England’s new-look attack stutters as Holder and Bonner stand firm

Insipid with the new ball but at least determined thereafter, England began life on the road without Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad and on a stop-start second day of this first Test required the generosity of their hosts for the incisions that came their way.

As the players walked off at the close West Indies were 202 from 66.5 overs, some 109 runs behind after Jonny Bairstow’s eventual 140 had stuck 311 on the board first up.

Nkrumah Bonner, the late-blooming Jamaican No 4, was 34 not out from 103 balls, while Jason Holder responded to his elevation to No 6 with an unbeaten 43 from 104.

Though Anderson and Broad operating in tandem away from home may be one veteran too many these days, England’s decision to omit them from this tour has cast a long shadow over their replacements and left Joe Root, a captain in desperate need of results after just one win from his last 14 matches, requiring others step up.

It would be too soon to draw any hard conclusions but against weaker opposition than the Australia side which forced this drastic change, the early signs were not entirely encouraging. Chris Woakes, now the leader of the attack, found a consistent line elusive and went at over five an over for his one wicket, while Craig Overton did not offer the same threat as Ollie Robinson, whose back spasms opened up his spot.

Instead it was the Durham pairing of Mark Wood and Ben Stokes who looked likeliest, enjoying reverse and conventional swing respectively. That said, the latter’s deployment for nine overs raised eyebrows over the pre-match chat that a side-strain would need to see him used sparingly.

Neither are containing bowlers but at least Root had Jack Leach, who looks to be growing in confidence and enjoying drift from