<p>The ball moved enough in last week's Southampton test between England and West Indies to erase any lingering doubt about swing bowling under cricket's COVID-19 protocols, manufacturer of the Dukes ball told Reuters.</p>

<p>Strict health regulations that greeted international cricket on its return from a 117-day stoppage included a ban on saliva to shine the ball, even though players can still use sweat to polish it in order to generate swing.</p>

<p>"The ball did swing and it was a balanced game of cricket," Dilip Jajodia, managing director of British Cricket Balls Ltd, which produces the Dukes balls used in England, told Reuters by telephone.</p>

<p>"When you flick your wrist, there are so many things that apply to swing. Not just anybody can run up and swing a ball. There are swing bowlers and there are fast bowlers.</p>

<p>"You can't look at Mark Wood or Jofra Archer and say 'oh, the ball is not swinging'. They are not swing bowlers, they are fast bowlers.</p>

<p>"Likewise, (West Indies') Shannon Gabriel is not a swing bowler either. For them, Jason Holder swings the ball and he was moving it."</p>

<p>Holder claimed a career-best 6-42 in the first innings as West Indies went on to prevail by four wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-test series.</p>

<p>England's swing bowler James Anderson claimed three wickets in the first innings under an overcast sky but did not take any in the second.</p>

<p>"Anderson is notoriously good for swing, but he can also have his off day," Jajodia said, also blaming the absence of reverse swing on the lack of skill more than anything else.</p>

<p>"Balls don't reverse on their own. You have to have the skills to reverse it."</p>

<p>He said bowlers need not worry about swing as long as the ball was right.</p>

<p>"The Dukes ball swing naturally because it's properly constructed... The test match went through without any observation on the ball or its behaviour, which is always a good news," he added.</p>

<p>The second test begins at Manchester's Old Trafford on Thursday.</p>


The ball moved enough in last week's Southampton test between England and West Indies to erase any lingering doubt about swing bowling under cricket's COVID-19 protocols, manufacturer of the Dukes ball told Reuters.

The ball moved enough in last week's Southampton test between England and West Indies to erase any lingering doubt about swing bowling under cricket's COVID-19 protocols, manufacturer of the Dukes ball told Reuters. Strict health regulations that greeted international cricket on its return from a 117-day stoppage included a ban on saliva to shine the ball, even though players can still use sweat to polish it in order to generate swing. "The ball did swing and it was a balanced game of cricket," Dilip Jajodia, managing director of British Cricket Balls Ltd, which produces the Dukes balls used in England, told Reuters by telephone. "When you flick your wrist, there are so many things that apply to swing. Not just anybody can run up and swing a ball. There are swing bowlers and there are fast bowlers. "You can't look at Mark Wood or Jofra Archer and say 'oh, the ball is not swinging'. They are not swing bowlers, they are fast bowlers. "Likewise, (West Indies') Shannon Gabriel is not a swing bowler either. For them, Jason Holder swings the ball and he was moving it." Holder claimed a career-best 6-42 in the first innings as West Indies went on to prevail by four wickets to go 1-0 up in the three-test series. England's swing bowler James Anderson claimed three wickets in the first innings under an overcast sky but did not take any in the second. "Anderson is notoriously good for swing, but he can also have his off day," Jajodia said, also blaming the absence of reverse swing on the lack of skill more than anything else. "Balls don't reverse on their own. You have to have the skills to reverse it." He said bowlers need not worry about swing as long as the ball was right. "The Dukes ball swing naturally because it's properly constructed... The test match went through without any observation on the ball or its behaviour, which is always a good news," he added. The second test begins at Manchester's Old Trafford on Thursday.

