Summary

  1. Postpublished at 19:15 British Summer Time 27 July

    England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith talking to BBC Sport: "It is not commiserations at all. I am slightly gutted but the way I played, I am very pleased with it. We had some good partnerships which have taken us to a very positive day.

    "They toiled hard in the morning so we were on the back foot but we knew it is always a good surface here, had good players to come so we were always positive we could turn it around.

    "I still wanted to be positive, I knew there would be opportunities to score. That was the thing for me, impose myself, and take it on, that is the way I like to play my cricket. I didn't want to stay there all day because I knew I would get a good ball with my name on it so I decided to take it on."

    On the six onto the Hollies roof: "It was one I'll have fond memories of!"

    On his approach when he was on 95: "I wanted to take it on as much I could and hit for six, but to be fair to Shamar Joseph, he completely did me with the slower ball. I just wanted to get my leg across and swing it to the leg side but he's done me so fair play to him."

    On if he's enjoying it: "It is everything that comes with it. It is a great environment and very relaxed. Even at 50-5 it was relaxed. You can be authentic and true to yourself and that exudes confidence into everyone."

  2. Postpublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 27 July

    Fair play Jayden Seales. I love that positivity. It may be a little hopeful, but I'm here for it all the same.

  3. Postpublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 27 July

    West Indies bowler Jayden Seales talking to BBC Sport: "I thought we bowled well, way better than we have throughout the series. It was a hard-fought day and we got out rewards, but we probably went for more than we wanted to.

    "We thought it was 'game on' when they were 54-5. I wouldn't say we let it slip but it was good batting from Root and Stokes. Kudos to England.

    "They play with freedom and play their shot so you have to be on it from ball one. It is always a challenging and learning experience. Getting to play in these conditions and against world-class players is always a good experience.

    "It is still a very good pitch so I am backing the batsman 100%. The runs will come once we wait and bide our time."

  4. Postpublished at 19:10 British Summer Time 27 July

    I agree Phil, I agree.

  5. Postpublished at 19:10 British Summer Time 27 July

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    England are looking a pretty tasty unit.

  6. One more for England by close, but it could (and should) have been two...published at 19:09 British Summer Time 27 July

    Gus Atkinson has, it is far to say, eased nicely into Test match cricket. Victim number 21, in what is only his third match, came when Kirk McKenzie played this shot...

    West Indies two down come the close, trailing by 61 runs.

    It ought to have been three, though. Ben Stokes look away now.

  7. England's power hourpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 27 July

    What the West Indies needed was a solid sixty minutes. Dig in. Make it dull. Be there tomorrow.

    But by the end of over number one, skipper Kraigg Brathwaite had already fallen victim to this beauty from Chris Woakes...

  8. Finishing with a flurry...published at 19:05 British Summer Time 27 July

    England were not done. Gus Atkinson wanted to apply a little more salt into open cuts. Six, six, out was how he finished the innings off.

    From 54-5, England had made 376 - a lead of 94. An already difficult tour for the West Indies had gotten that little bit worse...

  9. Woakes Wizardry...published at 19:03 British Summer Time 27 July

    There was a fourth England batter to reach fifty today. It was a very popular man, too. Warwickshire's own Chris Woakes, without a Test half-century in three years, was soon raising his bat to lap up the local applause.

  10. Postpublished at 19:02 British Summer Time 27 July

    Phil Tufnell
    Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

    That knock from Jamie Smith was like a Rolls-Royce innings, it was smooth. He got himself in, unlike some of the others who have a dart, he just weighed up the situation beautifully and perfectly. He just cruised about, it was beautiful.

  11. Everybody is talking about Jamie...published at 19:02 British Summer Time 27 July

    We must talk about Jamie Smith, a man who looks like he has played 300 Tests rather than just three. He is just so calm and classy.

    He became the third England batter to pass 50 shortly before tea.

    After a little light rain, Smith just kept going. And going. And going.

    Quickly, Smith got himself to within one blow of a maiden century. Edgbaston moved to the edge of it's collective seat. But Shamar Joseph, very smartly, released an off-cutter. Smith went to pull and it kept low. It also crashed into his stumps. Not today then, Jamie but everybody is very much talking about you.

  12. England re-build and then surpass...published at 18:59 British Summer Time 27 July

    At 54-5, England were in real trouble. Not that Ben Stokes and Joe Root would have been phased. Well, at least it didn't look like they were.

    Root first passed Brian Lara's Test run's tally, before reaching a fine 50 soon after.

    Stokes brought up his own half-century by pulling the first ball of the afternoon for six.

    But he perished soon after, falling victim to the "bang it in short tactic"...

    Jamie Smith came in and immediately picked up where Stokes left off. This huge six into the Hollies Stand had Vic Mark's purring.

    Meanwhile, Joe Root carried on his good work, passing 12,000 Test runs along the way.

    But just as the scribes began drafting sentences about yet another Root century, he fell LBW to Gudakesh Motie.

  13. West Indies off to a flying startpublished at 18:56 British Summer Time 27 July

    The West Indies digested their breakfast and were quickly out of the traps. Before England could blink, they had lost a pair of wickets.

    First, Ollie Pope was cramped for room by Shamar Joseph. The result was a ball dragged onto the stumps.

    Next to fall was Harry Brook. This delivery from Jayden Seales was just too tempting, and Brook tickled behind.

    A belting start then. But it could have been so much better...

    Before the West Indies had removed Pope, Jayden Seales crashed a ball into Joe Root's pads. There was a mooted appeal but they opted against reviewing. It was the wrong call. At the time, Root had made just three.

  14. Close of playpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 27 July

    WI 33-2 - trail by 61

    Another brilliant day's cricket. The first 20 minutes belonged to the West Indies. They had England on the ropes. But one can't help but feel that by not reviewing that Joe Root lbw when he had made just three, they metaphorically extended both arms and hauled England upright.

    It has been all England ever since. Everyone will rightly be talking about Jamie Smith tonight, but Root was brilliant with the bat, while Woakes was superb with bat and ball.

  15. Postpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 27 July

    Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent

    That was another great example of how the third innings of a Test match be so pressurised. There was nothing that West Indies could take out of that hour. It will be a tall order for them to survive the day tomorrow.

  16. Postpublished at 18:51 British Summer Time 27 July

    Root is keeping the beat perfectly. Perhaps he is off to Paris when this Test is done? Anyone know how far he can jump?

  17. Postpublished at 18:50 British Summer Time 27 July

    Joe Root getting involved now by leading the clapping from first slip. Things you love to see #4861

  18. WI 30-2published at 13 overs

    Someone contact the Guinness Book of Records editor - I've never seen anyone remove headwear as quickly as Mark Wood took his Test cap off there. No one was stopping him bowling another over.

  19. Postpublished at 18:47 British Summer Time 27 July

    Bashir whizzing through this over. Mark Wood would like another six balls tonight.