England intra-squad match: James Bracey scores 85 for Team Buttler in warm-up game
- Published
James Bracey (left) and Joe Denly shared a 98-run stand for the third wicket at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton
James Bracey starred with the bat as England began their three-day intra-squad warm-up match in Southampton.
The Gloucestershire opener scored 85 as a Jos Buttler-led XI ended on 287-5, external against a team captained by Ben Stokes.
There was also a half-century for uncapped batsman Dan Lawrence (58) and Joe Denly scored 48, while James Anderson picked up two wickets.
The practice game is England's first top-level cricket since the coronavirus outbreak began.
A three-Test series against West Indies, played behind closed doors in bio-secure environments, will start on 8 July.
With Joe Root absent from the Ageas Bowl next week in order to to attend the birth of his second child, all-rounder Stokes will captain England in a Test for the first time.
Uncapped duo Bracey and Lawrence impress
Having won the toss, Stokes elected to field first but it was Team Buttler's left-hander Bracey who impressed the most on day one.
The uncapped 23-year-old has a first-class average of 35.45 and was part of the England Lions team which toured Australia earlier this year.
He was dropped by Stokes at second slip on 14 and eventually departed having edged Jamie Overton to wicketkeeper Ben Foakes.
Bracey is hopeful his performance might lead to a Test call-up this summer.
"I hope today would help my cause but there is a lot of competition," he said.
"Other guys played well today, Joe and Dan got in and got some runs too and showed some good stuff."
Veteran swing bowler Anderson and Craig Overton were the pick of the attack for Team Stokes, taking two wickets apiece.
Skipper Jos Buttler (24*) and Sam Curran (15*) will resume their innings on Thursday.
The warm-up match features 14 players per side as England prepare for the upcoming summer schedule.
Day two - beginning at 11:00 BST - will again be streamed on the England and Wales Cricket Board's website.
Da Silva scores ton, Gabriel shines
Joshua da Silva scored a century as West Indies completed day three of their four-day intra-squad match at Emirates Old Trafford, a game which has been hampered by rain delays.
The 22-year-old, playing for Test captain Jason Holder's team against a Kraigg Brathwaite-led XI, was unbeaten on 133 as his side were dismissed for 272.
Team Brathwaite struggled in their response, falling to 112-7 at the close of play with Shannon Gabriel picking up three wickets.
Teams for England intra-squad training match
Team Stokes: Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Zak Crawley, Jonathan Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Olly Stone, James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton.
Team Buttler: Rory Burns, James Bracey, Joe Denly, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (c), Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson.