Thursday 9 April 2015 05:48, UK
Stuart Broad overcame an injury scare and Jonny Bairstow fell just short of a century against his own team-mates in England's latest warm-up match.
Bairstow, Jonathan Trott, Gary Ballance and Joe Root ended up turning out for the St Kitts & Nevis Invitational XI, who batted first and ended the day on 303-9.
Stuart Broad appeared fortunate to escape serious injury on a day that will inevitably be remembered for the departure of England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Downton.
Broad was left in a heap after turning over his ankle as he bowled his fourth ball of the day in the second over of the match.
He was treated on the pitch by physio Craig de Weymarn and returned to the field almost an hour later after receiving ice treatment but did not bowl again until the 16th over.
England had already dismissed Trott before Broad’s injury scare after the opener guided James Anderson straight to James Tredwell at third slip after facing just three balls.
Ben Stokes then ripped out Shane Jeffers' middle stump and Tredwell had Sherwin Peters dismissed lbw offering no stroke.
The out-of-sorts Ballance was the next man to fall, scoring 17 as an ill-judged cut against Tredwell ended up in Jos Buttler's gloves.
Bairstow, who is likely to be Buttler's back-up when the Test series against West Indies kicks off next week, reached lunch on 33 not out in a score of 55-4.
He continued to score briskly in the afternoon and was just two short of a ton when Stokes found his outside edge to have him caught behind on 98.
Joe Root looked in fine fettle as he eased his way to 87 not out in a game which resembled little more than a training drill.
James Tredwell clearly outbowled Adil Rashid in the race for the spinner's role and Chris Jordan failed to take a wicket despite seeing plenty of the ball.
He came into this game in pole position but could fall behind Liam Plunkett or Mark Wood, who will open the bowling for St Kitts & Nevis on Thursday morning.
The game lacked all semblance of competitive edge, even as Root compiled a trouble-free half-century of his own, but there were some possible pointers ahead the first Test in Antigua.
James Tredwell clearly outbowled Adil Rashid in the race for the spinner's role and Chris Jordan failed to take a wicket despite seeing plenty of the ball.
He came into this game in pole position but could fall behind Liam Plunkett or Mark Wood, who will open the bowling for St Kitts & Nevis on Thursday morning.
