Joe Root punished West Indies with yet another century as England took command of the second Test on day one in Barbados.
England’s ascendancy was checked slightly by the loss of Dan Lawrence to end the day, after he compiled a dazzling 91.
Root had laid a platform with Alex Lees, who made 30 from 138 balls, after opener Zak Crawley was caught behind for a duck in the fourth over.
Joe Root punished West Indies with a century as England took command of the second Test
Dan Lawrence (left) picked up 91 alongside Root (right) to put England in control in Barbados
The late wicket boosted West Indies who had otherwise been wasteful on another flat pitch.
Sportsmail‘s DAVID LLOYD offers his thoughts and insights on the day’s play in Barbados.
Warnie’s glorious charm
There was a wonderful eulogy to Shane Warne on talkSPORT from his close friends Mark Nicholas and Darren Gough yesterday.
I shed a tear. Warnie mixed with pop superstars like Chris Martin, Mick Jagger and Ed Sheeran, but he was the same with them as he was with the man in the street. That was his charm.
There was a wonderful eulogy to Shane Warne on talkSPORT from his close friends
Bamboozled by Butcher
I was in the car when two familiar voices began commentary on the afternoon session. You know when you recognise a voice but can’t picture the face.
It stumped me, until Barry Wilkinson introduced Roland Butcher. Roland is a real salt of the earth bloke who played for Middlesex for 16 years and made his England debut in his native Barbados. I kept thinking: ‘I know who it is, don’t tell me!’
Coley stands up for my Stanley
I received a message from Accrington boss John Coleman that made me chuckle. He’d been subjected to chants at Hillsborough on Tuesday, during a 1-1 draw between Sheffield Wednesday and my beloved Stanley.
‘You’re just a pub team,’ one bloke shouted, which was met by Coley’s retort: ‘Yeah, but it’s a bloody good pub!’ Michael Vaughan is a passionate Wednesday fan but has gone rather quiet since dropping to League One.
Stay alive but then kick on, Leesy!
Alex Lees, in just his second Test match, looked solely at survival on day one. In my book, that’s fine because staying in as an opener might make it easier for someone down the line.
However, it’s all part of a young player’s experience to learn how to stay in, feel comfortable at the crease in international cricket but then kick on.
England have tried the world and his mate at No 1, and Lees hasn’t got a lot of competition right now, so there needs to be a certain amount of patience, but you must seize the moment when it’s time to move the scoreboard on.
Alex Lees (pictured) looked solely at survival on day one against West Indies in the Test series
No clarity in our selection process
I am old school. If Joe Root is the captain, give him what he wants. But we find ourselves in a difficult situation whereby someone else is choosing the director of cricket and the coach.
Without those positions filled, is Root in a strong position to say: ‘I want him and him in my team’? Is Paul Collingwood (left) in the mix for the coaching positions or is he just holding the fort? There are so many questions and I find the whole situation very unsatisfactory. There is no clarity.
Why is Joe Root at no 3?
The batting order. Why is Root No 3? In the past he has been reluctant to go there. Is Dan Lawrence a No 4?
This lad has got a golden opportunity, but he has some big shoes to fill. Remember, Kevin Pietersen batted there for England.
The rest of this series will be intriguing as to the future shape of the Test team’s order.
Joe Root (pictured) has been at No 3 in England’s batting order with Dan Lawrence at No 4
