Sport

England v West Indies: second Test, day three – live!

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6.25pm BST18:25

58th over: England 161-3 (Root 44, Malan 19) Bishoo! Be still my beating heart! He got Root in the first innings. Root cover drives for one, then Bishoo drags down and Malan wallops him for four through midwicket.


6.21pm BST18:21

57th over: England 156-3 (Root 43, Malan 15) Gabriel is coming back for one last burst in the gloaming. Maximum three overs he’ll get, probably just two. Root guides him for four down to third man first ball. Since taking 21 to get off the mark, he has 42 from 53. What a player. Oh, Bishoo is warming up! Root pinches the strike with a single to deep point. Why’s there a deep point? What’s the, err, point?

John Starbuck reads my mind. I was just thinking oof Vodka and Thyme as a detective show involving a Russian woman.


Vodka & Thyme, a new TV detective show, starring a retired (disguised) James Bond and a woman who isn’t twenty years younger. Lots of action in strange bars.


6.15pm BST18:15

56th over: England 151-3 (Root 38, Malan 15) Bishoo is getting sledged by the Western Terrace, but he really should be bowling. Just one over for him so far. Holder continues. Root takes one to Bishoo off the inside edge, then Holder drops short, Malan tries to cut but it runs away from him and through the cordon for a bye off Dowrich’s glove and through first slip’s legs. Root drives past gully for one, then Malan tickles fine for two. Good stop on the fence prevents two more.

Writes Damian Clarke, of Vodka and Thyme:


Hi. Sounds nice, but wait three months ? Three ‘kin months?! I’m guessing Tone White is not a fan of T20.


6.11pm BST18:11

55th over: England 146-3 (Root 36, Malan 13) Chase looks so much better when he bowls straight to Malan. There’s turn out wide but he can leave it. The 50 stand comes up when one pitches in the footmarks, stays down, and nutmegs Dowrich for four byes. 23 behind…

Patrick Nagle has some disgusting suggestions.


Once, many moons ago (circa 1986) I was on the waggon on a Grey Funnel Line ship on route from Gib to Guz. So having tried multiple variations of everything unalcoholic…. There are only two I remember a) Coke and tomato juice. Don’t. Just don’t. Think about it. If you don’t twig then think about it for longer. But trust me. Don’t. b) Coke and Tobasco (you only need two or three drops). When my wife bans me from drinking, that will be my refuge.


6.08pm BST18:08

54th over: England 142-3 (Root 36, Malan 13) He’s round the wicket to Malan, hits him on the pad but S.Ravi says no. Looks like it’s going down. After a long delay … he reviews. No bat. It’s hitting the stumps but, inevitably, not by enough, and it’s umpire’s call. There’s a single for each of the batsmen and Holder ends the over bowling over the wicket to Malan again, and there’s another bye. England are 28 behind, and there are 22 minutes left today.

Tone White is a man of simple pleasures. He writes, of drinking:


Very simple. Soak an armful of thyme in a bucket of decent vodka. For three months. Strain well, add cane sugar syrop to taste. Drink cold. Or warm.


6.02pm BST18:02

53rd over: England 139-3 (Root 35, Malan 13) Chase starts aiming at the stumps to Malan, and that’s just better. Brings so many dismissals into play. Then he goes wider and is punched for one to the man in the deep. Over ends with two byes.

My word.

Philip Brown
(@dudleyplatypus)

The Western Terrace in all its glory. #beercomingout #MrRevolting pic.twitter.com/l97uUkp1yh

August 27, 2017


5.59pm BST17:59

52nd over: England 136-3 (Root 35, Malan 11) Holder, having bowled brilliantly earlier, is looking tired. Malan gets a single, then Root glances fine for four.

But now Root’s been struck on the pad and up goes the finger! Root is gone for 35! Looks out. But he’s reviewed straight away! Has he hit this?! No, he hasn’t, but it’s going down, and Root is reprieved! Holder’s angle wide on the crease what done it. He can’t believe it. The rest of the over is uneventful.

Correct. Test cricket is generally far too expensive, especially in this country, particularly in the Ashes.

