England start well

Openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook cruised to a half-century stand following a 45-minute delay for morning rain at the Antigua Recreation Ground.

Groundstaff have worked around the clock to get this match under way but the overnight weather left wet patches on the outfield, with one particular area a quagmire.

But both teams have shown a willingness to play this contest at short notice after the farce on Friday which accounted for the second Test after just 10 balls.

Fears that the pitch may be livelier than is the norm in Test cricket, however, were allayed after Chris Gayle put the tourists in to bat.

Strauss dominated the scoring, driving straight down the ground in impressive manner, as England took lunch on 58 without loss.

The most recent of his straight-driven fours, off Daren Powell, drew considerable cheer as it crossed the rope: the ironic acknowledgement of surpassing the 51 for which England were in Jamaica last weekend.

There was one moment of discomfort in the 18 overs possible, and it was suffered by Strauss as a delivery from Powell flew from short-of-a-length to strike the shoulder on the way through to Sulieman Benn in the gully.

Umpire Rudi Koertzen turned down the appeals from the West Indians, who believed ball had brushed glove on the way through, and, with no referral system in place because of the late switch of venue, there was no scrutiny of the decision.

England recalled Steve Harmison but there was no place for left-arm spinner Monty Panesar.