PAUL NEWMAN: Signs of progress in England's first West Indies Test

There were plenty of reasons for England to be encouraged by their drawn first Test with West Indies in Antigua.

Joe Root looks to have fostered a belief and unity in the squad as they look to rebuild after the Ashes, while a couple of key centuries have also aided his side's cause. 

Here, Sportsmail looks at the lessons learned from the series so far...

Steel in Root's eye

Nothing summed up the rare feeling of positivity on the final day in Antigua more than Joe Root's reaction when it was put to him that some pundits were unhappy he had extended the Test until just five balls remained and victory was impossible. 

'When you've been involved in a game like Headingley (Ashes Test 2019) you never feel out of it,' said the England captain.

'You never stop believing. That's what we want to encourage the team to do — keep believing, keep fighting, keep showing we want to win games of cricket. 

'We are desperate to get some wins under our belt and we'll keep throwing everything into each and every game.'

Frankly, it was bizarre of Carlos Brathwaite to say it was disrespectful for Root to insist on extending the match until Jack Leach's last over, despite West Indies only being four down and the pitch refusing to yield an inch.

England have only won one Test in the last 15 for goodness sake. Surely he didn't expect them to give up too early?

What was more understandable was Steve Harmison's verdict that it was 'madness' to keep bowling Ben Stokes when all realistic chances of taking the six remaining wickets had gone. 

After all, it was only last week we were being told Stokes would not bowl in the first Test to make sure his injured side had healed.

Now here he was bowling 41 overs in the match, busting a gut as always and at