The first-ever September Test at Lord’s served up 14 wickets on the opening day, as West Indies fought back from an Edgbaston-style collapse to emphasize that they will not give up easily on the pursuit of a first series win in England since 1988. Bowlers on both sides enjoyed the season of “mists and mellow fruitfulness” – though manic fruitfulness might have been more accurate, as England stumbled to 46 for 4 before being saved from further interrogation by bad light.
England’s form in Test cricket has been a matter of violent of swings, so it was perhaps appropriate that violent swing initially put them on the front foot. James Anderson produced a typically immaculate display to move to within one wicket of 500 in Tests but it was Ben Stokes who ripped the guts out of West Indies with career-best figures.
With only Kieran Powell and Shai Hope able to reach 20, West Indies were dismissed for 123 – almost as easy as ABC – inside 58 overs. Stokes bowled a devastating spell of 14.3-6-22-6 either side of tea, as West Indies capitulated from the relative security of 78 for 2 in mid-afternoon.
Summary: England 46 for 4 (Malan 13*, Stokes 13*) trail West Indies 123 (Stokes 6-22) by 77 runs