Root, reprieved last over, is served up a loose delivery by Samuels which he picks up from outside off stump and wallops past mid-on for four. I'm sure Sir Viv himself would applaud that one. A well-run three takes him to 74, one ahead of his partner, but the Bell Supremacy is reasserted as he comes down the pitch and smacks Samuels for a straight six.

With another 33 overs left today, this is going to be a fairly long session.

Scorecard

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"Ian Bell never looked comfortable in the World Cup - looking to up the tempo just doesn't suit his game. But he's made for Test cricket - he's a very compact, technically accomplished player.

"Joe Root has arguably been England's best player for the last 18 months. When he came out to bat, England had been very tentative and defensive, but he immediately looked a different animal, and I think that's helped him and Bell assert some dominance."

Bell is skipping around between deliveries as the lanky Jason Holder resumes proceedings at the Sir Curtly Ambrose End. He had left his gloves and helmet to dry out on the outfield during the tea interval, as if underlining his desire to occupy the crease for a long time. A careful cut to third man brings him his 12th four of the day.

Ed Smith
BBC Test Match Special

"It was an easy catch, a sitter. Hip-high, not hit well, but it went straight through him."

Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).

Geoffrey Boycott spoke earlier about always starting with your two best bowlers after an interval - but West Indies persist with the off-spin of Marlon Samuels, and it almost bears fruit as Root plays a hesitant pull shot and is dropped by Sulieman Benn at mid-wicket, a dolly of a catch at this level as the ball skids through Benn's hands moving to his right. England steal a two, and as if that wasn't enough, Root pulls the last ball for four.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"James Tredwell will be licking his lips being able to bowl on this pitch, which should offer him some assistance. I always preferred to see a wicket turn, as knowing I was going to be involved more, I was more focused. If it turns on day one, I always knew what it would be doing by day three or four."

Thanks, James. As Swanny said, the proverbial game of two halves so far. But while some rushed to condemn Ramdin for opting to field first, some also rushed to condemn England after collapsing to 34-3. The final session may show who (if any) needs any condemnation...

Right, as we head in to the evening session, time for me to hand you back to Mark Mitchener to take you through to the close...

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It's been a day of two halves. The first session was West Indies', but the second belonged completely to Ian Bell and Joe Root, who have wrestled the initiative back to England."

Did previous West Indies players' experience in county cricket help them?

WICB president Dave Cameron on TMS: "The skills were developed back home, but the professionalism of having to get up every day and practise - even if you'd been up having a beer till 4am - is what we've lacked. We're also in the position now where we can demand fitness standards because they're being paid. In most years - except when we're playing England - the IPL window will be available for players to go there, then we have the Caribbean Premier League in June."

WICB president Dave Cameron on TMS: "What happened in India was a lack of communication. I believe we'll learn from it - we've got a professional league now and England's Test ranking will be in jeopardy. Can we be number one again? Absolutely. We have six professional teams playing a minimum of 10 first-class games over six to eight months, this is the start of rebuilding the West Indies team."

Do the current players see themselves more as superstar individuals than a team?

West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron on TMS: "We're living in an age of gadgets - everybody wants instant gratification and to be an instant superstar. We recognise that at the WICB, we have to help them understand that the team is the most important thing. If the team is doing well, they will be megastars."

England 167-3 (54 overs)

Batsmen: Bell 69*, Root 61*

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Trott 0), 22-2 (Cook 11), 34-3 (Ballance 10)

Bowling figures: Taylor 10-2-39-1, Roach 13-4-36-1, Holder 13-5-32-1, Benn 16-3-45-0, Samuels 2-0-7-0

West Indies won toss

Full scorecard

Joe Wilson
BBC News sports correspondent

"The financial cloud hanging over West Indies is this claim against them from India. My understanding is that at the moment, West Indies Cricket Board president Dave Cameron is in Dubai trying to negotiate this - they can't afford the cash but can offer India payment in kind by offering them matches."

You can listen to Joe's chat with WICB board president Dave Cameron on TMS now.

So, this first Test now looks very different than it did when England trooped off rather disconsolately for lunch. The tourists are now in a strong position thanks to a fine, positive session of stroke-making from Joe Root and Ian Bell, both of whom look in excellent form. Alastair Cook and Peter Moores will be feeling mighty relieved in that dressing-room.

As for West Indies, the discipline they showed in the morning session evaporated in the baking afternoon sunshine, with Sulieman Benn particularly culpable of serving up too many bad balls. Will Denesh Ramdin be thinking back ruefully on his decision to bowl this morning?

Ian Bell and Joe Root easily negotiate Jason Holder's final over before tea, and head off for a well-deserved scone. Excellent recovery from those two in a very productive afternoon session.

Image source, Reuters

Hillel: The ability to worry about the future when your team is performing well is one of the greatest attributes of an English fan.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"It's a good pitch, a bit of movement this morning but then the two best players have shown some good intent, playing low-risk cricket shots for good rewards. England should post a good score, and there's a bit of swing and spin to encourage their bowlers."

Listen to TMS commentary via the audio icon (available in UK only).

Samuels continues, with his characteristic waddling, two-step run-up. There's a brief flurry of excitement when Ian Bell just about scampers back into his crease before Denesh Ramdin whips off the bails after a throw from the outfield - that's pretty much as close as West Indies have come in this chastening, chanceless session.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

"At 30-3, West Indies' decision to bowl first must have looked like the right one, but England are building a platform to bat long - when you bowl first, you should bowl the opposition out, if not on the first day, then early on the second. They should be in for bed and breakfast now."