T P SPIN ON THE TEST

OLD TRAFFORD’S NO 3 CURSE

ZAK CRAWLEY’S Golden Duck was the third by an England No 3 in 11 months — after Joe Root was dismissed first ball by Australia’s Pat Cummins at Lord’s last August and again by the same man at Old Trafford in September. It also means that, in each of England’s last two innings at Old Trafford, their No 3 has been out first ball. Before this, in 129 innings, only two England No 3s had got Golden Ducks in Manchester — Bob Wyatt against Australia in 1934 and Graham Gooch (right) against New Zealand in 1994.

BEN STOKES finally hit the first six of the series — after 390.3 overs of cricket. It was Stokes’s 70th Test six — taking him past Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar’s 69. Stokes is 16th on the list of most sixes, tied with West Indies’ Clive Lloyd and Younis Khan of Pakistan. Andrew Flintoff (82) and Kevin Pietersen (81) are the only Englishmen to have hit more sixes.

DOM SIBLEY has scored two 50s in his last two Test innings — more than former England opener Keaton Jennings managed in his last 28 innings. Sibley is the first England opener other than Alastair Cook to hit back-toback 50s since Alex Hales in 2016.

THIS was the first time since 1993 that the team winning the toss has chosen to bowl first in a Test at Old Trafford. That game saw England captain Graham Gooch insert Australia — and the tourists won by 179 runs. If West Indies were to win this Test, they would be the first away side to beat England after winning the toss and bowling first since South Africa at Headingley in 2008.