As we countdown to the UK’s first ever day/night Investec Test Match between England and West Indies on Thursday 17 August, we take a look at some day one classics played here at Edgbaston. We start with last summer when England returned to their coliseum in Birmingham to take on Pakistan in the third Test of the series.
Team News
England: Alastair Cook, Alex Hales, Joe Root, James Vince, Gary Balance, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steve Finn and James Anderson
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Sami Aslam, Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir, Sohail Khan and Rahat Ali
Action-packed opening day
It was a day in which the tourists dominated with the bowl and kept taking regular wickets throughout the day. England were eventually bowled out for 297, thanks to Sohail Khan who took five wickets. Both sets of fans were delighted to have witnessed such an entertaining and action-packed opening day of the Test, which saw almost 300-runs, 44 fours, two half-centuries and an impressive 10-wickets.
[quote cite=””]It was a day which saw almost 300-runs, 44 fours, two half-centuries and an impressive 10-wickets.[/quote]
Many of us were surprised by Misbah’s decision to bowl having won the toss, but you feel that he has been vindicated by bowling England out for under 300. As for the hosts, several players made starts but none went on. Moeen (63) and Balance (70) both batted well, but you get the feeling neither of them will have fully convinced their doubters.
Sohail Khan took five wickets for 96 for Pakistan as he dismissed Hales, Root, Vince, Bairstow and Anderson with fine and precise bowling. Mohammad Amir continued his return to cricket and supported Sohail extremely well by taking 2-wickets for 53-runs. The opening day created a fascinating start to the Test and set the tone to what turned out to be a five day classic encounter between two of the best Test nations in the world.
Secure tickets for the first day of the UK’s first ever day/night Test
England have lost just once in Test match cricket at Edgbaston since 2002 and have recorded victories in their last two Investec Test matches in Birmingham; against Australia in 2015 and Pakistan in 2016. However, West Indies is the only nation to have secured more wins over England at Edgbaston with the tourists currently leading the home nation 4-2 in the previous nine encounters between these two great cricketing sides.
Tickets for England versus West Indies in the Day/Night Investec Test match are priced from £26 for adults and from £6 for under 16s. Secure your day one tickets now and be part of history by attending the first day of the UK’s first ever day/night Test. Please click here or call the Ticket Hotline on 0844 847 1902 to purchase tickets.
