Postpublished at 17:40 BST 26 July 2024
How wrong I was (not for the first time) - Atkinson is continuing his search for his 21st wicket of the series. Remember, his Test career is just five innings old. A passable start.
England lose Crawley, Duckett & Wood in tricky 35-minute spell to be 38-3 at stumps
West Indies bowled out for 282 - Atkinson takes 4-67 and Woakes 3-69
West Indies fell from 76-0 to 115-5 in 45 balls
Holder (59) & Da Silva (49) shared 109 for sixth wicket
Third Test, day one, Edgbaston - England lead series 2-0
Sam Dalling
How wrong I was (not for the first time) - Atkinson is continuing his search for his 21st wicket of the series. Remember, his Test career is just five innings old. A passable start.
Shamar Joseph presses the repeat button on his sweep shot from Bashir's previous over. The result is, as before, a boundary.
10 precious runs for the West Indies from those six balls.
Of note in the latest Atkinson over is the penultimate delivery. It was back of length but kept ever so low. The sort of sight to warm a bowler's heart and make the blood of batters turn cold.
Six over stint now for Atkinson, so that might just be him done for the day.
No further alarms there for the West Indies. Bashir remains wicketless.
Cracking sweep shot from Shamar Joseph. Four fine runs to the total.
P.S. Chris Woakes is out of the attack and off the field. Shoaib Bashir is bowling.
Steven Finn
Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special
He could have been put off by Smith there, couldn't he? Diving, reaching upwards, groping as though he's a goalkeeper in a football net, groping for one up towards the bar.
Root dives full length behind him and catches it, just a couple inches off the floor, not put off whatsoever.
That delivery is what I really love about Gus Atkinson, his ability to surprise.
I know it's a lower order player, but the bounce and steepness and skiddiness of that bounce that he can get that I think makes him a special prospect and he now has four, he's winning the race to five–for with Chris Woakes.
Atkinson remains on four wickets, although not for lack of trying.
One wicket for England to get then. Can we rule them out of being in the lead by stumps?
Motie c Root b Atkinson 8 (WI 259-9)
Too quick for Motie that one, Gus. He got himself into an awkward position and the top-edge went up towards the blue sky.
A simple catch for Jamie Smith? Nope, although he tried his utmost the get there. Alas he couldn't but fortunately Joe Root was on hand, diving to his right. Brilliant one-handed catch.
That rules Woakes out of the race to five. Atkinson has four wickets, and four balls to get his fifth. I'm all at fours and fives here.
Another Woakes over done, and he remains on three wickets.
Please see below for the middle one.
Gudakesh Motie is, it would seem, "on one" here.
He brings up the 250 with a slash over point, and follows it up with a heave over mid-wicket. Motie's front foot was basically at square-leg by the time he played that shot. Back-to-back boundaries.
"The chase is on now..."
"But it's the first innings of the Test, Sam."
"No, no, not that chase. I'm talking about Atkinson versus Woakes. Each has three wickets and there only two left to claim."
Steven Finn
Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special
Another West Indies batter has to go with shoulders hunched.
He's done a lot of good work here today, Holder, but it's a lovely delivery by Atkinson. It's shown his versatility here and his confidence because that was a seam-up delivery.
It's just swung away from Holder right at the very last second, looking to tuck it towards mid-on, straight mid-wicket, playing across the line, it beats that outside-edge, just knocked back the top of off, it's a beautiful piece of bowling from Atkinson, he now has three [wickets] himself.
[Holder] has to slowly make his way upstairs.
Holder b Atkinson 59 (WI 246-8)
It was going to take something special to remove Jason Holder today, and Gus Atkinson has just produced it. Squared the batter up with a lovely delivery.
Holder's walk off is definitely a trudge. He is dejected. One dares not think where the West Indies would be without his 112-ball 59...
Steven Finn
Former England fast bowler on BBC Test Match Special
After two no-balls, the last two deliveries, it should have been the last ball of the over, those two, but then Chris Woakes got to bowl the extra one and it felt as though something was going to give.
Full and outside off stump, maybe just a touch of pace off it, making Alzarri Joseph reach slightly and all he can do is toe-end that one, trying to boom it back over Chris Woakes' head.
Ben Stokes holds a simple catch, reverse cup around shoulder high and points immediately with both of those bent index fingers that he possesses straight towards Chris Woakes as if to say 'you're the man, you're my man today, you've taken three wickets', 3 for 61, but he's deserved it, great skill today and he's held his nerve there against an impressive Alzarri Joseph.
Thanks Stephan. I've spent a few minutes in an ice bath and am ready to go again. As is Gus Atkinson.
With the wicket falling, I'm also taking my exit. Here's Sam Dalling to mop up the tail.
A Joseph c Stokes b Woakes 13 (WI 244-7)
Two no-balls, followed by one wicket.
It's actually a pretty ugly hack from Alzarri Joseph, a complete mis-hit that ends in the hands of Ben Stokes at mid-off. Chris Woakes has a nervous look towards the umpire, but he's fine this time.
England have their seventh.
Woakes is still swinging it, too, drawing a wild hack from Joseph. When Joseph walks at one, Woakes sees him coming and digs in a bouncer. Going through his tricks, Woakes dribbles a slower ball to Jamie Smith, which is called no-ball, then followed by another no-ball. Get you foot behind that line, Christopher.
Vic Marks
Former England spinner on BBC Test Match Special
This is probably Woakes' best spell actually.
He's got good rhythm, good control and he's getting that little bit of movement in the air to keep the batsmen just guessing a little bit.
Joseph has threatened quite a lot, hasn't quite middled many yet.
Sightscreens. Sight. Sightscreens. They help a batter see the ball.
If anyone else thinks they are called sidescreens, admit it now.