Mike Jakeman
(@mikejakeman)

Two adults and two kids for £40 at Headingley tomorrow. Sensible pricing a big deal for Test cricket. Deserves a full house!

August 27, 2017


5.53pm BST17:53

51st over: England 131-3 (Root 31, Malan 10) Just a single from Chase’s over, taken through midwicket by Malan.

Matt Farrow responds to Kimberley Thonger in style…


Interesting factoid from Kimberly, but she’ll have to do better than that to put me off my negroni. If I went on Mastermind it would be my specialist subject, if I wasn’t too pissed to get onto that chair. I had omitted to mention choice of gin (again, your Gordons of this world won’t cut it). May I recommend Tanqueray 10, Geranium, or Warner Edwards (botanical garden)?


5.50pm BST17:50

50th over: England 130-3 (Root 31, Malan 9) Newsflash: Root is good at the batting. He flicks Holder through square-leg for four, his seventh boundary.

News from #TeamEngland about the injury Stoneman bravely battled through earlier.

Test Match Special
(@bbctms)

The England camp confirm @mark23stone suffered a slight dislocation of the left little finger which has since been ‘relocated’.#bbccricket pic.twitter.com/RHjUJvCzFG

August 27, 2017

Brian Withington is remembering days of yore.


Bit before your time, but this innings is reminding me a bit of some of the two runs an over grinds against West Indies in the 1980s. Even when England avoided a clatter of wickets they often seemed to be facing the second new ball with no more than 200 on the scoreboard. And then came the clatter! Of course the excuse then was that you had four superb quicks in rotation bowling no more than half way down the track …


5.46pm BST17:46

49th over: England 126-3 (Root 27, Malan 9) It’s a fiver for kids at Headingley tomorrow, says Bumble, As Malan leaves Chase. £15 for adults too. How good! Malan gets a single off what might generously be termed an arm ball, then Root takes one through square-leg. A theoretical 16 overs remain, England are 43 behind.

Simon McMahon is remembering being pissed.


Shout out (Guardian style) to the malt whisky distilleries in Scotland. Most conduct tours and give you a nip at the end. I once leaned over and stuck my head in one of the stills and was nearly knocked out by the fumes. Bartender, I’d like a Manhattan please.

Updated
at 5.48pm BST


5.42pm BST17:42

48th over: England 124-3 (Root 26, Malan 8) Holder brings himself back. Bowled superbly earlier, did Big Jase. He overpitches and Root just leans him through the covers for four of the sexier runs you’re likely to see. Takes the deficit beneath 50. Root waited 21 to get off the marks has 22 in 28 since. That’s him. Oh, and there’s four more. Too wide, a bit short, and cut behind square for four.

Kimberley Thonger’s off on a tangent, and there’s a twist in the tail end of the tale.


Matt Farrow is clearly a man who knows his aperitif from his elbow. So it will be no surprise to him that wormwood is not only a key ingredient but also is the original gin of the word vermouth.

But does he know that Shakespeare had another use for it, entirely unrelated to cricket, which seems to have gone by the wayside anyway.

William Shakespeare referred to Wormwood in Romeo and Juliet: Act 1, Scene 3. Juliet’s childhood nurse said, “For I had then laid wormwood to my dug” meaning that the nurse had weaned Juliet, then aged three, by using the bitter taste of Wormwood on her nipple.

Bet that’s put you off your Negroni.

Root connects for four.

 Root connects for four. Photograph: Paul Currie/BPI/REX/Shutterstock

Updated
at 5.46pm BST


5.37pm BST17:37

47th over: England 116-3 (Root 18, Malan 8) Chase is going over the wicket to Malan, which is curious. Takes out lbw, and brings in the leave, you’d think. Malan gets right across and dinks one down to fine leg for two. Good thinking.


5.34pm BST17:34

46th over: England 114-3 (Root 18, Malan 6) Roach is haring in and pinging it down from wide on the crease. The only runs from a real effort over come when Root flicks nicely through square leg for four nice runs. Might be the end of Roach. England are 55 behind.

John Withington is fed up with dropped catches, but feeling a bit light-headed.


