England’s red ball reset gets reality check in Caribbean

England’s so-called red ball reset after the recent Ashes debacle endured a sobering reality check against West Indies on Friday when their bowlers toiled for only three wickets on a long day in the field at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

West Indies closed on 288 for four in their first innings in reply to England’s 507 for nine declared.

On a placid pitch that has exposed the bowling limitations of both teams, England struggled to regularly beat the bat of a stoic West Indies upper order determined to survive after starting day three of the second test in a deep hole.

With England’s two genuinely quick pacemen, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, injured, and veterans Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad left out of the touring party, the Caribbean trip is serving as an audition for those present.

But while pace bowlers Matt Fisher and Saqib Mahmood have been generally tidy on debut, and spinner Jack Leach has been relentlessly accurate, the bowling has mostly lacked a cutting edge.

“It’s a very honest bowling attack which hasn’t got the X-factor of a wrist spinner or a real fast bowler,” said former England bowler-turned TV commentator Steve Harmison.

“The jury’s still out on (Leach at) test match level. Today he showed that with a surface with a bit of assistance he didn’t get the ball to turn as much as he probably should have.”

Leach has figures of 1-97 from 44 overs.

Fisher, Ben Stokes and part-time spinner Dan Lawrence have one wicket apiece, with Lawrence claiming the valuable scalp of Jermaine Blackwood for 102 just before stumps.

But Kraigg Brathwaite remained unbeaten on 109.

(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ken Ferris)