West Indies v England: third Test, day two – live!

Wood has a swing, and gets a soaring top-edge which swirls and Joseph catches it on the sprint at the boundary. A cracking take.

101st over: England 275-8 (Wood 4, Broad 0) Joseph building on the superb impression he gave in the last Test. Bowling around about 85mph, with long-limbed accuracy and quiet intent.

Cosmo writes @tjaldred I hate to be that that that person, but a reincarnation is already a second incarnation. [over 93]

There are a lot of THAT PERSON about today. Shouldn’t you all be walking off Sunday lunch? But maybe I’ve fallen into a 1970s vortex

Moeen pushes at Joseph, the ball kisses the angle of the outside edge and goes comfortably to Bravo at third slip. Impermanence now permanent.

100th over: England 274-7 (Wood 4, Moeen 13) As if to rub salt into the wound, Wood comes in and clips his first ball for an-all-run-four, thus in one-ball overtaking Bairstow’s 33-ball vigil.

Bairstow’s long and painful innings goes the way it has been looking like going all morning, bowled neck, crop and all the rest. A real ta-da! ball by Roach.

99th over: England 270-6 (Bairstow 2, Moeen 13) Time for Alzarri Joseph who is immediately in the groove. Moeen pushes at one outside off-stump, feet solidly, um, unmoving. Then a couple of runs from a stretched bat poked towards cover. I’m probably condemning him to a century, but this innings doesn’t have the air of permanence.

98th over: England 266-6 (Bairstow 2, Moeen 8)A peculiar incident. Roach appeals for an lbw after a ball arrows into Bairstow’s leg, it is turned down and in the meantime England run a single. West Indies then review somewhat optimistically…and perhaps missing Holder’s immaculate judgement on reviews – but it was missing and they lose their second review. Braithwaite brings a fourth slip in for Moeen.

97th over: England 264-6 (Bairstow 2, Moeen 8) Moeen does what Moeen does. He leans far too far into a drive and plonks the ball in to the empty space where point might be. He wafts a few more. Meanwhile Bairstow, who it turns out was hit in the gentleman’s department in the previous over, remains marooned on 2.

96th over: England 260-6 (Bairstow 2, Moeen 4) Moeen glides a delivery from Roach politely to the left of third slip for three. Meanwhile Bairstow tries to cut one that bounces, the batting spirits aren’t with him this morning.

James Walsh has some news: “For years, I ran the cricket & Doctor Who podcast with a pal, which we promoted when tagline “the world’s nichest podcast.” The chat of the past few overs has made me wonder if we quit too soon…

https://medium.com/@jamesofwalsh/the-cricket-and-doctor-who-podcast-2013-2018-a-secret-history-cb82e9337760”

James, you have many friends on here if my inbox is any reflection.

95th over: England 257-6 (Bairstow 2 ,Moeen 1) The ball before drinks. Bairstow, who has been tested by Paul all over, has a lapse of concentration and pulls out an ugly flap. He survives. They sup on energy liquid. Bairstow has 2 from 23 balls and hasn’t looked completely convincing.

94th over: England 256-6 (Bairstow 2 Moeen 0, ) Still admiring that superb catch by Dowrich. Unlucky for Stokes who played really well for that 79, characteristic/uncharacteristic depending on whether you judge him on his career or the last year. He’s probably done enough to put England in the driving seat.

Stokes has an old fashioned heave and Dowrich, sprinting 30 yards from the stumps to square leg grabs the ball a hair’s breadth from the ground. Superb!

93rd over: England 255-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 78) A crashing, four by Stokes dispatches Paul behind square. England suddenly pulling away a bit here. and Gabriel can’t have many overs left

Meanwhile, Phil Sawyer, has put me right about Dr Who. “Afternoon, Tanya. I don’t want to be that person, [oh you do!] but the Master was most definitely a 70s Dr Who villain, played by the legend that is Roger Delgado. He was resurrected in the 1980s, played by Anthony Ainley, but, like me nowadays, he was a shadow of his former self.

Ah, Phil, I was watching Words and Pictures and playing with Snoopy in the 1970s, I bow to your superior knowledge. But I still can’t believe THE Master had a second reincarnation..

92nd over: England 250-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 73) Gabriel prods Stokes again, a repeated needleing elbow in the ribs. He has Stokes bent in two, then Stokes sweeps, rather magnificently, just for one, but it brings up the 250. Then a DROP! Bairstow chips the ball back to Gabriel who can’t keep hold of it in his heavy-footed follow-through. The man looks weary as he pulls on his maroon cap.

