Positives for England as red-ball reset begins

A top-order collapse in the first innings and then a struggle to take wickets away from home - England's red-ball reset initially felt more like a red-ball repeat.

But thanks to centuries from Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley and Joe Root and the spin bowling of Jack Leach, the new era began with a draw against West Indies. At one point late on day five, even a win looked possible.

Here, we look at the good and bad for England in Antigua...

Bairstow and Crawley began the chastening 4-0 Ashes series out of the side - but now look pretty much cemented in it after following good innings against Australia with tons in the Caribbean.

Bairstow, who scored England's only Ashes century in Sydney before a thumb injury ruled him out of the fifth game in Hobart, revived England from 48-4 in the first innings in Antigua with an at times nuggety and at times free-flowing 140 from 259 deliveries, his highest Test score since 2016.

While the Yorkshireman was rising as a white-ball force, his red-ball returns became leaner, averaging under 31 in Test cricket in 2018, under 19 in 2019 and under 25 in 2021.

But perhaps armed with the knowledge that at 32 years of age and with 80-odd Tests behind him any further blips could spell the end of his Test career, Bairstow has responded with tons in successive matches.

A tweak to his batting technique also appears to have played a part.

Since making 267 against Pakistan in August 2020, Crawley had only passed the half-century mark twice in 21 Test innings. That would all change in the second innings against the West Indies.

The 24-year-old top-scored for England with a masterful 121, repaying the faith which has been shown in him. Hopefully, from an England point of view, this will be the start of