If you're just joining us, perhaps hoping for a bit of evening cricket, er. It's raining. So here's a quick reminder of what you've missed.

Alastair Cook continued to accumulate, and Dawid Malan chipped in with his maiden Test half-century. West Indies had an economical first half-hour but England carried on their good form from the first day.

I love an artsy photograph.

Image source, AFP/Getty Images

There's more and more umbrellas going up in the crowds as the hovercover comes on. We've still got another 26 overs left in the day, should we get back on, and we can play until 22:00 BST.

Rain stops playpublished at 19:29 British Summer Time 18 August 2017

19:29 BST 18 August 2017

WI 44-1

Umpire Erasmus has made the signal - we're going off for rain. The groundstaff whip into action as the players slowly trudge off the field.

Image source, Reuters

Rod: Garth le Roux.

This isn't great from Broad. There's a hint for movement but it's wide, and wide enough for Powell to swing his arms and whack a cover drive to the boundary. The groundstaff are starting to move around beyond the boundary, and a quick glance up at the floodlights shows a steady stream of mizzle is coming down from above. Hope remains watchful for the rest of the over.

Mark Davies: I think Roston Chase sounds more like a 5K cross country race, traditionally held on New Year's Day.

I'm enjoying the amount of people in the crowd who have their hoods up, looking freezing, but have been forced to keep their sunglasses on because of the glare from the floodlights. Anderson drops short, the ball drifting wide, and Hope shovels a lovely square drive away for a boundary. Toby Roland-Jones wheels his arms around at fine leg as Anderson completes his over.

Joshua Hampton: I give it 15 minutes before it rains.

Broad comes around the wicket to Kieran Powell, presumably trying to square him up, as Kyle Hope nabs a single from the first ball of the over. Powell leaves the next few deliveries, bat high above his head as Broad keeps targeting that fourth stump line, and Broad eventually switches to over the wicket. Powell's response is to flick a very ordinary delivery off his legs and away to the boundary.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

Today is the 135th time Broad and Anderson have opened the bowling together. The next best partnership is Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, who opened together 89 times. Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose are on 86.

Image source, Getty Images

Kieran Powell has a wafty drive at Anderson, the ball holding its line before moving away at the last minute, and Bairstow take a good take low down to his right. Powell looks up to the sky and blinks before getting firmly behind the next delivery, and Anderson loses his line as the ball goes sliding down the leg side. The crowd noise is starting to pick up, and there's a collective ooh as Powell chucks another loose drive at an Anderson outswinger .

Here's how England got the early breakthrough in the Edgbaston gloom...

Before Kieran Powell was handed a life by Ben Stokes.

Broad, who hasn't really got the hang of this pink ball, bangs in a short ball that sits up invitingly, and Kyle Hope pulls it away for four. It was off the bottom of the bat but he connected nicely, and Mark Stoneman had to duck - and fast. That's better from Broad, getting Hope to push forward, and a thick outside edge flies through Moeen's hands at third slip and away to the third man boundary.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

That was a good decision by the umpire - and a good decision not to review it.

James Anderson will carry on, with three slips and a gully waiting eagerly. The lights are really cutting through, now. The whites have taken on that iridescent glow. Hope pushes forward, a little tentative as he plays away from his body, and the ball flies off the outside edge and towards the cover fielder with a bounce. There's a big lbw shout against Powell, the ball striking him high on the pad, but Marais Erasmus shakes his head, and England opt against the review. Too high, by the looks of things.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC cricket correspondent on Test Match Special

It would have been out with a direct hit. That wouldn't have been nice on your debut.

It's murky out there but Stuart Broad is going to carry on charging in. Kieran Powell calls debutant Kyle Hope through for a quick single, Hope charges as the throw comes in from cover - oh, and it's close! Hope, with a crab-like, open stance, waits and lets the final delivery of the over go pinging through to Jonny Bairstow.

Cheers, Kal. Hiya! This evening session will mostly be a race against the elements. Plenty of folk pulling on their coats as the Edgbaston sky gets a touch darker.

That's me done. Here's Amy Lofthouse.