1st Test: West Indies v England at North Sound

Darren Bravo has a splendid opportunity to improve his 16.67 average against England and bring it in line with his overall test average of 43.60.

Ian Bell hit his 22nd Test century to help England to 341-5 at stumps on day one of the first Test against West Indies in Antigua.

Gary Ballance was dismissed for 10 for the fourth time in his last five international innings, having made that score three times at the World Cup.

Ben Stokes's unbeaten 71 was his first half-century in his last eight Test innings. It is currently his second-highest Test score, behind his 120 against Australia at Perth in 2013.

Kevin Pietersen says he is in the "best batting" form of his career, after an innings of 170 for Surrey against Oxford MCCU.

Pietersen, 34, unleashed some trademark shots to score his first hundred in any form of cricket since the Old Trafford Ashes Test in August 2013.

The South Africa-born batsman rejoined Surrey in March with the aim of regaining his England place in time for the Ashes rematch in July.

Let us imagine a world where T20 cricket had not turned the heads of players.

Where the West Indies Cricket Board had not alienated others and where they had the funds and the vision

to provide central contracts that ensured the retention of their best players.

Where West Indies finally made the most of the talent in the region.

Let us imagine, for a moment, a parallel universe where, with England on 34 for 3,

Denesh Ramdin was able to throw the ball to Dwayne Bravo.

Had Ramdin had such an option - and Kieron Pollard, too, might have developed into a Test-quality allrounder in another era -

he might have been able to capitalise on his side's good start.

Torn between going into this match with either five bowlers and a fragile batting line-up with Ramdin at No. 6

and Jason Holder at No. 7, they eventually decided to pick the extra batsman in Jermaine Blackwood

and leave the bulk of the bowling to three seamers and one spinner.

Had a support seamer of Bravo's quality been available, Jerome Taylor and Kemar Roach -

two fast bowlers with a history of injuries -

could have been used in shorter spells and might well have remained more effective throughout the day.