Beneath the surface of James Anderson's lap of honour, the pomp and ceremony dominating the narrative of the opening Test of the summer, England's win at Lord's was hard to watch with any joy.
It's been almost a year since the final Test of the 2023 Ashes. Twelve months without a Test match in England with two World Cup losses in between and a 4-1 thumping in India left a desire for more of what was dished out over the last two summers of entertainment. This summer was always going to be different. The disparity between both touring sides and England is laid out in the ICC rankings table and recent history. But surely not this different?
The West Indies came into the series not having played Test cricket since the historic Gabba victory. The thrill of seeing the side resurgent in the face of the world champions in the format at their fortress, creating history against all the odds is still relatively fresh. Sure, one Test match win doesn't erase a global system that disadvantages all except three teams within it, but how could the hope it generated be evaporated so quickly?
Coming into the series, the frailities in the West Indies squad were clear to see. The Nos.2-5 batters at Lord's held nine Test caps between them going into the game, while one half of their pace attack had 12. Still, the images of Shamar Joseph in Australia gave hope of what he at least could achieve, and Mikyle Lewis came in on debut as the leading run-scorer in the West Indies first-class competition. The lack of experience was eased somewhat by promise and optimism. Bemoaning inexperience is futile if there's no willingness to give that experience in the first place.
However, the three-day warmup game the West Indies played before the first Test did little to mitigate that inexperience. The West Indies gave ten bowlers a go in the game, the most overs bowled by any pf them was ten. Forty-nine of the 85 overs batted by the County Select XI were sent down by players who didn't bowl a ball in the first Test. Shamar was absent, huriccane Beryl stranding him in the Caribbean after the T20 World Cup, but given the last first-class match he played was that Gabba Test match in January, it's no wonder he struggled throughout the match and looked vastly undercooked. As did Alzarri Joseph, who bowled 11 overs in the warm-up match, having played exclusively white-ball cricket since the series in Australia.
Then there's the batters. While Lewis was picked off the back of his performances in the West Indies Championship that concluded in April. Kraigg Brathwaite, the holder of most of their hopes with the bat, has had a similar break inbetween professional matches. In contrast, England's batting order has spent the last few months on the county circuit, as had Jayden Seales at Sussex, who comfortably looked the best of the West Indies' attack. England might not look to Championship statistics for their selection, but starting the Test summer later has given them all a huge run-in. The later start should've also provided a better or more structured run-in for everyone.
To be clear, none if this is an individual's fault. It's another failing of the system that no longer prioritises red-ball performance or affords warm-up matches, let alone given the rarity of this series for the West Indies being scheduled three Tests. The lack of warm-up matches is also not a new thing to complain about. However, so disheartening was the spectacle at Lord's that it warrants serious attention. Of all the systemic issues at play, the lack of preparation in isolation seems the most tangible.
Ben Stokes came under some criticism for his focus on the Ashes in 18 months ahead of the series. The complexities of valuing different opposition over others are deep, but on a surface level, no amount of changing personal and approach is going to matter if this summer is simply an exercise in grinding disadvantaged sides into the dirt.
Bazball has been about entertaining. In Stokes' words: "We've managed to become a sports team that will live forever in the memory of people who were lucky enough to witness us play cricket."
It's hard to think anyone watching a spectacle similar to Lord's at Trent Bridge next week will able to relate to those words. Only a sadist could really take pleasure in watching what this summer could turn into. And for those hungry for the historic rivalry between the sides honoured, repeats of the great West Indian veterans now watching from the crowd, or of more recent memories like Shai Hope at Headingley, even a bright spark amid a demolition will be easily lost.
Nothing about what the West Indies have become is beneficial or even palatable to anyone. What their lack of preparation for this series has led to leaves a bitter taste where not so long ago there was at least some room for optimism.
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