Key events
50th over: England 236-7 (Smith 40, Woakes 1) So now Jamie Smith becomes the key player. He won’t need to go into one-day mode while Woakes is at the crease, though he naturally plays his shots anyway. A fierce cut off Shamar is well fielded on the boundary by the sprawling McKenzie.
49th over: England 231-7 (Smith 37, Woakes 0) At first I thought that was a quicker ball from Motie; in fact it was much slower, designed to turn, and I think Root was done by natural variation.
“I’d like more of this series, please, who do I speak to about this?” says Felix Wood, who wrote the rest of this email five minutes ago. “Slightly nervous to invoke a curse, but isn’t Root great. What a shame we made him be captain rather than just enjoying the wonder of him making runs. Unfortunately his successor, Pope, isn’t remotely in the same class. He averages 35 for a reason. Because he gives up a chance at least once for that number of runs. If the oppo miss the first he’ll get 70 odd and if they miss a few he’ll get a hundred. But he won’t get there on his own. A shame but is it time England looked elsewhere (and I say this as a Surrey fan…).”
I’m not sure about Pope at No3 either – but he averages 44.63 since he moved up the order. In the same period Kane Williamson is the only regular No3 with a higher average.
That was a good piece of bowling from Motie, an arm ball that snaked between bat and pad, kept low and trapped Root in front. It was so plumb that Root turned straight on his heels without chatting to Smith. He looks frustrated as he walks off but that was a terrific innings, a lesson in risk management.
WICKET! England 231-7 (Root LBW b Motie 87)
Gudakesh Motie snaffles the big one!
48th over: England 231-6 (Root 87, Smith 37) Thanks Jim, hello everyone. Hoooey: Smith, trying to whip to leg, is beaten by some late outswinger from Shamar Joseph. Careful now.
James Wallace
47th over: England 228-6 (Root 84, Smith 37) Motie goes over the wicket but it doesn’t work for him. Jamie Smith sweeps for four and then repeats the shot a couple of balls later. That’s the fifty partnership between this pair – Smith has played a gem of an innings, one that he was picked for and that will please McCullum and Stokes no end.
Time for a drink and that’s me outta here. Here’s Rob Smyth to guide you through Joe Root’s 33rd Test match century/the afternoon and evening. Goodbye!
46th over: England 218-6 (Root 83, Smith 28) Shamar Joseph back into the attack. Pointedly, he’s only bowled two spells of three overs, clearly grappling with his fitness on this tour which is a real shame, at full tilt he is mesmerising. Smith digs out a yorker for a single, Shamar then loses his line and flings one down the leg side for a scruffy couple of byes.
45th over: England 215-6 (Root 83, Smith 27) Gah, just as I was talking up his frugality – Motie drags one down and Smith does not miss out, rocking back onto his heels and cutting away powerfully for four. West Indies’ lead stands at 67 runs.
44th over: England 210-6 (Root 83, Smith 22) Root progresses serenely into the eighties.
43rd over: England 208-6 (Root 81, Smith 22) Motie is doing a decent job of tying up an end. England’s innings is only 43 overs old, one point to make is that their bowlers have not had that much rest. If they were to be bowled out this afternoon then it will be a big ask of Wood, Atkinson and Woakes to come back and be as potent as they can be after not having much time to put their feet up.
42nd over: England 206-6 (Root 80, Smith 21) The umpires are checking to see if the replacement ball has gone out of shape, they decide it is good enough for now, Jason Holder is looking at it with something like contempt though.
41st over: England 204-6 (Root 79, Smith 20) England bring up the 200, Root rocking back to cut through point for four and then Smith opening the face on a full-toss to pick up three through the covers. Root continues on his merry way and Jamie Smith has been confident since arriving at the crease, the deficit stands at 78.
Here is that Jamie Smith six in all its glory. Pongo.
40th over: England 194-6 (Root 73, Smith 16) The impressive Seales back into the attack, Root punches to point to get a single and Smith drives down the ground for one more.
39th over: England 192-6 (Root 72, Smith 15) A Joe Root single calms things down a little. West Indies will be keen to see if this replacement ball offers anything in the way of movement.
38th over: England 191-6 (Root 71, Smith 15) Thrilling stuff this. Alzarri spears one in and all Smith can do is glove it away, the ball balloons over Da Silva and away for four runs but could have easily brought about his demise. Shot! What a shot! Smith resembles KP as he pulls off the front foot and away for SIX onto the roof of the Hollies stand. He’s got some talent this kid. The ball needs to be replaced as it either can’t be found or has felt the full force of some concrete. One to seek out on the highlights.
37th over: England 178-6 (Root 69, Smith 4) Motie to Smith. Four dots blocked out and then Smith plunders a three through the leg-side, a poor ball from the spinner that releases some of the pressure on the new batter. Root picks up a single off the last with a drive down the ground.
36th over: England 174-6 (Root 68, Smith 1) West Indies sense this is their moment. In comes Jamie Smith, Jason Holder can be heard giving plenty of chirrup to the Test match tyro from Surrey. Ooooph! Good stuff from Alzarri, spearing in a short ball at the rib-cage which Smith does well to negotiate. A tuck to leg gets Smith off the mark and brings Root on strike. Root punishes a leg side delivery to end the over – flashing away for four runs through the leg side. England still trail by 108 runs.
WICKET! Stokes c Brathwaite b A Joseph 54 (England 169-6)
Gone! West Indies strike and it is the short ball that does for Stokes! Joseph persisted with the ploy despite going for a few last over. Stokes attempts a pull but splices to Brathwaite at square leg. Game on!