Cricket: Southampton test erased swing doubts, says ball-maker

<p>International cricket returned with a bang! Test cricket returned with its nerve-wracking sessions and battle between the willow and the red cherry. Before the first Test between England and the West Indies commenced at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, there were whispers how it would pan out. Will players be fully up for it, will not playing cricket for 117 days take a toll on the players? And every question was thrown out of the window as both England and West Indies produced cricket of the highest quality upon the return of international cricket.</p>

<p>The West Indies led by the ever-dependable Jason Holder clinched a fairly comfortable four-wicket win in Southampton while taking a 1-0 lead in the series. While the word comfortable may sound like a cake-walk, it wasn’t the case at all. The game felt like a pendulum as the dong moved to and fro between the two sides with each passing session.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3676f325-c533-4397-b4be-d3daf98c92b1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1UT9P1_0.jpg" /></p>

<p>Day 1 started with a game of hide&nbsp;and seek with the rain gods as the world witnessed little action on the first day. After a delayed start, England’s Test skipper for the match, Ben Stokes opted to bat first under overseas condition, on a pitch which certainly had some sort of moisture due to persistent rain in the build-up to the match. The move to bat first raised a few eyebrows.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="66409bb2-a364-4f31-b5e1-085b48f4529d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1UV91P.jpg" /></p>

<p>The red ball, on which saliva can’t be used due to the ban imposed by the ICC to curb the spread of coronavirus, was handed over to Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel. But before the first ball of the match was bowled, all the players and staff took a knee in support for the Black Lives Matter movement.&nbsp;Ten balls into the game, Dom Sibley’s stumps were dislodged by a peach by Gabriel. The ball moved a bit but to some extent, it was a rusty judgement by the English opener. Rory Burns and Joe Denly took charge in the middle and saw off a splendid spell of bowling by Roach and Gabriel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, it was Gabriel again who produced magic to send the ball through the gates of Denly, reminding the Englishman of his IPL debut for KKR. Burns was next to follow and it was Gabriel again who did the damage.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d00f713-3693-4c58-98d4-de81bed1751c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1UV9PE.jpg" /></p>

<p>Following the initial spell by Gabriel and Roach, it was time for ‘Captain West Indies’ to stand up and produce what he has been doing for the last few years. Even though Holder is not someone who would terrorise batsmen with his pace, he showed what damage testing line and length can do. Holder made the ball talk and there were three edges straight to the keeper Shane Dowrich as Ben Stokes (43), Ollie Pope (12) and Jos Buttler (35) were sent packing by the number one all-rounder in Test cricket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dom Bess kept the scoreboard ticking with a handy 31 not-out but the Holder and Gabriel were too hot to handle for the English lower-order as the hosts were bundled out for 204. Holder with six, Gabriel with four, shared all the wickets among themselves.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c780aae9-5634-4505-ae22-b6d8d13f986f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1UW3JK.jpg" /></p>

<p>For the West Indies, openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell saw off the initial spell by James Anderson and Jofra Archer before taking the field on a bright sunny day on Day 3. A superb 65 by Brathwaite laid the platform for the visitors despite Campbell (28) and Shai Hope (16) departing without scoring much. Shamarh Brooks (39) showed glimpses of his highly-rated talent but it was Roston Chase’s 47 off 142 which built the&nbsp;road for the West Indies win. Dowrich with his gritty 61 threw some confidence and a lead of over 100 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was a lacklustre performance by the English bowlers in the first innings. While Jimmy Anderson looked like a lone warrior, swinging the ball away or even bringing it back with a break of the wrist, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with speeds of over 90 mph looked like a mere shadow of themselves. Their barrage of bouncers was firmly dealt by before Stokes took it upon himself to do the damage. The end result? Four wickets for the number two ranked Test all-rounder in the world. Credit to Dom Bess, who toiled hard in his 19 overs to pick up two crucial wickets of Hope and Blackwood. The West Indies ended up posting 318 runs on the board.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2a8be025-6311-4e42-84ff-d52ff0a21cc2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1UY6ZC.jpg" /></p>

