Finally cricket fans are happy to have a live cricket after 117 days of COVID-19 cricket lockdown. However, as the rain did not stop at Southmapton, the cricket fans had to wait 2 hours to watch the play.
Toss and Team selection:
Ben Stokes, the England 81st Test Captain standing for Joe Root, won the toss and chose to bat first.
Team for England:
1) Rory Burns
2) Dom Sibley
3) Joe Denly
4)Zak Crawley
5)Ben Stokes(c)
6) Ollie Pope
7) Josh Buttler
8) Dom Bess
9) Mark Wood
10) Jofra Archer
11) James Anderson
Team for West Indies:
1)John Campbell
2) Kraigg Brathwaite
3) Shamarh Brooks
4) Shai Hope
5) Roston Chase
6)Jermaine Blackwood
7) Shane Dowrich (wk)
8)Jason Holder (capt)
9)Alzarri Joseph
10 )Kemar Roach
11)Shannon Gabriel.
1st Session:
The rain meant that the excitement of Cricket fans had to wait for 2 hours as rain disturbed the scheduled game play at Southampton and the players took an early lunch.
2nd Session:
The overcast condition was expected to help the swing and seam. In walked the England Opening batting opening pair of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley. Rory Burns, who was in the team after the South Africa series was determined to make a mark.
Kemar Roach bowled the first over maiden and Shannon Gabriel shared the new ball with him.
1.4 over: Dom Sibley bowled by Shannon Gabriel.
Dom Sibley tried to leave one that was coming in and got bowled.
The rain came after only 3 overs and the players walked in with England score 1/1. The match was resumed for an over before the rain interrupted the match again with England 3/3. Then after the play resumed Burns and Denly have managed to stay at the crease solid with England 20-1 after 10 overs.
Rory Burns returning after injury looked in good touch and so did Joe Denly who probably would have missed this test had Joe Root been available. At tea, the pair had raised England total to 35 runs. Burns had scored 20 runs from 55 balls and Denly had scored 14 runs from 48 balls. Both of them had 3 boundaries each at tea.
3rd Session:
The rain interrupted the 3rd session and it was called a day.
At the end of first day:
England: 35/1 (17.4 overs)
Rory Burns: 20*(55)
Joe Denly: 14*(48)
Also watch Day 2 highlights and anyalsis
