Alzarri Joseph opens the bowling for the West Indies from the Stuart Broad End.

It's a good one but Zak Crawley intentionally plays inside the line and it goes through to the wicketkeeper.

Stuart Broad is looking particularly suave in the Nottingham sunshine today.

Perhaps he has made an extra special effort because today is a big day for the legendary former England bowler.

He has just unveiled the sign for the 'Stuart Broad End' at Trent Bridge.

Phil Tufnell
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

I'm a little bit surprised that West Indies have chosen to bowl first, but it does make sense. This is West Indies' strength, isn't it? Their batting has been poor at Lords, so their strength is in the bowling.

Perhaps they are thinking about trying to get three or four quick wickets before lunch and trying to put a bit of pressure on England.

I suppose you can slightly control the game a bit more with ball in hand...

Right then, the teams are out and it is time for the anthems, first up Rally Round the West Indies.

One of the best, if you ask me...

West Indies legends Sir Richie Richardson, Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Curtly Ambrose and Sir Andy Roberts explain how Antigua - an island with fewer than 100,000 people - changed the face of global cricket...

Image source, Getty Images

England's Ollie Pope insisted on one thing being crystal clear for the Surrey team he was about to lead into T20 Blast action.

"I said ‘look lads, this is my first time doing this. If you feel like I’ve got something wrong, just come to me. I don’t care if you say I had a terrible game as captain – come to me. I’d rather that than you bitch about me behind my back for a day or two’.

"And that’s what everyone did,” Pope tells BBC Sport. “If they wanted to talk about anything, I was sweet. I was open, if I did get it wrong, to guys coming up, because I’m learning on the job."

Pope's straight-talking approach speaks to many of his best qualities. It speaks to his humility. Here was England’s Test vice-captain, a shoo-in at first drop and, likely, Ben Stokes’ successor, returning to a county dressing room – albeit his county – and requesting a little help.

It speaks to his personal development. And it speaks to his perceptiveness and innate ability to take a room’s temperature.

Read more here.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport chief cricket writer at Trent Bridge

It's glorious in Nottingham, far removed from the rain that interrupted England's training session on Tuesday. Practice has included new bowling mentor James Anderson. He's been teaching Ben Stokes the wobble ball and throwing the ball for slip-catching, almost taking out Brendon McCullum in the process.

What to make of the Windies' decision? They have looked down, rather than up.

As for Ben Duckett, how late would a call from the maternity ward have to come for him not to play in this match?

We will have to wait to see England's bowlers in action, though, after West Indies opted to bowl first at the toss.

That could lead to a interesting decision for England opener Ben Duckett, who was touch and go for this match as his partner is expecting a baby rather imminently.

Clearly not imminently enough to stop him taking his place in the XI but could we have a situation where he has to dash off mid-innings?

Image source, Getty Images

Captain Ben Stokes says it is an “exciting time to be a fast bowler in England” as his side prepare to play their first Test since the retirement of James Anderson.

Thursday’s second Test against West Indies at Trent Bridge will be the first time since 2012 that England have played a home game without at least Anderson or Stuart Broad.

“Without sounding too over the top, there was always going to be a time where that was going to hit English cricket,” Stokes told BBC Sport.

“There are going to be opportunities for guys throughout the rest of the summer and over the next 18 months to two years.”

Stokes said Chris Woakes, playing his 50th Test, will “lead the attack” and share the new ball with Gus Atkinson.

Surrey’s Atkinson took 12 wickets on debut in the huge victory in the first Test at Lord’s.

Ben Stokes does not do things by halves.

When the England captain was 10 overs into a spell on the evening of day two of the first Test against West Indies, my left knee and I were wincing.

I had memories of me coming back from my first knee surgery, after returning home early from the Ashes series in 2017-18.

In all honesty, I was never the same bowler after it.

My inability to consistently brace my knee at the point my front foot hit the floor led to me being down on pace, down on consistency and down on confidence for the rest of my career.

After my third knee surgery at the close of the 2022 season and an unsuccessful reintroduction to bowling halfway through 2023, I gave up the ghost and retired from cricket, having chased my tail for the previous six seasons trying to rediscover the snap and bite I had prior to my first knee surgery.

This makes it even more impressive to see Stokes running in with such vigour and intent after his most recent knee surgery.

Read more here.

England captain Ben Stokes: "It was a tough one if we'd won the toss, we were a bit undecided."

On life without Anderson and Broad: "Really excited, two big misses, two greats of the game, a lot of blood, sweat and tears for the shirt but excited for the added responsibility."

On his own return to bowling: "It's nice to be out there and contributing to the team with the ball after a frustrating couple of years."

On Mark Wood returning: "We know what Woody brings to the team, he's a great fella and he brings that really x-factor with the ball."

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite: "I think with the ball we could be a lot more disciplined, I know that is one thing we spoke about. Obviously [Kevin] Sinclair comes in, [Gudakesh] Motie has a bit of the flu, so he will come in."

On their approach for the opening innings: "Batting-wise, we have got to build partnerships and then it is pretty simple what we have to do. We have got to score at least 300 runs in the first innings - that will be important for us.

"We have to start fresh here and be disciplined. We have to start well with the ball and, once we are disciplined, we have to believe we can do great things."

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c) Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua da Silva (wk), Kevin Sinclair, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales.

Kraigg Brathwaite calls correctly at the toss and West Indies will bowl first in Nottingham.

He confirms that Gudakesh Motie is out as he is suffering with flu, Kevin Sinclair replaces him in the only change for the tourists.

Image source, Getty Images

Well, actually Jimmy Anderson has not so much ridden off into the sunset as stepped back to become part of Brendon McCullum's staff as bowling mentor.

He's been imparting his wisdom to, amongst others, Gus Atkinson, who will take the new ball this week and put forward quite a compelling case for his playing a starring role in the post-Anderson era with 12 wickets at Lord's last week.

Anyway, it's time for the toss...

And so it begins.

The post-Anderson era.

After all the emotion at Lord's last week, (soon to be Sir?) Jimmy Anderson has sailed off into the sunset, leaving a 704-wicket void for England to fill.

But after the most comprehensive of wins over West Indies in the first Test, Ben Stokes' side will hope they have enough to wrap up the series this week at Trent Bridge.

Image source, Getty Images