Welcome to the Evening Standard’s LIVE coverage of day three of the second Test between England and the West Indies.
The hosts return on day three aiming to hammer home their advantage after centuries from Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley helped them to a healthy first innings total.
Sam Curran removed John Campbell late on day three after Joe Root’s declaration left the West Indies with an awkward final hour at the crease.
Will Macpherson and Malik Ouzia will bring you all the latest action from the Old Trafford today.
Live Updates
Things aren’t looking good for our chances of getting play today. England’s players are heading back to their hotel rooms…
Will Macpherson is at Old Trafford
It’s raining very hard and is quite dark at the moment. No play seems the likeliest outcome right now.
Will Macpherson is at Old Trafford
The rain falling is not heavy in the slightest. You’d probably stay on in it. But it’s persistent, and the outfield is very wet.
ES COVERAGE
Will Macpherson is at Old Trafford
I think the ECB have got it about right with Jofra Archer. He will be left in no doubt that he has done the wrong thing, but this prevents a massive pile on.
In other news, it should be lunchtime now. It’s still drizzling and we won’t be playing any time soon.
BREAKING NEWS
BREAKING: Archer to be available for Third Test
Jofra Archer is set to be available for the Third Test against West Indies at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday after England opted to fine the fast bowler rather than ban him for breaching lockdown protocols.
Archer was withdrawn from the side for the Second Test on Thursday after he revealed to a member of staff that he had taken a detour to his home in Hove en route from Southampton to Manchester on Monday.
That represented a direct contravention of protocol that was clearly explained to players, who were given designated points for unavoidable stops for fuel or petrol.
Having left the biosecure bubble that was painstakingly put in place by the ECB at great cost for a series that is worth millions of pounds in broadcast revenue, Archer had to undergo five days of mandatory self-isolation in his room at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel at Old Trafford. That ruled him out of the Second Test, and he must pass two tests for Covid-19 (the first of which is today) before rejoining the squad. The unidentified individual he came into contact with had a Covid test organised by the ECB, which came back negative.
On Friday night, after two days’ play, ECB Managing Director of Men’s Cricket Ashley Giles led a disciplinary hearing. Archer’s agent and a representative from the Professional Cricketers’ Association were also present on the call.
Rather than an official ban, the ECB handed Archer a fine and gave him a written warning. The size of the fine is officially undisclosed, but is understood to be equivalent to his match fee, which is worth around £15,000. As he is not playing the Test, he has also missed out on receiving that amount, adding to the punishment.
Sam Curran has been talking to Sky Sports about needing the follow-on to win the game if today does prove a washout…
“If we do get washed out today it is quite obvious what we need to do to win the game,” Curran said.
“We need to bowl them out cheaply in the first innings and try and get them following on. There is no reasons why we cannot do that.
“Obviously, it’s going to be a big work load for the bowlers but we are nice and fresh and hopefully we can do something for the team.”
ES COVERAGE
Will Macpherson is at Old Trafford
The rain is heavier now. Prospects of play fairly slim.
Of course, we don’t know how much if any cricket we’ll get today, but the longer this rain delay goes on, the more you think England may need to skittle the West Indies in time to enforce the follow on if they are to have a chance of winning this game and levelling the series.
Will Macpherson is at Old Trafford
It’s a damp old morning in Manchester, and that doesn’t look like changing any time soon. The rain is not heavy but it is persistent and the start will be delayed.
The bad news, as you’ve probably heard by now, is that the rain is falling in Manchester so we’re going to have a delayed start.
The forecast isn’t great all day either, which is why there was so much talk about England needing to up the run-rate yesterday.
A quick reminder of the teams news…
England had already opted to rest James Anderson and Mark Wood prior to Jofra Archer’s protocol breach coming to light, meaning it’s all change in the home side’s specialist seam attack as Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran come into the side, all of whom spent the first day and a half with their feet up.
The only other change from the side that lost at the Ageas sees Joe Root back in the side, with Zak Crawley having edged out Joe Denly for the spot at number three, and then promptly picked up a golden duck on day one.
