England vs West Indies, 1st Test at London, , May 17 2012 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
1st Test, Lord's, May 17 - 21, 2012, West Indies tour of England
243 & 345
(T:191) 398 & 193/5

England won by 5 wickets

Player Of The Match
7/72 & 4/93
stuart-broad
New
ENG 2nd Innings
Full commentary

2.50pm: Time for the presentations, then. First the umpires get their medals - and they deserve them, the standard is really high among the elite group and Aleem Dar and Marais Erasmus again had an excellent Test.

West Indies captain, Darren Sammy: "I think some guys performed really well. We look at the good things we did and in the next match hope to perform more consistently. You saw the way Kemar started off [this morning] but once the hardness went from the ball it was difficult against the England batsmen. We didn't get as many runs as we wanted in the first innings but the way we fought back we can take encouragement for the next match. I think this team have been working really hard and whoever comes in in we are going to welcome them."

Sammy also says that Shane Shillingford may play in the next Test and adds that it is up to the selectors whether Chris Gayle is considered now that his IPL involvement is over. He also praises Chanderpaul's contribution: "That's something we're used to with Shiv, his experience in the dressing room helps the youngsters. He loves playing in England, he doesn't get out in England."

England captain Andrew Strauss: "We felt that the wicket was pretty flat and we had a good chance of getting the target but you never know and we put ourselves in a tricky position last night. I thought the wicket would flatten out and Alastair Cook and Ian Bell went about getting the runs in a sensible, civilised way. When you have to dig a bit deeper to get over the line it makes it that bit more satisfying. It was a good run out, we'll have to see how everyone is feeling before the next Test. It was nice to get that hundred and when you do it in a winning cause it makes it more special. Ian Bell has been playing brilliantly for a long time and it was just a case of him reconnecting with his method and he showed how good he is."

England's Stuart Broad is named Man of the Match: "Winning the toss and bowling puts a bit of pressure on the bowling group but we never expected it to be a 100-all-out wicket. I think all the bowlers found we just got into it throughout the first day and to have them nine down for 240-odd was a great effort. We had to work very hard for this victory. It's obviously pleasing to get on all three honours boards - particularly as my dad didn't get on the batting one - but winning Test matches is the most important thing. Jimmy likes bowling from the Pavilion End, he gets the choice but I found a good rythm from the Nursery End. It's all about mentally and physically preparing for the next Test now."

And that brings the curtain down on a fascinating Test, a really good start to the English summer and a match to remember for the likes of Andrew Strauss and Stuart Broad, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kemar Roach. We'll be back to hum the tune for the second Test, starting on Friday, with our cap in hand, asking: "Please sir, can we have some more?" See you then, ta ra!

2.40pm: So, with victory England take a 1-0 lead in the series. It's the result most had predicted but the journey there took an unexpectedly scenic route (although I suppose that description depends on how much you enjoy watching Shiv Chanderpaul bat). Before the Test, Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, said he wanted his team to improve on their last visit to Lord's, which was over inside three days, and they certainly managed that. It may have ended in the cliched "noble defeat" but there is genuine reason to be encouraged about West Indies' progress. The real test is whether they can take what they've learned from this game and push England even harder at Trent Bridge.

46.1
4
Samuels to Bell, FOUR runs

tossed up and driven crisply through midwicket , that'll do it. England are rocking and rolling, rather than just rocking - they've won by five wickets

end of over 461 run • 1 wicket
ENG: 189/5CRR: 4.10 
Jonny Bairstow0 (3b)
Ian Bell59 (102b 4x4)
Daren Sammy 10-1-25-1
Marlon Samuels 10-0-47-0
45.6
Sammy to Bairstow, no run

length ball outside off and played back to the bowler

45.5
Sammy to Bairstow, no run

length ball, seams back a touch, Bairstow is hit on the pad - and Sammy, with a smile on his face, asks to review the not out decision! He was probably hit outside the line and there was an inside edge too, and West Indies have used up their last review. Could be crucial

45.4
Sammy to Bairstow, no run

pitched up and driven on the front foot to mid-off

Out comes Bairstow, two needed ...

45.3
W
Sammy to Cook, OUT

oh, gone! Cook tried to finish things with another hack through his favoured scoring area but it flew off the edge and was caught low at gully. Disastrous collapse ahoy!

Alastair Cook c Edwards b Sammy 79 (127b 10x4 0x6 197m) SR: 62.2
45.2
1
Sammy to Bell, 1 run

length ball outside the line of off, stays back and dabs one short of cover-point again

45.1
Sammy to Bell, no run

pitched up outside off, Bell leans into a confident drive, can't quite beat extra-cover though

end of over 457 runs
ENG: 188/4CRR: 4.17 
Alastair Cook79 (126b 10x4)
Ian Bell58 (100b 4x4)
Marlon Samuels 10-0-47-0
Daren Sammy 9-1-24-0
44.6
Samuels to Cook, no run

tossed up outside off, ushered through

44.5
Samuels to Cook, no run

defended stepping out to meet the ball outside off

44.4
4
Samuels to Cook, FOUR runs

touch short outside off and Cook slashes like Freddy Krueger for four behind point - one more of those will finish things

44.3
1
Samuels to Bell, 1 run

flighted, steps forward and covers drives to the sweeper

44.2
1
Samuels to Cook, 1 run

around off, punched off the back foot through cover for another single

44.1
1
Samuels to Bell, 1 run

flighted outside off stump, pushed into the covers

end of over 442 runs
ENG: 181/4CRR: 4.11 
Alastair Cook74 (122b 9x4)
Ian Bell56 (98b 4x4)
Daren Sammy 9-1-24-0
Marlon Samuels 9-0-40-0
43.6
Sammy to Cook, no run

back of a length, width for Cook but he directs his cross-bat shot to point

43.5
1
Sammy to Bell, 1 run

length ball outside off, dropped short of cover-point and they chip off another run from the target

43.4
Sammy to Bell, no run

pitched up on the stumps, punched to mid-on

43.3
Sammy to Bell, no run

length ball, tight line outside off, back-foot defensive

43.2
1
Sammy to Cook, 1 run

touch short outside off, Cook pats a cut shot through point, easy as you like

43.1
Sammy to Cook, no run

round the wicket, length ball, well wide and touch of away swing, left alone

Roach is replaced by Sammy, with England needing just 12 to win ...

end of over 437 runs
ENG: 179/4CRR: 4.16 
Ian Bell55 (95b 4x4)
Alastair Cook73 (119b 9x4)
Marlon Samuels 9-0-40-0
Kemar Roach 13-2-60-3
42.6
Samuels to Bell, no run

stays round the wicket, tossed up on leg, glanced off the pads