The Next Captain Cook?

Alastair Cook led England home 

England won the first Test of their summer against a very game West Indies. Alastair Cook and Ian Bell took charge of their second innings after Jonothon Trott and Kevin Pietersen were both out in the first hour and the moderate chase was looking shaky at 4-57. Despite losing the two wickets, sixty had been added by drinks.

It truth, Cook and Bell were seldom worried by a limited bowling attack and the target was reached by scoring at four an over. Roach was expensive, despite claiming Trott with a rising ball on off stump in only the sixth over of the morning. Darren Sammy held a sharp chance at second slip. Pietersen, batting with his usual pace, was out only five overs later to Gabriel. He dispatched the first ball of the over to the mid wicket fence, pulling off the front foot and when trying it next ball, was undone by the pace being off the ball and it being too close to his body for such a shot. He inside edged to Dinesh Ramdin.

It was one way traffic after that as the batsmen picked the bowlers off to gaps in the field so successfully that 121 were scored in the morning session.

Ian Bell made 61 and 63 not out

It lasted just beyond drinks in the second session, when Bell tucked a ball from Samuels through mid wicket for four. Cook failed to last the distance by only five deliveries, caught in the gully by Kirk Edwards off the skipper in the over before. Johnny Bairstow avoided a first ball duck by the thinnest of inside edges and England got there by five wickets.

Its hard to be critical of Sammy's captaincy but his best work is done with his players, instilling belief and self-confidence. Its what made them competitive in this Test. His tactical acumen sometimes lends itself to discussion and perhaps concern. Why, for instance, was Roach left on after the early clatter of wickets, when he was bleeding runs profusely? In trying to taken eight wickets on a track that was lifeless and offered little movement, why bowl Samuels for so long (11 overs for 51) and Fidel Edwards for so little (6 overs for 21). Edwards bowled five overs in the morning session and the first over over of the afternoon session and was then not seen again. Similarly, after removing Pietersen in his first five over spell, Gabriel didn't bowl again. Sammy could have lifted a tactic from the Michael Clarke playbook and rotated his men around short, sharp spells of four overs, constantly changing them and constantly making the English batsmen re-adjust. It may not have bought victory but it certainly would have led them closer. Clarke also identifies his most potent assets on the day and organises them to bowl when they can be most effective.

This was not a famous victory by England but it was a very good one.

Both sides have answered some questions in this Test match and of course, as the losers, the West Indies have more yet to answer. Kemar Roach bowled well but also conceded 18 no balls. At that rate, its only a matter of time before a crucial blow goes unstruck because he over steps. In the modern era, there is no excuse for indiscretions which can be cured and controlled. England bowled just four no balls in 220 overs. West Indies must play Shane Shillingford at Trent Bridge, despite it being a seamers wicket but the problem is who to drop? Clearly Gabriel will be the bunny, despite match figures of 4-86 at Lords but the problem of picking your captain and then picking the team is shown again. There seems to be great faith in Samuels off spin but it can't in the amount he turns the ball. Samuels is to off spin as my grandma was to Formula 1 driving. Among the batsmen, Kirk Edwards is the main concern but there is no space and time for him to find form away from the Test team. Narsingh Deonarine would be good option but where does he bat? If Chanderpaul could be convinced to move, Edwards might be dropped, Chanderpaul moved to three and Deonarine come into the middle order. Although a part time spinner, he's better than Samuels.

England will play an unchanged side. Winners are grinners and Steve Finn can please himself.