Bowlers in the wickets as England get ready for opening Test in West Indies

England's bowlers enjoyed another useful haul as they wrapped up preparations for the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados.
TOILING AWAY: Yorkshire's Adil Rashid bowls during day two of the match between a West Indies Board XI and England in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.TOILING AWAY: Yorkshire's Adil Rashid bowls during day two of the match between a West Indies Board XI and England in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.
TOILING AWAY: Yorkshire's Adil Rashid bowls during day two of the match between a West Indies Board XI and England in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.

The fourth and final day of warm-up action against a CWI President’s XI saw the tourists pick up 11 wickets, down from the 19 that fell on Wednesday, but still enough to hammer home the gulf in quality before hands were shaken on an early finish.

Chris Woakes finished with the pick of the figures, 3-31, but nevertheless seems unlikely to make the XI when the series gets under way on January 23 at the Kensington Oval

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He is behind both Stuart Broad and Sam Curran in the pecking order, and the pair each made their own case to share new-ball duties with James Anderson by claiming lbws with their first deliveries of the day.

WATCHING BRIEF: England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, head coach Trevor Bayliss and chairman of selectors Ed Smith, far right, look on in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.WATCHING BRIEF: England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, head coach Trevor Bayliss and chairman of selectors Ed Smith, far right, look on in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.
WATCHING BRIEF: England assistant coach Paul Farbrace, head coach Trevor Bayliss and chairman of selectors Ed Smith, far right, look on in Bridgetown. Picture: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.

Broad, on the back of a hat-trick to his name last time out, began play with a looping slower ball, completely deceiving Devon Thomas and rapping the front pad, while Curran followed up to dismiss Jermaine Blackwood.

Chandrapaul Hemraj and Sunil Ambris shared a swift half-century stand before the former nicked Broad to slip for 22.

Ben Stokes took a smart catch and then got in on the action himself, drawing a flashy shot from Jahmar Hamilton, which was well held by Jos Buttler.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A lunchtime total of 99-4 represented a decent workout, though Ambris appeared to have the measure of things by the break, opening up in the afternoon and connecting nicely with a couple of ambitious shots against Yorkshire leg spinner Adil Rashid.

Moeen found Vishaul Singh ‘s outside edge and it became clear that England were eyeing an early departure, having quietly dispensed with the earlier arrangement for a full 90 overs to be bowled regardless of wickets taken.

Woakes was still eager to get into the game and gave a typically good account of himself during a profitable second spell.

He won the third lbw of the day to see off Ambris for a bright 94 and then clean bowled Raymon Reifer and Alzarri Joseph. Rashid and Joe Denly took care of the remaining overs, but any lingering intensity had long since disappeared and the contest was cut 80 minutes short by the captains.