West Indies’ quicks had to bide their time through the first two sessions but came back strongly

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Jul-2020″Morning. Morning! Go get your coffee, doubles, souse, ackee and saltfish because the forecast today predicts PACE from Gabriel, Holder, Roach and Joseph. With a few isolated spinning overs from Chase.”An excited social media manager posted that message on CWI’s Twitter before play on Saturday. If you had watched the first two sessions on what was another sunny day in Southampton, you might have wondered what exactly this person was on.At tea, Kemar Roach was wicketless. Shannon Gabriel had got the better of Dom Sibley, mostly due to error from the batsman. Alzarri Joseph bowled with speed, but the wicket column was empty. Jason Holder once again was on the money, but wickets were not to be found.ALSO READ: Play late: West Indies template for success in EnglandIt was not their fault, though – the Windies pace quartet were all honest triers. They all showed skill, pace, improvisation. Yet the pitch offered no favours. There wasn’t even a modicum of movement, in the air or off the pitch, for the seamers. Roach and Gabriel took a while to adjust with their line and length, which allowed Sibley and Rory Burns to pick up some easy runs and settle down quickly in the first hour.In the first innings West Indies had the support of the conditions – damp and overcast as Holder flattened England with a career-best figures. Roach had told ESPNcricinfo that fast bowling would be real hard work in the absence of saliva. Even the sweat was minimal considering it was the bowler alone who was exerting himself. The outfield was green so while the ball was getting old there was no reverse swing.But there was one option still available to deny England taking the match away: drying up the runs. And that is where Roston Chase, the offspinner, came in. He who surprised England last year with a match-winning eight-wicket haul. Even though the fast men failed to get any purchase, Chase did get the ball to turn significantly.Chase straightway created the doubts by pitching in and around the rough. Towards the end of his second over, bowling from round the stumps, and wide, he pitched an offbreak on Burns’ off stump which spun away. Luckily for Shane Dowrich there was no edge as the Windies gloveman failed to gather the ball cleanly. But the turn, which was appreciable, motivated Chase.

When West Indies did show intent, they reaped the rewards. The best example of that came close to the hour before stumps when Holder challenged his counterpart

The pressure was created in tandem, with Holder once again showing the discipline to keep things simple and allow no relief to the batsmen. The runs dried up. In the 14-over spell they bowled before lunch the pair gave away just 22 runs, including bowling six maidens. Sibley and Burns got sucked in to the disciplined interrogation by Chase and Holder. It was a game of patience now and West Indies were winning. Burns blinked, going to what appeared to be a premeditated cut, off balance and offering the point fielder an easy catch.West Indies kept the leash tight in the second session. According to ESPNcricinfo’s stats team, West Indies’ economy rate of 2.3 just before tea on Saturday was their most economical bowling innings in the last 15 years, when they have bowled 40 or more overs with five or fewer wickets to show for their efforts. Little wonder this West Indies fast bowling attack is being recognised as one of their best ever.If there was one thing the quartet could be accused of it was not showing enough aggression in the first two sessions. Despite having the knowledge that both Burns and Sibley are vulnerable against the short ball, Roach and Gabriel did not test the England openers in the first hour.But when they did show the intent, they reaped the rewards. The best example of that came close to the hour before stumps when Holder challenged his counterpart. Ben Stokes was desperate to take the upper hand against the second new ball and had punched some solid drives against both Roach and Gabriel.But in his second over, Holder bounced Stokes, who had once again been standing outside the crease. Next ball, Holder banged on the seam closer to Stokes, who was beaten by the ball jumping quickly on him. Holder quipped a few words as Stokes gestured that he should have tapped the ball past the two gullies.Roston Chase celebrates after dismissing Rory Burns•Getty ImagesTwo balls later Stoke once again started to move outside off to steer the ball, but Holder, coming from slightly wider, angled the ball away with a straight-ish seam. Stokes duly poked to one of the gullies as Holder jumped in delight. Next over, Zak Crawley, England’s best batsman on the day, pushed a return catch to Joseph who was in the middle of a fierce spell. Soon after Joseph would send Jos Buttler’s leg stump flying, courtesy an inside edge.Joseph had not been bowled for virtually the first two hours. He was earmarked as the man that would leave a mark on this series by West Indies head coach Phil Simmons on the eve of the Test. Yet Joseph was only brought on for a few overs before lunch. Did West Indies miss an opportunity by not letting him loose?But it seemed all part of a plan as Joseph showed late in the afternoon. Soon, Gabriel joined the party too. And Roach, the man on cusp of a significant milestone? He might have not got a wicket in this match so far, but he created pressure with his control and accuracy from the second session onwards.So, yes, the person who sent out that tweet in the morning knew what he was talking about. Pace did have the say, but with ample help from Chase. Discipline earned West Indies the wickets and the upper hand in this Test. Now comes the next challenge.Holder’s men have never been in this position before: of taking the lead in an away series against major opposition. The last time they went 1-0 up in England was 20 years ago at Edgbaston. Before that, they went ahead in 1995 when they won at Leeds in a series that was eventually drawn. In 1988, Viv Richards’ team took the lead, and also won the series – the last time West Indies did so in England. For the millions in Caribbean the possibility of a repeat could be all too heady to imagine.The question now for Holder’s Windies is: can they keep their heads on Sunday?