Story: Reaching The Pinnacle

[Joe Baldwin]

I can't recall the last edition of Cricket Captain where I didn't launch an England Test career, and this will be no exception. For me, Test cricket is the pinnacle, and being from Buckinghamshire, I don't have any real affinity with an English cricketing county. I will be continuing with my Mission Impossible save with Leicestershire and Ireland throughout the coming year - indeed, I'm well into that file in terms of matches played - but as far as my cricketing passion is concerned, English Test cricket is the top of my list, and so I have to start such a career again.

This time around, there's a genuine challenge to taking over the England Test side. We're sixth in the Test rankings, seven points behind India, and we have a huge five-Test series away in India to come in the winter months in early 2021. First, though, we have a couple of three-Test series to win - firstly against the West Indies, which of course comes to a conclusion in real life tomorrow, and secondly against Pakistan. We can gain a ranking point against Pakistan after the previous series against them ended in a 1-1 draw back in 2018, and of course, we suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat on our last visit to India.

The challenge is to try and return England to the top of the Test rankings, and hopefully win the Test Championship as many times as possible in the seasons to come as well.

There's a lot of work to be done, so without further ado, lets get stuck into the West Indies series!

[Joe Baldwin]

4th June 2020

England vs West Indies

The Kia Oval

1st Test (of 3)

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first

England began the Test summer at The Kia Oval, the home of Surrey CCC, for the first Test against the West Indies. Entering the series as heavy favourites to regain the Wisden Trophy, there were some dilemmas for the selection committee, most notably due to Ollie Pope being out injured. Ben Foakes was preferred to Jos Buttler with the gloves to add a more reserved, circumspect style to the middle order, while Dan Lawrence was handed his Test debut, due in at No. 5. Jofra Archer had only just recovered from injury, so Chris Woakes was preferred to him, and Jack Leach has been keeping Dom Bess out of the Somerset team, taking 53 wickets at about 15 in the County Championship in the opening weeks, so he gets the nod as the front line spinner.

The West Indies have a familiar side, with the exception of debutant fast-bowler Anderson Phillip.

England: R. Burns, D. Sibley, J. Denly, J. Root, D. Lawrence, B. Stokes, B. Foakes+, C. Woakes, S. Broad, J. Leach. J. Anderson
West Indies: K. Brathwaite, J. Campbell, S. Brooks, S. Hope, J. Blackwood, R. Chase, S. Dowrich, J. Holder, K. Roach, A. Phillip, S. Gabriel

The West Indies, having won the toss and elected to bat first on a wicket that was expected to degrade pretty heavily over the five days, began their innings well. Anderson removed Campbell for 13 to get the ball rolling for England, but the tourists reached lunch on 85-1 and looked good, albeit with the help of Dom Sibley, who dropped Brooks at short leg off the bowling of Broad. Brathwaite looked in good touch but fell on 49 when Root clung on at slip to give Broad his first wicket, and Hope (7) and Blackwood (20) weren't able to provide any substantial support for Brooks, who was given another life on 46 when Burns shelled a tough chance at second slip.

Brooks would go on to complete a century as the day progressed, but regular wickets stifled the Windies' progress, and England bowled them out for 251 right at the end of the first day. Brooks ended unbeaten on 108, while all five of England's bowlers contributed - Broad's 3-43 the pick of the bunch.

England's reply began with Gabriel trapping Burns LBW for 16, but Sibley and Denly showcased the very best of their ability, batting serenely through the second day. Tea came with England 146-1, and the West Indies simply had no answer as the two added another 106 in the evening session. Sibley set the pace, bringing his century up with an inside edge which beat the keeper, and he finished Day 2 on 143*, with Denly playing the supporting role on 83*. Roach finally made the breakthrough early on Day 3, bringing the 233-run partnership to an end by removing Denly for 87, but England pressed home their advantage, reaching 322-2 at lunch on Day 3, helped by Brooks dropping Root at mid off on 28.

Sibley was then dropped on 180, which would have been Phillip's first Test wicket, but fortunately for the visitors he finally departed for 188 soon after, caught by Dowrich at slip to the bowling of Roach. Another dropped catch summarised the Windies' efforts in the field - this time it was Jason Holder who dropped Stokes second ball, giving the destructive all-rounder the chance to blast a quick-fire 76*. England eventually declared with the score 479-5 - a first innings lead of 228 - giving the seamers a 38 minute spell at Brathwaite and Campbell before the close. The timing proved perfect, as Broad removed Campbell with a brilliant caught and bowled in the final over of the day, leaving West Indies in a hopeless situation.

Stuart Broad ran riot on the fourth morning. Two wickets in two balls reduced the West Indies to 25-3, with Shai Hope out first ball, and he was ably supported by Anderson and Stokes, who took the wickets of Brooks and Chase respectively. The tourists slumped to 59-6, and the game was a formality by this stage. Dowrich offered some resistance on what had become a volatile pitch by this stage, making 57* as he held firm, but he was given no help at the other end and the West Indies were bowled out for 132, succumbing to defeat by well over an innings. Broad was the star with the ball, finishing with 6-45 as he mopped up the tail to go with his early wickets.

England won by an innings and 96 runs.
Man of the Match: Dominic Sibley.
Interruptions: 45 minutes lost.
England 1-0 West Indies - two Tests to play.

Ollie Pope is fit to return for the second Test, which will provide an interesting selection dilemma. Lawrence only made 17 in England's innings, with Foakes scoring 40*, and it stands to reason that it'll be either of those two that makes way for Pope to return.

The players have four days to recover before the second Test begins at Edgbaston, and England are overwhelming favourites to regain the Wisden Trophy after this victory.