Eng 140-3published at 21 overs
Crawley 33, Brook 10
Decent over from Romario Shepherd, just four singles from it. England's pursuit of 300 plus is still looking achievable.
Summary
West Indies chase down 326 to go 1-0 up in three-match series
Hope anchors Windies chase with brilliant 82-ball century
Shepherd's big hitting (48 off 28) gives late impetus
Ahmed bowls well (2-40) for England
West Indies openers put on 104
England post 325 all out on two-paced pitch
Brook top-scores with impressive 71
Crawley (48) run out after misunderstanding with Brook
Curran (38 off 26) and Carse (31* off 21) put on 66 for eighth wicket
Buttler's poor form continues (3 off 13 balls)
Salt's 45 off 28 balls gets England off to flier
Eng 140-3published at 21 overs
Postpublished at 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorThe way Zak Crawley is counterattacking, there’ll either be another chance coming along soon, or that drop could prove very costly, very quickly.
Eng 137-3published at 20 overs
A big moment as Zak Crawley is gifted a life.
With Phil Salt making 45, Will Jacks 26 and Ben Duckett 20, one of England's top order has to kick on and make the most of their start. Crawley is well-set to do that now.
Postpublished at 14:57 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorGudakesh Motie has had an absolute nightmare there. He’d earlier failed to make an easy stop on the boundary but that was even simpler. Got into a decent position, then inexplicably spilled it.
Crawley dropped on on 30published at 19.4 overs
Eng 135-3
Image source, Getty ImagesOh. Wow.
One of the worst drops you'll see.
Having launched the previous ball for four, Zak Crawley gets carried away with an almighty slog sweep at Yannic Cariah.
The timing is dreadful but the catching effort is much worse. Gudakesh Motie takes a few steps in from long-off, steadies himself under it in the perfect position but the ball somehow bursts through his hands.
Eng 128-3published at 19 overs
Again, Zak Crawley finds the boundary from the last ball of an over and in the same circumstances.
Romario Shepherd starts well, just two singles from the first five balls before offering too much width from the last.
Frustration for West Indies skipper Shai Hope. Every ounce of pressure that is built is almost immediately relieved by a bad ball.
Eng 121-3published at 18 overs
Yannic Cariah twirls his way through another tidy over, just three singles from it.
Our message at 2:02 referenced the West Indies' nativity-themed cricketers in Joseph, Shepherd and King.
I was trying to think of other Christmassy names in this game, but ended up really clutching at straws by trying to think of a way to combine Yannic Cariah and Mariah Carey. I don't think it's worth it.
Postpublished at 14:47 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorOn a pitch that’s difficult to find your timing, England are well ahead of the rate, but the loss of those three wickets should be a concern. A stable, ‘boring middle overs’ partnership for the next hour is what the situation demands. Whether Crawley and Brook see it that way is highly debatable.
Eng 118-3published at 17 overs
A warm welcome back to Zak Crawley's cover drive.
He thrashes the last ball of Oshane Thomas' over for four to ruin what was becoming another good effort from the seamer. Thomas lets out an understandable grunt of frustration at himself for gifting Crawley that width.
Eng 110-3published at 16 overs
Harry Brook safely defends his first two balls. He showed glimpses of his class during the World Cup but struggled for consistency, finding himself in and out of the XI quite a bit.
He'll be desperate to nail down a place in this series.
Postpublished at 14:40 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorBen Duckett got caught in two minds. After nailing the reverse sweep, he looked to dink the next when through fine-leg and got in a tangle.
WICKETpublished at 15.4 overs
Duckett b Cariah 20 (Eng 110-3)
Image source, Getty ImagesAh. Misplaced confidence in the sweep, perhaps.
Duckett gets down on one knee, attempting a more conventional one and looking to dab it over his shoulder for an easy single. Instead, it skids under the bat and takes leg stump.
Yannic Cariah strikes in his first over and he leaps emphatically in celebration. That's a huge breakthrough because Duckett was really looking to cash in against the spin.
Eng 110-2published at 14.3 overs
The confidence of Ben Duckett to play the reverse sweep, even on a pitch that is offering grip and bounce to the spinners, is remarkable.
He nails another one to the boundary.
Postpublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorThe pitch is getting ever more two-paced. A couple of balls flew through in that over, while others looped gently through to Hope behind the stumps.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 14:36 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
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Re:14:20 - If it's with tons of its mates, then it's called a locust. If it's on its own, it's called a grasshopper.
Darren, Notts
Every day is a school day!
Eng 105-2published at 15 overs
Oh, a bit of luck for Ben Duckett as he flashes at Oshane Thomas and gets an edge for four. The bowler winces in annoyance, as he has bowled so well only to concede a boundary for his efforts.
A terrific diving save at point from Alick Athanaze saves another certain four, and he's greeted by plenty of high fives from his team mates.
Eng 100-2published at 14 overs
Image source, Getty ImagesDisappointing for Motie, who drags one short and allows Zak Crawley to ease all the pressure on himself with a crunching shot through the off side for four.
A single next ball brings up England's 100. Thanks to the rapid start that Salt and Jacks gave them, they can afford to go a little slower in this next period.
Postpublished at 14:28 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
We wouldn't want to be in Antigua today*. Cloudy and breezy...
*we really would!
Postpublished at 14:28 Greenwich Mean Time 3 December 2023
Daniel Norcross
BBC Test Match Special commentatorGood over that from Oshane Thomas. Crawley is looking to come at him, but he gave Crawley nothing to drive.
Eng 92-2published at 13 overs
Very good again from Oshane Thomas, whose second over concedes just a single as Zak Crawley can't quite find the fluency of Duckett, or Salt and Jacks who preceded him.