Health scares over Ollie Robinson and Mark Wooden left England with an undesirable headache forward of subsequent week’s first Take a look at towards the West Indies, with the shadows of James Anderson and Stuart Broad looming massive.
In scoreboard phrases issues went comparatively serenely on day three of their warm-up outing in Antigua, with the CWI President’s XI bowled out for 264 on a sluggish floor, however by then the considerations had been already elsewhere.
With their two main wicket-takers controversially axed for this journey, and a backlash effervescent away amongst their supporters, seeing two extra of their first-choice bowlers unable to get on the pitch was the very last thing the vacationers wanted.
Robinson took the primary wicket of the day however pulled up mid-way via his fourth over with again ache and was not seen once more. For a participant who left the sphere for remedy on a number of events within the Ashes and noticed his conditioning publicly known as into query by workforce administration, it was a very awkward flip of occasions.
Wooden excelled in a shedding trigger Down Below however has but to play any half on this match having felt unwell over the previous 48 hours. He made a belated, and transient, go to to the Coolidge Cricket Floor earlier than returning to the workforce resort to relaxation up. It’s understood England don’t suspect Covid-19 and, whereas they hope he’ll quickly rally, his preparations for the collection opener have already been broken.
Of their absence the uncapped pairing of Saqib Mahmood and Matt Fisher had been drafted into the sport, however whereas each acquitted themselves handily neither made a forceful case for inclusion.
Certainly, on a gradual pitch that provided minimal encouragement, none of England’s remaining match seamers had been in a position to make a breakthrough in 44.4 overs between them. As a substitute, it was a extra worthwhile outing for the spin contingent.
Jack Leach led the best way with 4 for 62, Dan Lawrence bagged a few surprising wickets along with his part-timers and captain Joe Root additionally picked one up. As a information to the Take a look at collection all of it fell relatively flat, with consideration drifting in the direction of those that had been injured, unwell or stewing at residence in England relatively than those that had been busy establishing a 202-run first-innings lead.
Leach’s efforts had been seemingly sufficient to dispel any ideas of leaving him out on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in favour of an all-seam assault, however the ankle-high shooter which trapped centurion Raymon Reifer lbw was a reminder that the pitch was not precisely Take a look at commonplace.
Reifer’s 106, and the shortcoming of Chris Woakes, Craig Overton or the newer duo of Mahmood and Fisher to prise him out, will go down as a minor blemish for England.
When England’s second innings started, newcomer Alex Lees was unable to repeat his sturdy first impression, following his first-day 65 by nicking Preston McSween to slide for 10.
Ben Stokes changed him, nudged up the order after missing time on the crease in his earlier innings, however he was undone by a questionable lbw verdict that meant he was gone for 19.
That left him as the one member of the highest six to not financial institution no less than a half-century forward of the collection, however England is not going to be too involved about their vice-captain.
The final act of the day noticed Zak Crawley lbw for 35 to low bounce, with England 279 forward on 77 for 3.