I’m wondering if this test match has delivered a new high (or low) in dropped catches. Some absolute beauties so far. I’m thinking I could still have bagged most of those, at 50 odd years of age and with several rums, and tings, inside me!


5.30pm BST17:30

45th over: England 110-3 (Root 14, Malan 6) This over from Chase begins with a delay because Malan has a fly in his eye. There are two slips waiting and the ball is turning. He pulls out of a cut because of turn and bounce, then defends firmly. Another cut finds point, and it’s a maiden.


5.26pm BST17:26

44th over: England 110-3 (Root 14, Malan 6) Dropped! Oh no. Root fences hard at Roach and gets a thick edge to Kyle Hope in the gully. It’s powerful but straight at him! Straight out, too. Should have been taken. He had 10 then, but 14 by the end of the over. Those four came from a lovely cover drive. Roach didn’t even really overpitch.


5.22pm BST17:22

43rd over: England 106-3 (Root 10, Malan 6) England will be relieved to see Chase coming on after their drink. Not cos he’s pony, but because the Windies seamers have been quite so good. They’d probably rather face him than Bishoo, too (apparently he has a headache). Malan cuts to the man at point but they scramble one, then Root turns to deep square leg for another. Chase ends the over by hanging it too wide of off-stump to Malan.

Toby Sims is suggesting I drink tequila for fun!


Completely agree with Matt Farrow on Rum and Falernum, a staple. I’m surprised no-one has mentioned Ting and tequila (let’s use something nice like Ocho or Herradura). Great for a sunny day like today….


5.17pm BST17:17

Given the angle of our conversations on the OBO, it’s probably appropriate that it’s … drinks.

Both Matt Farrow and John Withington are objecting to Simon McMahon’s Negroni. Writes Matt:


A negroni is equal parts gin, campari and red vermouth (and yes, ice). There is actually a fourth ingredient which is essential: orange peel squeezed on top after it’s mixed. Amateurs use that big bottle of Martini Rosso that’s been at the back of the drinks cabinet for a couple of years. May I recommend Antica Formula Carpano vermouth or Punt e Mes vermouth for a poncey but extremely tasty variation?

And Andrew Benton pays tribute to a trusty friend:


Intermission – Just thought I’d give a shout out to that old stalwart, tap water. Much maligned, often overlooked, but always there when you need it for a fraction of the cost of anything that comes in a bottle. And now back to the Ting….


5.15pm BST17:15

42nd over: England 104-3 (Root 9, Malan 5) Root handsomely flicks Roach to fine-leg for one, then Malan – with four slips waiting – hooks for one. 100 up! And then more runs! Root guides a backfoot punch, played very late, through backward point. Four. A couple of plays and misses to the moving ball end the over. Careful.

John Withington is now a bit pissed, but he’s still raising good points.


I’m just starting to sense the folly in the plan of t(ry)ing various Caribbean cocktail mixers. So, the Ting, yeah it’s ok. Bit of Lilt thing with less pineapple flavour. Meanwhile …. isn’t the law that part of the foot needs to be behind the line. So, surely the burden of proof lies with the bowling side. There was no proof there of it being a legal delivery surely!

Have to say, wasn’t clear to me what was behind the line for the Stoneman wicket but apparently now the policy is to give the BoD to the bowler.


5.11pm BST17:11

41st over: England 98-3 (Root 4, Malan 4) Have to say, I love the way DI Gower says Malan. Mulaaaarrrn. Anyway, Dawid is off the mark with a lovely drive through mid-off off Gabriel. Later in the over there’s an appeal for caught behind, but only really from the lads in the cordon. It’s not that convincing, but ultraedge is suggesting there might be something there …

Matt Farrow is combining the cricket and the cocktails…


I wonder if anyone has mentioned Root beer: it’s alright most of the time, but not very fizzy. Corn ‘n’ oil is a good rum staple, by the way – a simple mix of rum, lime and falernum (which sounds like a victorian poison but is a great rum mixer). Tastes even better with a champagne/prosecco top…


5.06pm BST17:06

40th over: England 94-3 (Root 4, Malan 0) The man in the gully is doing very nicely. He saves four from Root again and the pressure builds further. It’s been a superb hour or two either side of tea from the Windies, and England can’t wait for the spinners to come on. This is a maiden from Roach…

Simon McMahon has combined cocktails and drink factories. Very clever:


The Spritz is king in Venice, where I was this summer. But if it’s drinks factories you’re after look no further than Campari in Milan and Martini in Turin. Add gin, ice and a wedge of orange and you have the king of cocktails, the Negroni. Joe Root might need one tonight.


