Kemar Roach set the tone for England’s reply with one of the great spells of no-ball bowling before the West Indies wilted under the Nottingham sun.
If we had a penny for every time we’d been told ‘if only the West Indies could pick their strongest team’, we might be able to scrape together enough to pay Noel Edmonds’ legal expenses.
After an early wobble, Alastair Cook and Ian Bell comfortably saw England home.
England were unable to really press home their advantage in the early part of the day, but taking three wickets for no runs just before tea put them in a winning position.
England were well below their best on the opening day of the international summer, but only Shivnarine Chanderpaul offered genuine resistance and they ended it in the ascendancy.
Test cricket’s back in England! The West Indies are here to whet our appetites for later in the summer. We’re going to make them grovel. Or something.
With over a quarter of the County Championship over already, it’s time to take a glance at the performances of some players who might be harbouring England ambitions.
The Alphabet XI’s have reached the final straight. With the terrifying prospect of having to pick an X side looming on the horizon, it’s perhaps fitting that its immediate predecessor is one of the very best teams we’ve been able to put together.
We need you to dig in now. It wasn’t a nightmare. It really is still going.
It’s Tuesday again. It’s Pune again. And it’s live again!