England made light work of West Indies in the first Test at Lord’s, winning by an innings and 114 runs in a little over two days as James Anderson bowed out on a high.
But captain Ben Stokes is expecting a response from his side’s “proud opponents” in the second game of the three-match series at Trent Bridge from Thursday, live on Sky Sports.
West Indies have previous when it comes to bouncing back, most recently in Australia in January, when they rallied from a 10-wicket loss in Adelaide with an eight-run victory in Brisbane.
Stokes – whose men are targeting a first Test series win since triumphing 3-0 in Pakistan in December 2022 – said: “You are always wary of your opposition. We know that West Indies are a very proud team and we have also had good competition against them.
“We are not taking for granted how the rest of the series is going to go. International sport is a great leveller.”
‘West Indies need to play more Test cricket’
“Bat better” was West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite’s response when asked where his team must improve after being rolled for 121 and 136 at Lord’s.
“We have some young guys with a good attitude. After the first Test it would be easy to give in, give up but we have to keep digging deep,” Brathwaite told reporters on Wednesday.
Kraigg Brathwaite will be delighted that James Anderson has retired from Test cricket
The opener also voiced his hope that his side will get to play more frequent Test cricket in the future as they look to close the gap on the wealthier nations England, Australia and India.
The Nottingham Test is England’s seventh out of 17 this year but West Indies’ third of just nine.
Brathwaite said: “We are longing for more Test cricket. The more you play, the faster you learn and the more you understand it. If you are playing two Tests here, two Test there, you take longer to learn.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite: ‘We need to play more Test cricket and all I can do is keep pushing for it, keep asking for it. It will benefit the players’
“We need to play more Test cricket and all I can do is keep pushing for it, keep asking for it. It will benefit the players. I am still learning after 90 games.
“I just hope the powers that be that may control the schedule pertaining to white ball and T20 tournaments, can fit in five or six more Test matches for us per year.”
Match prep or training – which is more important?
West Indies only had one warm-up game – a three-day fixture against a county select XI in Beckenham – prior to the first Test.
Seamer Shamar Joseph missed the warm-up due to travel delays caused by Hurricane Beryl and subsequently battled cramp at Lord’s after playing his first red-ball game since bowling West Indies to victory in that Brisbane Test against Australia six months ago.
On the lack of match prep for the tourists, Stokes said: “We had to deal with that in India – have we had enough game time?
“That was taken from how it was a long time ago. Nowadays there are a few too many comments from people who played when that was the norm.
Shamar Joseph has been named in an unchanged West Indies XI for the second Test at Trent Bridge
“Cricket is different now, so much is played all over the world and with franchise cricket it is tough to find a good build-up window.
“We feel we gel together when we are training together as opposed to spending too much time out in warm-up games. You sometimes feel you need a day in the dirt to get your body used to it again.”
Stuart Broad End to be unveiled at Trent Bridge
Anderson’s retirement – the 41-year-old has taken up a role as bowling mentor for the rest of the summer – has seen Mark Wood recalled to the England side, joining Stokes, Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes in the pace attack.
Atkinson, who claimed 12 wickets on debut last week in a Player of the Match display, will take the new ball alongside Woakes, with the latter to earn his 50th Test cap.
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Captain Ben Stokes is excited by the prospect of Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson bowling in the same England team
This will be the first home Test since 2012 not to feature at least one of Anderson and Stuart Broad – the latter having retired last summer.
But both will have a presence at the game: Anderson as part of the England backroom staff and Broad in the Sky commentary box.
The Stuart Broad End will also be unveiled at Trent Bridge as the Pavilion End is renamed after the former England and Nottinghamshire paceman, who claimed 604 Test wickets.
Watch day one of the second Test between England and West Indies, from Trent Bridge in Nottingham, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday (first ball to be bowled at 11am).
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