5.02pm BST17:02

39th over: England 94-2 (Root 4, Malan 0) What a ball that was. And what a passage of play from the Windies. England are still 75 behind and have two new batsmen at the crease, one of whom is vulnerable, Malan. Gabriel goes straight back to the yorker for him, but he digs it out. He survives the over.

Christian Miners has a quite superb suggestion, which I will be trying with some (although not too much, I have work to do first) haste.


Ting is nice with rum, but utterly magical with pineapple gin. Turbocharged Lilt for grownups.

John Withington is approving, and back to to the coalface.


Funnily enough I picked up some Ting for the first time today along with the Old Jamaica variants. Give me a minute and I’ll rustle something up. Agreed on the Wray & Nephew. I also have Plantation overproof but you need to use sparingly. I think Myers Jamaican dark rum is the baby for the Ting and will report back shortly. Just need to go behind the bar to the commercial grade Japanese ice machine that’s been wurring away all afternoon!


4.59pm BST16:59

Wicket! Stoneman b Gabriel 52 (England 94-3)

Gabriel loves a yorker. His first ball to Stoneman for a while is dug out nicely. The next is a no ball! But then he finds a beauty that goes through Stoneman and bowls him! From round the wicket it, angles in, nips away, and takes the top of off. But is this one a no-ball? It’s blooming close. So close. But the finger goes up! That’s seriously close.

Stoneman, bowled by Gabriel for 52.

 Stoneman, bowled by Gabriel for 52. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Updated
at 5.10pm BST


4.54pm BST16:54

38th over: England 93-2 (Stoneman 52, Root 4) A run! Finally. Stoneman’s pull to fine leg breaks a sequence of five maidens, but just gets him one. So Roach to Root, then. The first beats him for pace and hits the pad but is always too high. But two balls later he’s away with a flick through midwicket for four! Took him 21 balls to get away. Wahoo!

Kimberly Thonger is not happy.


There seems to be a new OBO policy of encouraging groups of siblings (especially those called Withington) to contribute.

I should like to point out this is onlychildist and discriminatory. We siblingly disadvantaged children have rights too. I’m not sure what they are but after another couple of San Pellegrino based cocktails I’m very likely to call my lawyer to see if she knows. If I can remember her number by then. Hic.

Hur hur hur.

Updated
at 4.55pm BST


4.50pm BST16:50

37th over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) Root is furious with himself. He’s tried to turn his 14th ball from Gabriel through midwicket. Feet don’t move, head’s not there, nor’s the ball, and he gets an edge. It falls just short of second slip. He’s been there half an hour without scoring. Can’t have often happened. A good stop in the gully keeps him on 0, and by the maiden over’s end, it’s 30 balls since a run has been scored. Great stuff from the Windies.

Paul Kavanagh jumps into the soft drink chat with an excellent shout.


Will, if you’re looking at drinking rum, then Ting is another mixer you should consider. Depends on the rum, though – fine for the usual suspects, but I’d avoid such insanity as Wray & Nephew’s Overproof. That’s just excessive.

Ting is lovely stuff. Grapefruity I think. Also a big fan of Rubicon mango.


4.45pm BST16:45

36th over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) Here’s another maiden, from Roach. That’s four on the spin. Stoneman being patient, and he found an outstanding leave in there, but had to defend most of them.


4.42pm BST16:42

35th over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) Gabriel starts with a belter to Root. There’s nothing for the skipper to hit, and it’s a maiden. By the end of that maiden, Root has faced 12 balls without scoring. The Western Terrace has built a big beer snake.

Peter Salmon is the latest to talk about a visit to a drinks factory. A lovely yarrrrn.