35th over: England 169-5 (Root 64, Stokes 54) Motie bowls his spin from the other end, Stokes and Root are content to swap strike and take a single each.
“ROOOOOOOOT” emails Jeremy Boyce.
“Bon apres-midi encore une fois, James! I’ve done the lycra thing already, early morning road bike ride (batteries in my legs if you’re wondering), 55km, very good. The lycra is very empowering – you can actually feel your muscles – but nothing compares to pulling on your whites and spending the afternoon running around under a pleasant summer sky. No wonder Jimmy, and Root, want to make it last as long as possible. Root is obviously in great shape physically, like Jimmy, so it’s all a question of burn-out. He’s got years more ahead of him if all goes well, time to invent some new shots and ramp up his stats. The lycras are off now, as is just about everything else, (ooh errr) it’s 32C here (Nimes area) this afternoon and the mercury is heading upwards next week. Windows and shutters closed, hiding in the dark enjoying the OBO”
Glad to have you Jezza, now stick some linen on and crack open a Solero for crying out loud.
34th over: England 167-5 (Root 63, Stokes 53) Stokes pulls the first ball of the session for four! A sign of things to come? A simple twist of fate? Alzarri Joseph goes short again, to Joe Root this time – Root pounces on it and pulls away for four. It’s a momentous shot as it takes Joe Root to 12,000 runs in Test cricket. What a player. He keeps ticking them off.
Out come the players after the lunch break. Mike Atherton shows he’s down with his Dylan with a nod to Bob Willis (who was a huge fan) noting that there has been a spot of rain during the lunch break ‘not a hard rain though’ before noting the England wickets “Crawley, Duckett, Pope, Brook, Wood – Desolation Row”.
I went to see this show in concert a few months ago and it was spellbinding.
“Bon Apres-Midi Camarade” writes Alisdair Gould.
“I feel awkward travelling on the Paris metro surrounded by lycra and athletics fans and the only sport I am following is wonderful test match cricket via wonderful OBO. The reason I write is to say what a credit Joe Root has been as a player at the top of his sport but with consistent modest composure. Pile on Joe. Bien à vous, Alisdair.”
Probably wouldn’t make you feel less awkward if I told you I’m dressed in lycra whilst sat on my sofa typing this Alisdair? Thought not.
Adam ‘Collo’ Collins has got you covered on the Olympics live blog – not that you’ll be deserting us here on the OBO with this Test deliciously poised? Oh, ok, but hurry back after lunch, you flake.
There’s no pleasing some:
Strange thing: Joe Root and Ben Stokes have a weirdly bad record as Test batting partnership. Of the 99 pairs to put on 2,000 or more runs, their average of 35.77 is the lowest, and over two runs per dismissal behind Ian Healy and Steve Waugh’s 38.13 in second-last
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) July 27, 2024
Huge congratulations to OBO stalwart Kim Thonger, his son Tom and bride-to-very-soon-be Katie.
“My son Tom is getting hitched today to the lovely Katie, and I estimate at Root’s current scoring rate the ‘I do’s’ will coincide almost exactly with his century. If Joe could manage to reach it with a six that would be a nice present for the happy couple. My thanks in advance. We might even hear the roar, we’re in Hampton-in-Arden.”
“May I have the rings reverse-ramp please”
“So much focus has been on Jimmy in the last few months, and rightly so, but we are also living in the era of Joe Root. I’m trying to work out if I feel old watching him or not, with his boyish looks and subtle late glance down to third man for four. He looks so serene at the crease and despite having come in at similarly filthy positions throughout his career, so often you feel safe watching him. I’m aware this could be a classic kiss of death, but I’ll truly miss him when he’s not around. Which I hope is at least 3-4 summers and about 3000 more runs from now. He’s a wonderful, brilliant batter.”
Lovely this, from Guy Hornsby.
Apologies for giving a few England fans a fright with my lunchtime score post – I can assure you that England are only five down and not SEVEN, blame my sausage fingers and coffee addled brain.
@Jimbo_Cricket bloody hell!
Stopped to check the lunch score whilst wandering around the woods shooting arrows at rubber bears and board- and this came up !Talk about Palpitations! pic.twitter.com/QdCcjrxeLo
— Suella De-Vil the Next Tory Leader (@SuellaDe) July 27, 2024
Whoopsie
Lunch: England 157-5 (trailing by 125 runs)
33rd over: England 156-5 (Root 58, Stokes 48) Motie bowls the final over of an absorbing session. A spitting ball nearly sees a lunging Stokes pop a catch to short leg but the big man’s hands are Andrex soft. The players head off for some sustenance, the match well and truly in the balance.
32nd over: England 156-5 (Root 58, Stokes 47) Alzarri Joseph sends down some short stuff, Root rolls his wrists to control the pull shot and picks up three runs. Stokes isn’t going to shy away either but he’s too early on a pull and plugs it wide of mid-on but safe. We’ll have one more before lunch.
31st over: England 150-5 (Root 55, Stokes 44) The stump mic picks up Josh Da Silva joining in with the Hollie’s rendition of Livin’ On a Prayer. Root sweeps a full bunger for two and then Stokes sweeps for SIX to bring up England’s 150. This partnership is ploughing on towards a hundred, West Indies took the first hour of play but England have taken the second… unless they lose one before the lunch interval. They still trail by 132 runs.
30th over: England 141-5 (Root 52, Stokes 38) West Indies can’t quite stop the scoring, a lot of overs have a hittable ball in them and Stokes doesn’t miss out on a drive down the ground for four. Holding the pose for good measure. Jason Holder tugs his two metre high forelock.