West Indies, meanwhile, stuck with the same XI that won the First Test, but already that is looking a questionable move, with Shannon Gabriel seemingly struggling with an injury and Alzarri Joseph likewise.
Things could have been even better for England yesterday had they not decided against reviewing another Sam Curran lbw appeal in the final over.
Alzarri Joseph, the nightwatchman, was the man trapped in front but England weren’t quite sure whether it had flicked his foot before getting to his bat and didn’t take the chance.
Sibley proves ton was no fluke
Sibley told Sky Sports it was “a great feeling” to get his second England century and first at home.
He said: “I think sometimes you think maybe after you get one it might be a bit of a fluke.
“But to get two is a great feeling, and obviously it put us in a good position in the Test match more importantly, and hopefully will contribute to a win.”
Asked what it was like batting with Stokes, Sibley said: “It was great. We had a big partnership at Cape Town as well, so good memories there.
“He turned it on after he got to 100 and started being very expansive and took the pressure off me a little bit. It’s great to bat with Stokesy.
Stokes support for Archer
Ben Stokes took a leading role for England on and off the pitch on day two of the second Test against the West Indies, hitting a fine 176 then offering his full support for team-mate Jofra Archer.
“We really need to be there to support Jofra right now,” was his instant reaction to Archer’s period of solitude.
“Obviously he’s a big talking point and he is by himself because of everything else going on at the moment.
“It’s making sure that it doesn’t feel like he’s by himself. The worst thing we could do right now as a team is just leave him and see him in five or six days time.
“It’s all good being there for people when things are going well and smoothly but what really comes through is how you operate with someone when they need you the most.”
The story of day two
Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley celebrated hard-won centuries as their stand of 260 allowed England to pile scoreboard pressure on the West Indies in the second Test at Emirates Old Trafford.
Not for the first time Stokes was the headline act as he cracked 176 on day two – a 10th Test hundred and his second highest – while Sibley completed a nine-hour epic to finish with 120.
Their combined effort did the bulk of the work in a final total of 469 for nine declared, England’s highest score in the opening innings of a home Test in three years.
The West Indies were 32 for one at the close, Sam Curran taking John Campbell out lbw late on.
ES COVERAGE
Welcome back to Standard Sport‘s LIVE coverage of the Second Test between England and the West Indies.
And that’s that.
England’s day as hundreds from Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley set up a declaration on 469/9.
Sam Curran’s late breakthrough has got their bowling effort off to the perfect start, too.
WI 32/1 (14.0 overs)
Brathwaite 6, Joseph 14
They get a single off the first delivery so Joseph is on strike and I expect his mate wants him to stay there for the next five deliveries.
That’s close, too. Curran surprises Joseph with a bouncer and he flaps at it, gloving over Buttler but it’s too high and goes away for four.
Oh, and that’s an opportunity missed. A straighter, fuller ball and that flicks the foot of Joseph on its way onto the bat. No one was quite sure if there was any boot on it so they didn’t review. Would’ve been plumb.
WI 27/1 (13.0 overs)
Brathwaite 5, Joseph 10
Two more maybe if Bess rattles through the first of them. Oof. Joseph pushes back at him and it would’ve been a simple caught-and-bowled chance but it falls a yard short.
Bit of an ill-advised chip over extra cover from Joseph as Bess floats one up, but it’s safe.
One more.
WI 25/1 (12.0 overs)
Brathwaite 5, Joseph 8
There’s no sign of trying to protect Brathwaite and have Joseph face these tricky last few overs – these two are playing as if the latter were a conventional No.3.
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TV and live stream details
TV: The match will be shown on Sky Sports Cricket (Sky: 405, Virgin: 504) and Sky Sports Main Event (Sky: 401, Virgin; 501).
Live stream: The match will be available each day on the Sky Go app, with a Sky Sports subscription required. Highlights will be available on the BBC Sport website and app.
If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.