I grew up in Melbourne. When I was 13 I remember spending a week on a student exchange programme in a place called Cobram in northern Victoria, Australia. The father of the family I was staying with worked at an orange juice factory, as did most of the population of Cobram. I remember to this day him explain that the pith was removed from the juice as part of the juicing process, and then put back at the end, because ‘Australians like the pith in their juice’.

‘In England, however,’ he said soberly, ‘they leave it out, as the English prefer it that way.’ I remember the stunned silence of all the boys at this news. It was, I think, our first true encounter with practical cultural differences, and the strange ways of the Other… I still use it when trying to explain cultural relativity.


4.37pm BST16:37

34th over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) So England have indeed seen off Holder. His spell either side of tea was a quite brilliant 12-4-21-2. Roach replaces him. His is a tidy first over, but Stoneman is allowed to leave plenty, and it’s a maiden. The last is a bit of a brute, which he plays nicely to gully.

Brian’s brother John Withington is, unsurprisingly, extolling the virtues of a fine partner for rum.


Yep, San Pele make a fine range of grown up “sodas”. But for pure filth in a tin, look no further than the Old Jamaica selection of sugary treats. To be found in the Caribbean section of your local Sainsbury. Pineapple soda is the stand out, excellent with any rum, but also the “fruit punch”. Memories for me of a fortnight in Tobago a few years back with BBQs on deserted beaches. The Cream soda and Grape soda trot in a distant but still respectable place. I tried the grape with some spiced rum today. Dirty but acceptable.

I’m aware of their ginger beer, but might need to explore.


4.32pm BST16:32

33rd over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) Root’s had to wait a while to face a ball, and his first is a yorker from Gabriel that he digs out. It’s a maiden, and an uneventful one otherwise.

Brian Withington’s brother has made a Caribbean cocktail! Here’s the link to it. Writes Brian: “A Caribbean Zombie based special, aka “Back from the Dead”, in honour of the miraculous revival of West Indian test cricket. Shame that he couldn’t work a San Pellegrino flavour into the mix but he always was a purist (apart from when opening the batting with me for the inappropriately named Hornchurch Athletic)“


4.28pm BST16:28

32nd over: England 88-2 (Stoneman 51, Root 0) I’m not convinced I’ll type this that often, but England are trying to see off Holder here. Five good balls to Stoneman, but the sixth is too straight and Stoneman helps it down to fine leg for four! That takes him to his first Test half-century! 107 balls, and that’s his seventh four.

Anto Griffin with a wonderful revelation!


If you go to the San Pellegrino website, not only do you discover some bizarre flavour options that immediately become must-drinks, but also they have a web cam broadcasting live citrus groves in Sicily. For those who care, it seems like a lovely day on the slopes of Etna.

Scenes! If I didn’t have to, you know, watch the cricket, I’d maybe just watch that.

Stoneman gets his first international half-century.

 Stoneman gets his first international half-century. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Updated
at 4.34pm BST


4.23pm BST16:23

31st over: England 84-2 (Stoneman 47, Root 0) That might be the last we see of Westley for a little while. It was a skittish innings, at least since tea. Big drives, bad running. I love the guy, but that’s not a good look. Bishoo just gets one over. Gabriel back.

Gabriel bowls a wide one that Stoneman leaves, then a full toss that he flicks through midwicket for two. He pinches the strike at the end of the over, with a turn to long-leg for one.

Kim Thonger is picking a fight with Jesse linklater via my inbox.


Jesse’s knowledge of sugar related science is obviously sketchy. Every PROPER scientist knows that vodka neutralises sugar COMPLETELY. It’s like Rock Paper Scissors only with vodka and sugar instead of two of those items. I’m not sure what replaces the third item. Possibly ice, or perhaps just extra vodka.

Updated
at 4.26pm BST


4.17pm BST16:17

Wicket! Westley c Dowrich b Holder 8 (England 81-2)

30th over: England 81-2 (Stoneman 44) Having received one of the great let-offs, Westley gets two off Holder by guiding him through gully. There’s a misfield there too, and some dodgy communication from the batsmen. Calm down, lads.

Westley doesn’t calm down, though. He lets a couple go, then chases a wide one and nicks off! Holder has his second, and Westley is gone…

Miranda Jollie writes with a very good point.