<p>With the sun out and a relatively drier and flatter track, Rory Burns and Dom Sibley stitched a 72-run opening stand before the former was sent packing Roston Chase, visitors’ only spin option. Sibley went on to score a half-century before falling prey to Gabriel. Joe Denly and Zak Crawley tried putting a partnership but the former was again subjected to a soft dismissal, falling for his own mishaps, again and again.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4bfc65ec-6dec-4fa1-8893-a7f84545285a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1V03TP.jpg" /></p>

<p>Stokes came up with a counter-attacking mood and scored a quick-fire 46 off 79 but&nbsp;Alzarri Joseph, after going wicket-less in the first innings, found the bullseye by dismissing Stokes and Crawley. Gabriel came back to life again and wreaked havoc while sending the lower and lower-middle order back to pavilion. Another impressive performance by the veteran and a fifer to his name. England were bundled out for 313 as the West Indies were given a target of 200 runs.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bda5b095-e796-4e14-b4d5-2a05210204a0" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1V08O7.jpg" /></p>

<p>There was scrutiny towards Jofra Archer for being lazy in the first innings and many could sense he would come alive in the second innings, and that is what exactly happened. John Campbell was retired-hurt and Brathwaite was walking back to the hut in no time after the West Indies started their chase.</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3e155a85-85c6-42eb-961d-e56f9ddffbc3" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1V22MS_0.jpg" /></p>

<p>Mark Wood too clocked up his intensity and got rid of Shai Hope as the visitors saw them reeling at 27-3. Brooks again fall victim to Archer’s class and bagged a five-ball duck.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ab4dbf4e-31e6-421d-8c85-69bb1c8a6d58" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1V25AV_1.jpg" /></p>

<p>As England bowlers dominated the first 15 overs, everyone started to come at the edge of their seats anticipating a West Indies collapse. However, Chase and Blackwood had other plans. While Chase scored a gritty 37, Blackwood was the man of the hour for the West Indies as he scored 95. Dowrich chipped in with 20. Campbell came back to bat again and stitched winning partnership with skipper Holder to hand the West Indies an all-important win.</p>

<p><img alt="ENG vs WI 1st Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="730f1743-dcb8-4323-ba6c-dfd35db954ae" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1V2520.jpg" /></p>

<p>A forgettable start for Stokes as a captain. And for Holder, he continues to cement his own legacy in the history books.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first Test post-pandemic goes to the West Indies as visitors take a 1-0 in the series. Man of the match, Shannon Gabriel.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


International cricket returned with a bang! Test cricket returned with its nerve-wracking sessions and battle between the willow and the red cherry. Before the first Test between England and the West Indies commenced at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, there were whispers how it would pan out.

