After Test draw, Joe Root pleased England did not panic against West Indies

Joe Root was disappointed his team could not finish off West Indies on the final day of the first Test on Saturday but was hardly going to complain after a winter of discontent. England, under plenty of scrutiny at the best of times, arrived in the Caribbean even more so after a 4-0 Ashes drubbing by Australia. "I'm really proud of the team today, the (whole) week actually," Root said after the match finished in a draw, England coming up six wickets short of bowling out West Indies in the second innings on the island of Antigua.

"From that first hour when we found ourselves in a tricky spot (losing four quick wickets), I think the character we showed off the back of the previous tour to not panic and get ourselves back in the game ... we got better and better on a very docile wicket for our seamers. "(There are a) lot of good signs going into the rest of the series." England's cause was not helped by the absence in the second innings of Mark Wood, out with a right elbow injury that Root said would be evaluated before the second Test starting in Barbados on Wednesday.

Wood's presence might not have made much difference in the end, but it certainly did not help the cause. "On that sort of wicket the extra bit of pace with the reverse (swing) is exactly what you want," said Root. The captain, one of three century-makers on the England team, heaped praise on the other two, veteran Jonny Bairstow and young Zak Crawley.