Alex Lees and Zak Crawley make half-centuries as England make promising start

Uncapped opener Alex Lees posted an assured half-century on his first outing as an England player, tuning up for next week’s first Test against the West Indies with a sturdy warm-up performance in Antigua.

The Durham left-hander is the latest county cricket graduate to get his chance at the head of the innings, with Dom Sibley, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed all recently dropped from the vexed position, and made a strong first impression.

Lining up against a Cricket West Indies President’s XI at the Coolidge Cricket Ground – renamed and renovated after its doomed association with the American fraudster Allen Stanford – he top-scored with 65 as the tourists posted 251 for four on the first day.

Channelling traditional opening methods of caution and application, he occupied the crease for five hours and faced 214 deliveries in a hard-working knock.

He was not as fluent as his new partner Zak Crawley, who made a lively 62 in less than half the time, and not as smooth as captain Joe Root in his well-oiled 54 but the 28-year-old did the job he was asked to and will make his Test debut at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium better for the experience.

Lees was largely untroubled in his lengthy stay, Raymon Reifer summoning the best of three lbw appeals when he was on 43, and hit the ropes on six occasions when the bowlers strayed. Surprisingly, given his careful approach, he allowed himself one real flourish when he swung hard at spinner Bryan Charles and plonked him for six over long-on.

Charles took his time exacting revenge but eventually removed the Yorkshireman midway through the final session, bowling him round his legs on the sweep.

Lees faced up first and dutifully saw off a new-ball burst from Shermon Lewis and left-armer