WI tour of England, July 8-28

[Arthur Crabtree]

Creeping up. 11am start tomorrow. These are the sides Cricinfo is predicting.

1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Zak Crawley, 5 Ben Stokes (capt), 6 Ollie Pope, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Dom Bess, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Stuart Broad/Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson.

1 John Campbell, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase/Jermaine Blackwood, 6 Shane Dowrich (wk), 7 Jason Holder (capt), 8 Rahkeem Cornwall, 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel.

[mikesiva]

I like that West Indies XI.

It's about time Holder embraced his role as an allrounder. Bat at seven, allow for another bowler.

It's not like the other batsmen are pressing a case for seven batsmen. Might as well go for five bowlers.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Denly and Crawley playing for one spot when Root returns.

[mikesiva]

If they wish to be involved with England that's the sacrifice they will have to make. If they transgress the road back the penalty is quite severe as a few have found recently. I suspect that there will be a lot of squad rotation with few,if any,having no involvement.

I am not really disagreeing with the point being made Westo, but to me it seems bizarre to make so much of the biobubble they created, only then to say players will be allowed to leave it 1 or 2 days before they could be required to play and well before symptoms would display or be tested for. The results of one positive test in either camp could be devastating for the series, and in turn for the finances of the game as a whole if games are cancelled. Allowing players to put themselves in positions to make choices that could cripple the ECB after all the effort and costs theyve gone to just seems strange to me. If you dont agree then fair play, you have more trust in the players ability to restrain their instincts.

I agree.

We need to know how Root is going to be tested before he returns to the bubble.

On cricinfo: "10.55am: The absent England captain, Joe Root, has welcomed his second nipper into the world, by the way. We understand they arrived yesterday, right on time for Root to do his seven days in isolation ahead of the second Test, up in Manchester next week."

Isolation is good, but testing is even more important. I hope they do that before Root is re-admitted.

[alfie]

Inevitable that rain would delay the start , I suppose...

I am hearing the forecast is encouraging. Hope they are right

[sussexpob]

Typical bloody weather²

[Arthur Crabtree]

A wet Test in Southampton. That feels familiar. Rain all day on the forecast.

[mikesiva]

RAIN DELAY UPDATE: Lunch will be taken at 12:30PM GMT, with an inspection to be take immediately after 1:10PM GMT

[Arthur Crabtree]

There is a 14.00 start time. Must be some doubt that the rain will stay away that long though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

England win the toss and bat. A bit surprising.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Broad and Woakes not playing. So that means Wood and Archer are.

[mikesiva]

England: 1 Rory Burns, 2 Dom Sibley, 3 Joe Denly, 4 Zak Crawley, 5 Ben Stokes (capt), 6 Ollie Pope, 7 Jos Buttler (wk), 8 Dom Bess, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Mark Wood, 11 James Anderson.

West Indies: 1 John Campbell, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Shamarh Brooks, 4 Shai Hope, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jermaine Blackwood, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt), 9 Alzarri Joseph, 10 Kemar Roach, 11 Shannon Gabriel.

[Arthur Crabtree]

I like that West Indies XI.

It's about time Holder embraced his role as an allrounder. Bat at seven, allow for another bowler.

It's not like the other batsmen are pressing a case for seven batsmen. Might as well go for five bowlers.

Sounds like Cornwall won't be playing.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Holder must be fit enough to bowl his full share.

Surely Archer isn't going to bat ahead of Wood (evocatively rural middle ages vibe to that combination of surnames).

[mikesiva]

I like that West Indies XI.

It's about time Holder embraced his role as an allrounder. Bat at seven, allow for another bowler.

It's not like the other batsmen are pressing a case for seven batsmen. Might as well go for five bowlers.

Sounds like Cornwall won't be playing.