91st over: England 249-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 73) Paul has Stokes in trouble, missing the outside edge of his bat by a whisper. England, frazzled? go for a quick single, but make it home. Then Bairstow shows immaculate/questionable judgement by leaving the last ball of the over.

90th over: England 246-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 70) Gabriel has pulled up his socks and hit the kind of bowling sweet spot to dream of . He sends one short into the pitch and it flies at Bairstow’s throat, who weaves and ducks back, further, further, as the ball follows him, it clonks him on the grill and billows over the slip cordon for four. It’s all rather vulgarly thrilling, like a punch up at a rugby match. Sky repeat it about 37 times.

89th over: England 242-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 70) Kemo Paul replaces Roach, and has a decent first over. On Sky, Atherton is worried that when Stokes is defending, his left shoulder comes too far round and he becomes too chest-on.

Meanwhile, in OBO-land, Peter Salmon writes:

Hi Tanya

Your reference to Bairstow looking like The Master sent me to the Wikipedia page of Anthony Ainley, who played him, and which contains the following information:

“Ainley was a keen sportsman. Initially he was a rugby player, he played at fly-half for the Old Cranleighans, Richmond and Middlesex.^[7] Later he turned his attentions to cricket—even abruptly citing Sophie Aldred (who played Ace) as his friend once he learned that she played the game. He appeared on many occasions for the Stage and London Theatres C.C. mainly as an opening batsman.^[8]

And, as you may be aware, your name is also Aldred.

Thank you Peter! I am aware her name is Aldred because the lady in our local bookshop remembers my surname because she is a Dr Who fan. Come to think of it, I think The Master’s most usual adversary was Peter Davidson who was also a cricket fan. Or at least his version of Dr Who was.

88th over: England 240-5 (Bairstow 2, Stokes 68) Gabriel and Stokes have quiet word with each other – not, I’m guessing, their recommendations for a good read. Gabriel has his eye on Bairstow’s stumps, which on a good day you or I might have a chance at knocking over in a bowling alley. A hearty appeal for lbw against him by Gabriel, saved by an inside edge. Testing times.

87th over: England 238-5 (Bairstow 1, Stokes 67) The first boundary of the day comes from Stokes who clips Roach stylishly-fine, like a final whisk of an egg-white before it turns into meringue.

By the way, if you want to get in touch my email is [email protected]

86th over: England 234-5 (Bairstow 1, Stokes 63) It was a super delivery from Gabriel to dismiss Buttler, who tried to drive but unfortunately forgot to move his feet. No addition to his overnight score. Which brings in Bairstow, presumably in the position where he wants to bat, which may bring its own mental pressures. Gabriel tests him with an awkward bouncer which Bairstow avoids by diving onto one knee and twisting his head yoga-style. That beard makes his helmeted face look a bit like 1980s DR WHO? villain The Master.

Buttler misses a full, straight one, doesn’t get his leg to the ball. Bails a’flying.

85th over: England 232-4 (Buttler 67, Stokes 63) Kemar Roach, Mr Breakthrough, gets a fresh start from the other end.He saves his best delivery till last, a sharply-rising bouncer that passes the top of Stokes’s bat.

There is a strange effect on the pitch, not sure why – artistic mowing? but it seems to be emitting rays of light like the sun.

84th over: England 232-4 (Buttler 67, Stokes 63) Brathwaite throws the ball to Gabriel who starts his 15-paced wide-legged run-up. The third ball is over-pitched and Stokes, upper arm densely inked, turns the ball off his toes to get the scoreboard ticking over.

The players are on their way out to the middle in this gorgeous ground and beautiful island. As Nick Knight says, “it is the first time West Indies have been under pressure in this series.” Which is both true and quite a statement.

Feeling a little sorry for Keaton Jennings, who has taken a bit of a pasting in the Sunday papers – and on twitter from Kevin Pietersen. A nice guy – hope things work out for him.

Mark Butcher, in a pink open-necked shirt with matching pocket hankerchief, and Rob Key in regulation sportsman’s sports-casual, are digesting the back feet of Stokes, Root and Buttler. The conclusion is that Root needs to go back and do some homework.

Welcome back, this Sunday lunchtime, to an intriguing Third Test, the day after England rediscovered the beauty of being (relatively) boring. A fifth-wicket stand of 124 by Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler – with a late no-ball retrieve for Stokes – put England in a place they haven’t been for a while: quiet control. Were West Indies a little lost without Jason Holder’s leadership, catching and bowling? Probably. But England’s first-century stand of the series, after the usual calamity with the top order, just gave them time to breathe and put the pressure on their opponents.

There’s been a little overnight rain but play is due to start on the button.