sunny and bright ahead. Only 17.4 overs being played, Sibley's early wicket on Day 1 meant first blood for Shanon Gabriel and the West Indies. However, post his early departure, Rory Burns and Joe Denly settled in and took England to 35/1 just before stumps.  

Day 1 of the resumption of international cricket has been cut short as the rain gods have shown no mercy. Stumps have been called as rains have had the last laugh after interrupting twice earlier. Action to resume on day 2 of the first Test at the Ageas Bowl.

England are 35/1 

Joe Denly - 13 (44)

Rory Burns - 20 (55)

England vs West Indies: Covers brought back on

The rain gods continue to play spoilsport as the covers are back on with just 4 overs bowled so far. England have scored only three runs with opener Sibley being sent back for a duck.

England vs West Indies: Covers off the field

Play resumes after rain interrupts twice. England weary after loss of early wicket. At the end of eight overs on Day 1, England are 12/1. 

Joe Denly - 5 (23)
Rory Burns - 7 (21)

England vs West Indies Live Updates

Windies draw first blood as Shannon Gabriel gets Sibley out for a duck. Sibley tries to leave and Gabriel's delivery moves in knocking the off stump. 

Three overs gone, England are 1 for 1. 

England vs West Indies first Test set to begin 

The rain gods have shown mercy as the showers have stopped and covers are coming off at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. International cricket resumption nears with the toss scheduled at 6:00 pm IST and the first bowl is set to be bowled at 6:30 pm IST.

England vs West Indies: Stokes wins the toss, hosts to bat first

Ben Stokes has won his first toss as captain at the Ageas Bowl and England will bat first in the first Test of the three-match series. With a rain-forced delay, the play is set to begin at 6:30 PM IST. 

England vs West Indies squads update

Ben Stokes has decided to go without Stuart Broad, which means the veteran speedster will miss his first home test since 2012. On the other side, West Indies have opted for Jermaine Blackwood over Rahkeem Cornwall. 

"Not too disheartened with bowling first. Will look to make use of these conditions. We've got four quicks. Got Chase as a spin bowling option. Discipline's the name of the game. Been little strange. Haven't been able to move out of the hotel. It is what it is. Preparation's been good. Some days we had rain. It's a cause we're both pushing - to have the Black Lives Matter emblem on the collar," said the Windies skipper after the toss.

While England's stand-in captain Stokes said, "The pitch looks dry on top. Won't have too much pace in it. Recently spin's come into it. Tough decision with Broad and Woakes. But we feel that we can have an extra dimension with the pace of Wood and Archer. To be fair, he (Broad) wished me very well on my big day. Very proud but my main focus is to get the win. Three lions on the chest, walking out to play for your country, no bigger motivation."

West Indies: John Campbell, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, Shai Hope, Roston Chase, Jermaine Blackwood, Shane Dowrich(w), Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Shannon Gabriel

England: Rory Burns, Dominic Sibley, Joe Denly, Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler(w), Dominic Bess, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, James Anderson

The much-awaited resumption of international cricket has been delayed further. Even though the rain has stopped, the outfield is still not dry enough for the toss to happen. An early lunch has been called at 5 pm IST and will be followed by an inspection of the outfield and pitch at 5:40 pm IST. 

ENG V WI: Toss delayed

The resumption of international cricket post the COVID forced break has been delayed as the weather at Southampton has decided to play a spoilsport. The covers are on at the Ageas Bowl, but there is better weather expected ahead. 

ENG v WI: One hour for cricket to resume

ENG v WI: Ben Stokes' message ahead of 1st Test

ENG v WI: stars wish Windies team ahead of iconic Test

ENG v WI: Return of international cricket

117 days after the COVID-19 pandemic forced cricket off the field, action finally returns as England take on West Indies in a three-match Test series starting from Wednesday. A one-of-a-kind tour, this historic series will see many firsts including the game being played in a bio-secure environment as the players maintain social distancing, no handshakes, and regular sanitization processes that will replace the conventional atmosphere in which cricket was played earlier. Both teams have strictly adhered to the protocols set by the ECB to prevent the spread of COVID. 

ENG v WI: New era for cricket 

If you get one thing wrong, it might blow this whole 'getting sport back onto the radar' further back, England stand-in captain Ben Stokes said on Tuesday in his eve-of-game news conference. Stokes also spoke about the responsibility on our shoulders to deliver a massive occasion for TV viewers who have been without international cricket for four months. I know everyone has been craving this from a player's point of view, he said, but also I think from a spectator's and fan's point of view. And then there's the message England and the West Indies players want to send about equality in sport and society in general in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

A BLM logo will be on the collar of the test shirts worn by players from both teams and there is set to be a gesture made by the teams before the game. West Indies players have said the movement is a source of motivation on this tour. Not only has this been a period for us getting ready for a test match, Stokes said, it has also been great for us to have educational chats as a team around this and it has been really beneficial for a lot of our members.

ENG v WI: 'Raise the Bat' series

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has named the series as 'Raise the Bat' to pay tribute to the key workers combating the pandemic. The national board has also informed that the players will be wearing key workers' names on shirts as a mark of respect. The first test of the series will commence on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl. The second and third test will be played at the Old Trafford subsequently, dates for which are July 16 and July 24. 

ENG v WI: England's 22-man squad

Ben Stokes (c), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood 

Reserves: James Bracey, Sam Curran, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Ollie Robinson, and Olly Stone

ENG vs WI weather and pitch report 

As per AccuWeather, the weather conditions will be cloudy with chances of rain during the ENG vs WI live match on Wednesday and Thursday, while the last three days are expected to be sunny. Coming to the pitch, the 22-yard strip is always expected to be favourable to spinners.  But with no cricket being played on the surface over a considerable amount of time, the seamers can also expect to get a bit of help from the surface. The captain winning the toss is likely going to opt to bowl first to make the best use of the conditions.