Roston Chase sounds like it should be a stately home in a Barbara Cartland novel, as in, e.g. “She trembled in anticipation as the Master of Roston Chase galloped his muscular stallion alongside her delicate palfrey…”

Reminds me a little bit of the old game, West Indian cricket or village in Devon…

Holder celebrates taking Westley for eight.

 Holder celebrates taking Westley for eight. Photograph: Lee Smith/Action Images via Reuters

Updated
at 4.33pm BST


4.14pm BST16:14

29th over: England 79-1 (Stoneman 44, Westley 6) Now then, time for the leggie. Devendra Bishoo comes on for the first time this innings, and he’s going round the wicket. Stoneman starts with a nice drive for two through point. He has five in two balls since hurting his pinkie. After a dot he cuts late for a fairly tight two, then edges short of slip with soft hands. He looks in some pain.

OH MY WORD HOW IS THIS NOT A RUN OUT? Stoneman cuts, and calls for two. It goes to Gabriel, who launches to the bowler’s end, but Westley hasn’t set off!!!!! Bishoo gathers near the stumps and has time to run to it and take the bails off but decides to shy, and misses! Westley gets home, but would have been out by a mile.

Steve Hudson follows up on Brian Withington’s brother’s rums:


I think if I’d had 22 rums I’d be more than ready for an honorarium offering. Stand well clear, in fact.


4.08pm BST16:08

28th over: England 73-1 (Stoneman 38, Westley 6) There’s more seam movement for Holder, and a gentle outside edge to gully from Stoneman encourages the skipper to put a second man in that region.

The next ball jags back and raps him on the left hand. Nearly plays on actually. It’s a brute and it looks like it might have broken Stoneman’s pinkie. Swelling straight away, and the physio is out there. Looks like he won’t retire hurt but is being taped up. He’s hard as nails, Stoneman. Off the physio goes after five mins or so, and Stoneman flicks Holder away for three through square leg. Well played. Westley leaves one, then off-drives nicely for two to finish a very long over.

While we wait for him to get some attention, John Starbuck is recalling visits to liquid factories.


I remember very clearly a visit to the Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, where the story was as much about the family rivalry as the beer itself. I also recall a trip to the Talisker Distillery on Skye. At the end of the tour, with the selection of different samples, my wife first learnt how to distinguish various single malts by taste alone. A happy day.

What a delight Skye is.


4.01pm BST16:01

Holder, who has bowled a spell of 9-4-10-1 to get us underway. He’s going round the wicket to Stoneman.


3.58pm BST15:58

No! No! No! Not six in a day, I have just purchased a six pack to be consumed over the course of, say, a week. My actual mum is a dentist, who would murder me if I had six whole San Pels in a day…

Jesse Linklater
(@jesselinklater)

@willis_macp 6 San Pellegrino’s in a day? That’s 190-ish grams of sugar. I’m technically not your mom, but someone has to step in here

August 27, 2017

Anyway, the cricketers are on their way out…


3.56pm BST15:56

So we are not far off getting going again. Expecting some Bishoo soon, perhaps in tandem with Gabriel. England are still 101 behind. What a game it’ll be if they are, say, three down by the time they pass the Windies.

Brian Withington’s making me thirsty again by talking about his brother’s cocktail shed.


Talking of Men of Essex and drinks, my brother John (featured last week as co-scourge of the 1980s Essex League) does a very fine line in cocktails from his garden shed/shack. Indeed, you previously kindly linked to his commemorative “Basil Dolly” during the SA Lord’s Test. Apparently he has 22 Caribbean rums (enough for both teams) in said shack, and would take very little encouragement to produce another in honorarium offering. Any takers?

22! Here’s the link for this joint. Sounds a delight.


3.51pm BST15:51

David Brown is questioning my powers of recall.


How can you ‘have a vague memory of going to the Perrier factory’? I have a vague memory of going to the Moss Side Brewery in the late 80s but as there was a free bar after the tour I think that is understandable.

I reckon I was nine or 10 at the time. I don’t remember every second of that stage of my life. I remember going, but I’m don’t remember much about it….


