ENG vs WI: West Indies’ Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph Rattle England Top Order to Stumps on Day 1 of Edgbaston Test

England’s opening match was defeated after fast bowler Gus Atkinson seized the initiative for West Indies on a lively first day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Friday.

With a series win and the Richards-Botham Trophy already secured, England were able to force a 3-0 clean sweep after seeing off the tourists on a sub-par 282.

Atkinson took 4-67 and continued to impress on the big stage, bowling with fire and passion and creating openings on a real pitch. Chris Woakes also managed to take three wickets thanks to his more subtle skills.

But the ball continued to gain the upper hand over the bat after the change of innings, dashing England’s hopes of establishing dominance in a spell of eight overs that left them 38-3.

Jayden Seales and Alzarri Joseph dismissed openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett with successive deliveries and Mark Wood failed his test as a nightwatchman, caught behind for a duck off Seales. Thirteen wickets fell on the day.

READ MORE: IND vs SL: Sri Lanka bring in off-spinner Ramesh Mendis on standby to replace hospitalised Binura Fernando

The West Indians, who had been outclassed at Lord’s and beaten at Trent Bridge, won the toss and recorded the greatest opening double of the series.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis scored 76 in just under 22 overs, despite some handy swing from the England bowlers. On a flat deck, England were just beginning to wonder how they would get a foothold in the match when Atkinson managed to get one.

He took Louis’ lead on 26 as the batsman pushed hesitantly.

Number 3 Kirk McKenzie played his best swing of the tour but at number 12 his middle stump was smashed by Wood.

When Alick Athanaze dragged down his own stumps off the last ball before lunch, with Atkinson capitalising on a short ball that stayed low, West Indies were 97-3.

video carousel

The batsman who had accounted for almost two-thirds of those runs was lost three overs after lunch, Brathwaite’s stubborn stay ending when he gloved Wood for 61.

READ MORE: WATCH: Team India sets their target with fun fielding exercise ahead of first T20I against Sri Lanka

When Kavem Hodge, who scored a fine century in Nottingham last week, lost his off-stump to Woakes without firing a shot, there seemed no way back from a loss of five for 39. Jason Holder (59) and Joshua Da Silva (49) came to the fore.

Both men have the best Test scores against England and after both surviving lbw reviews in single figures, they set about rebuilding the innings. They kept the hosts at bay until tea, playing with care and attention before taking a liking to spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Bashir enjoyed a memorable finish to the second Test, scoring five runs as West Indies collapsed on the fourth night. But there was little to work with on day one and he was rapidly running out of boundaries.

Woakes eventually managed to coax Da Silva out of his comfort zone and managed to score one more over as the batsman followed a losing cause and swept the ball home for 49 runs.

Alzarri Joseph somehow held out for 31 balls before taking Woakes to mid-off, but it was Holder’s demise that effectively ended the resistance. Holder thought he could work the ball through midwicket but was a fraction too late when Atkinson pulled off stump.

video carousel

England had eight overs left to play it out, but West Indies pulled off a scare.

Crawley chased a teaser, Duckett played on and Wood got a nice lead on Holder outside the off. Joe Root and Ollie Pope provided no further drama and will resume 244 behind.

The batsman who had accounted for almost two-thirds of those runs was lost three overs after lunch, Brathwaite’s stubborn stay ending when he gloved Wood for 61.

READ MORE: WATCH: Team India sets their target with fun fielding exercise ahead of first T20I against Sri Lanka

When Kavem Hodge, who scored a fine century in Nottingham last week, lost his off-stump to Woakes without firing a shot, there seemed no way back from a loss of five for 39. Jason Holder (59) and Joshua Da Silva (49) came to the fore.

Both men have the best Test scores against England and after both surviving lbw reviews in single figures, they set about rebuilding the innings. They kept the hosts at bay until tea, playing with care and attention before taking a liking to spinner Shoaib Bashir.

Bashir enjoyed a memorable finish to the second Test, scoring five runs as West Indies collapsed on the fourth night. But there was little to work with on day one and he was rapidly running out of boundaries.

Woakes eventually managed to coax Da Silva out of his comfort zone and managed to score one more over as the batsman followed a losing cause and swept the ball home for 49 runs.

Alzarri Joseph somehow held out for 31 balls before taking Woakes to mid-off, but it was Holder’s demise that effectively ended the resistance. Holder thought he could work the ball through midwicket but was a fraction too late when Atkinson pulled off stump.

England had eight overs left to play it out, but West Indies pulled off a scare.

Crawley chased a teaser, Duckett played on and Wood got a nice lead on Holder outside the off. Joe Root and Ollie Pope provided no further drama and will resume 244 behind.