Player of the Match
Player of the Match

Mark: "The 1st and 3rd Tests on that list were artificial results, but look at the 2nd one... Garry Sobers made a disastrous declaration on the final day and lost the series with it."

Lindsay O'Regan: "Were Windies to chase these down they'd have won having taken only 15 wickets. What's the fewest wickets taken by a side winning a Test match?" -- That'd be England with eight, in a completely forgettable Test in uncontroversial circumstances. Here's the list.

1.03pm: England have declared. West Indies need 282 in 65 overs to win the second Test; England need 10 wickets. That's a required rate of 4.34 an over, which seems unlikely on this pitch. But you never know...

12.43pm: Another squall hits the Kensington Oval, and the players head off for lunch. Presumably that will be that for the England innings - but we will await official confirmation. England are 281 in front, with roughly 65 overs left in the day; or, in other words, a pretty stiff asking rate on a fifth-day pitch. England scored 145 in 24.5 overs, full of good intentions despite a slightly odd lull just before the rain arrived. Two sessions left in this Test, is there scope to squeeze in some drama? Matt will be back to see what's occurring shortly

Badar: "Hey Alan, are you sure players have gone off to lunch, and not because of rain? Don't be surprised if they finish the over after weather clears up and then take the lunch." They have taken an... idiosyncratic approach to intervals in this series. But pretty sure we're now on the break

"Why do you people watch cricket?" expectorates Adam, wildly. "You obviously hate it? England scoring at 4.5 an over, to give themselves 2 sessions to win. Splitting hairs over 5-6 overs on a declaration is mental." Pretty standard cricket fan behaviour, if you ask me

And the discussions about run rates and declarations threaten to become academic as the groundstaff race on with the covers again...

39.5
1
Holder to Foakes, 1 run, short ball, Foakes swivels on it and pulls neatly through backward square leg
39.4
1
Holder to Woakes, 1 run, back of a length, 124kph/76mph and tucked off the hip
39.3
0
Holder to Woakes, no run, pace off again, Woakes can't time his attempted cut

"Root rather imaginatively thinking about declaring for the draw… and frustrating every England fan," snorts lebigfella

39.2
1
Holder to Foakes, 1 run, slower ball, full outside off and Foakes shuffles down, bunts through the covers
39.1
1
Holder to Woakes, 1 run, pitched up and flicked through the leg side

Five minutes to go until lunch

END OF OVER:
39 | 5 Runs | ENG: 181/6

  • Chris Woakes7 (7b)
  • Ben Foakes9 (11b)
  • Jayden Seales6-0-34-2
  • Jason Holder8-1-36-0

"England should declare now, as the lead has gone over 270 with asking rate over 4.2." But they're not going to, Hafiz Muhammad...

38.6
1
Seales to Woakes, 1 run, full on the stumps, plinked down the ground to long-on. England just pootling along in singles now, presumably intent on batting right up to lunch
38.5
1
Seales to Foakes, 1 run, back of a length outside off and Foakes cuts

"Might Root be going for the 'declare 1 ball after lunch' tactic, to give the WI openers minimal time to prepare?" That would cost them another two overs, though, ChrisL - and therefore might defeat the purpose

38.4
1
Seales to Woakes, 1 run, shortish and wide of the off stump, Woakes stretches out and toe-ends a cut for one
38.3
1
Seales to Foakes, 1 run, full in the channel, 127kph/78mph and tickled through mid-off
38.2
0
Seales to Foakes, no run, very decent wide yorker from Seales. That'll come in handy on the T20 circuit
38.1
1
Seales to Woakes, 1 run, back of a length, swung away through square leg on the pull

END OF OVER:
38 | 6 Runs | ENG: 176/6

  • Chris Woakes4 (4b)
  • Ben Foakes7 (8b)
  • Jason Holder8-1-36-0
  • Jayden Seales5-0-29-2
37.6
1
Holder to Woakes, 1 run, pitched up and punched down to long-off
37.5
1
Holder to Foakes, 1 run, length ball on the stumps, 135kph/83mph, clipped firmly out towards deep square leg
37.4
1
Holder to Woakes, 1 run, full outside off, 129kph and dug out for another single

"Joe Root May be one of the all time greatest batsman but he is a very poor captain." There's plenty of evidence for that, Amit R, but I'm not sure this is it. You should have followed Andrew Strauss' declarations on tour here 13 years ago...

37.3
1
Holder to Foakes, 1 run, banged into the deck and Foakes again nurdles one off the body behind square
37.2
1
Holder to Woakes, 1 run, short into the ribcage, Woakes works it away past midwicket

West Indies 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st14KC BrathwaiteJD Campbell
2nd9SSJ BrooksKC Brathwaite
3rd16NE BonnerKC Brathwaite
4th50KC BrathwaiteJ Blackwood
5th4KC BrathwaiteJO Holder
6th42KC BrathwaiteJ Da Silva