3.48pm BST15:48

As I crack open the first of my six San Pel Limone e Menta, I’m wondering something: is there a correlation between my relentless plugging of the sickly sweet Italian softies and them suddenly being available by the half-dozen in supermarkets? Almost definitely not, but I might try to get sponsored by them. I could be addicted.

A couple of emails suggesting they be mixed with booze…

From Simon McMahon: “San Pellegrino Limonata is the one for me. But it’s their sparkling mineral water today. In an Aperol Spritz of course. Cocktails on me if England win this Test.”

And from Kim Thonger: “I must point out that scientists have conclusively proven that it’s unsafe to drink ANY flavour of San Pellegrino WITHOUT a splash of Stoly. Also, my preferred recipe is: 1/3 Blood Orange, 1/3 Grapefruit, 1/3 Stoly. Sprig of mint”

Wowzer. Both sound magnificent.


3.45pm BST15:45

Indeed! What a fascinating final session we have.

Guy Hornsby
(@GuyHornsby)

Well, cometh the hour @willis_macp cometh, well, these two, if they want some Ashes. They could take a leaf out of Windies book, frankly.

August 27, 2017


3.40pm BST15:40

Tea! England 68-1!

27th over: England 68-1 (Stoneman 35, Westley 4) Gabriel does return, over the wicket to the leftie Stoneman. And the first ball is edged in the gap for four! Lovely ball, but there was some element of control. The next ball is much straighter and hits the pad. Umpire says no. Pitched outside, surely? Holder reviews! There’s no bat, it’s hitting, but does indeed pitch outside. Stoneman survives.

Gabriel then bowls a wide, which persuades him to swap and bowl round the wicket. He’s right on the money from there, and Stoneman defends, then negotiates a decent 89mph yorker with a nudge to the legside. Westley leaves the last.

And that’s tea! With that, Andrew Benton offers me an alternative to San Pellegrino.


I do half and half Perrier and fruit juice, with ice – totally excellent for OBO following. They should try it at drinks. Zings you up no end.

Sounds lovely, actually. I have a vague memory of going to the Perrier factory on a French holiday about 15 years ago.


3.33pm BST15:33

26th over: England 62-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 4) Holder to Westley, then, as Gabriel warms up. It’s a good over, and a maiden. Westley misses a pull and one come back at him and just misses off-stump as he leaves. The last is far more convincingly defended.

I was more talking about length than girth, but Chris Anderson raises a good point re the biggest first slip chat: “Didn’t Dwayne Leverock field at first slip for Bermuda?” He did. Of course he did.

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3.29pm BST15:29

25th over: England 62-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 4) Chase goes over the wicket to the rightie Westley, who starts by turning a straight ball to leg for two. There’s a slip and a shirt leg but another catcher would be nice. Westley gets himself off strike by turning to leg, and Stoneman sees out the over.


3.27pm BST15:27

24th over: England 59-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 1) Holder now has every ball doing a bit. A few were questioning his place in the side going into this game, but he’s had a belting Test match. There’s a few leaves, and a couple of firm defences from Westley, who gets off the mark with a clothed turn to leg for one off the final ball.

More from Brian Withington:


The blood orange San Pellegrino is very popular in this household. If I had been drinking today, it would have been rather sobering to realise that you are younger than my eldest son! I think he was on my knee for much of the Gooch 1991 innings – it was indeed one of the truly great knocks in adversity. And distracted mid-sentence I see that Alastair sadly won’t be matching him this time. Maybe “young” Westley can step up to the great Men of Essex pantheon.

I agree entirely that blood orange is the king of the San Pels. And there’s a long way to go for Westley, but he’s off the globe.


3.23pm BST15:23

23rd over: England 58-1 (Stoneman 30, Westley 0) More Chase. I suggested that Holder is the biggest first slip I’ve seen. Richard Dennis suggests Freddie, but Holder is even larger than him. Chase’s over is good, with men round the bat. The first one is left by Stoneman but stays a bit low, and the second beats the bat. There’s turn! He’s leaving everything he can, and Dowrich is battling a bit behind the stumps. He drives the last, but straight to cover, and it’s another maiden.