COOLIDGE – Half-centuries from openers Alex Lees and Zac Crawley, as well as captain Joe Root helped England make a strong start to their Tour of the Caribbean and led them to 251 for four in their first innings against the Cricket West Indies President’s XI on Tuesday in Antigua.
Lees hit the top score of 65, Crawley made 62, and captain Joe Root got 54 that set the foundation for a strong show of force from the visitors before the close on the opening day of their four-day, tour match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground.
England’s batting was a horror show on their preceding tour of Australia, where they crumbled to a 4-0 defeat in the five-Test Ashes series, and they got a boost of confidence from their top-order.
Lees anchored successive half-century stands with Crawley and Root in their only warm-up match before the first Test against West Indies, starting next Tuesday a few kilometres away at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force leg-spinner Bryan Charles was the pick of the President’s XI bowlers taking 3-88 from 30 overs.
Summarised scores:
ENGLAND 251 for four (Alex Lees 65, Zac Crawley 62, Joe Root 54, Dan Lawrence 46 not out, Ben Stokes 11; Bryan Charles 3-88) vs CWI PRESIDENT’S XI.
(AR)