SECOND TEST

LEAGUE OUT OF THE LOOP

DOMINIC SIBLEY and Ben Stokes gave England something to cheer on an otherwise gloomy day for Old Trafford and its bio-secure bubble.

With rain falling and Jofra Archer cut adrift in his hotel room, new dad Joe Root’s happy return as captain was short-lived.

Especially when he went chasing a wide one and succeeded only in edging to second slip for 23.

But a patiently compiled unbeaten 86 from Sibley and a calm, composed

59 not out from

Stokes left England in the driving seat at

207-3 at the close.

Now they have the opportunity to make that encouraging start really count today.

Sibley’s second Test fifty, from 164 balls, made him the first England opener since Alastair Cook, in his final Test, to score back-to-back halfcenturies.

It was in familiar style too, clipping and punching runs mainly through the leg side, and showing judicious restraint on the off as time ticked away.

With Stokes, the pair added an unbroken 126 to put half a smile on coach Chris Silverwood’s face at the end of a difficult day.

“Dominic did a great job today,” said Silverwood.

“He concentrates very well and is willing to bat for long periods of time, and that is what we need at the top of the order.

“We are always looking for areas to improve and rotating the strike is one that he is working on with Graham Thorpe.

“Between Ben and Sibbers, they have put on a really good partnership and they’ve put us in a great position. We just need to back it up on day two.”

Sibley did get into a little bit of trouble when Shannon Gabriel found the outside edge when he had made 68, only to see skipper Jason Holder drop the chance at second slip at a comfortable height.

It was the second life for the 24-year-old, who was also put down on 44 by Shamarh Brooks at short leg off Roston Chase.

Off spinner Chase was given the obligatory ‘over before lunch’. And despite his experience, Rory Burns fell for it hook, line and sinker – prodding forward for turn that was never there. Missing the ball on the inside edge, Burns was trapped plumb lbw.

As if that wasn’t a bad enough crime, the Surrey man’s decision to ask for the review with Sibley’s agreement merely compounded the misery.

Keen to impress following his promotion to No.3 at the expense of Joe Denly, Zak Crawley (left) strode out after the interval to be confronted by four men round the bat and the pressure on.

He cracked as he turned Chase’s very next ball straight to Holder at leg slip to bring Root to the middle. He looked in fine touch until he drove loosely at a wide one from Alzarri Joseph and edged a second catch to Holder.

It was the last moment of joy for West Indies, whose bowlers didn’t quite carry the threat or the zip of Southampton.

But then, without Archer, neither do England.

SUPER LEAGUE will have a shortened 22-match season, with the controversial “loop fixtures” where some teams play each other three times, being scrapped.

The play-offs revert to straight semi-finals between the top four, as opposed to the original top-five plan that would have been spread over a month.

Players have started having Covid-19 tests, which will be carried out on a weekly basis until the end of the season, or when medical advice changes.