International cricket returned with a bang! Test cricket returned with its nerve-wracking sessions and battle between the willow and the red cherry. Before the first Test between England and the West Indies commenced at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, there were whispers how it would pan out. Will players be fully up for it, will not playing cricket for 117 days take a toll on the players? And every question was thrown out of the window as both England and West Indies produced cricket of the highest quality upon the return of international cricket. The West Indies led by the ever-dependable Jason Holder clinched a fairly comfortable four-wicket win in Southampton while taking a 1-0 lead in the series. While the word comfortable may sound like a cake-walk, it wasn’t the case at all. The game felt like a pendulum as the dong moved to and fro between the two sides with each passing session. Day 1 started with a game of hide and seek with the rain gods as the world witnessed little action on the first day. After a delayed start, England’s Test skipper for the match, Ben Stokes opted to bat first under overseas condition, on a pitch which certainly had some sort of moisture due to persistent rain in the build-up to the match. The move to bat first raised a few eyebrows. The red ball, on which saliva can’t be used due to the ban imposed by the ICC to curb the spread of coronavirus, was handed over to Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel. But before the first ball of the match was bowled, all the players and staff took a knee in support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Ten balls into the game, Dom Sibley’s stumps were dislodged by a peach by Gabriel. The ball moved a bit but to some extent, it was a rusty judgement by the English opener. Rory Burns and Joe Denly took charge in the middle and saw off a splendid spell of bowling by Roach and Gabriel. However, it was Gabriel again who produced magic to send the ball through the gates of Denly, reminding the Englishman of his IPL debut for KKR. Burns was next to follow and it was Gabriel again who did the damage. Following the initial spell by Gabriel and Roach, it was time for ‘Captain West Indies’ to stand up and produce what he has been doing for the last few years. Even though Holder is not someone who would terrorise batsmen with his pace, he showed what damage testing line and length can do. Holder made the ball talk and there were three edges straight to the keeper Shane Dowrich as Ben Stokes (43), Ollie Pope (12) and Jos Buttler (35) were sent packing by the number one all-rounder in Test cricket. Dom Bess kept the scoreboard ticking with a handy 31 not-out but the Holder and Gabriel were too hot to handle for the English lower-order as the hosts were bundled out for 204. Holder with six, Gabriel with four, shared all the wickets among themselves. For the West Indies, openers Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell saw off the initial spell by James Anderson and Jofra Archer before taking the field on a bright sunny day on Day 3. A superb 65 by Brathwaite laid the platform for the visitors despite Campbell (28) and Shai Hope (16) departing without scoring much. Shamarh Brooks (39) showed glimpses of his highly-rated talent but it was Roston Chase’s 47 off 142 which built the road for the West Indies win. Dowrich with his gritty 61 threw some confidence and a lead of over 100 runs. It was a lacklustre performance by the English bowlers in the first innings. While Jimmy Anderson looked like a lone warrior, swinging the ball away or even bringing it back with a break of the wrist, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with speeds of over 90 mph looked like a mere shadow of themselves. Their barrage of bouncers was firmly dealt by before Stokes took it upon himself to do the damage. The end result? Four wickets for the number two ranked Test all-rounder in the world. Credit to Dom Bess, who toiled hard in his 19 overs to pick up two crucial wickets of Hope and Blackwood. The West Indies ended up posting 318 runs on the board. With the sun out and a relatively drier and flatter track, Rory Burns and Dom Sibley stitched a 72-run opening stand before the former was sent packing Roston Chase, visitors’ only spin option. Sibley went on to score a half-century before falling prey to Gabriel. Joe Denly and Zak Crawley tried putting a partnership but the former was again subjected to a soft dismissal, falling for his own mishaps, again and again. Stokes came up with a counter-attacking mood and scored a quick-fire 46 off 79 but Alzarri Joseph, after going wicket-less in the first innings, found the bullseye by dismissing Stokes and Crawley. Gabriel came back to life again and wreaked havoc while sending the lower and lower-middle order back to pavilion. Another impressive performance by the veteran and a fifer to his name. England were bundled out for 313 as the West Indies were given a target of 200 runs. There was scrutiny towards Jofra Archer for being lazy in the first innings and many could sense he would come alive in the second innings, and that is what exactly happened. John Campbell was retired-hurt and Brathwaite was walking back to the hut in no time after the West Indies started their chase. Mark Wood too clocked up his intensity and got rid of Shai Hope as the visitors saw them reeling at 27-3. Brooks again fall victim to Archer’s class and bagged a five-ball duck. As England bowlers dominated the first 15 overs, everyone started to come at the edge of their seats anticipating a West Indies collapse. However, Chase and Blackwood had other plans. While Chase scored a gritty 37, Blackwood was the man of the hour for the West Indies as he scored 95. Dowrich chipped in with 20. Campbell came back to bat again and stitched winning partnership with skipper Holder to hand the West Indies an all-important win. A forgettable start for Stokes as a captain. And for Holder, he continues to cement his own legacy in the history books. The first Test post-pandemic goes to the West Indies as visitors take a 1-0 in the series. Man of the match, Shannon Gabriel.

England vs West Indies 1st Test: Blackwood, Gabriel steal show as visitors take 1-0 lead in series

<p>It was a moment of celebration for cricket fans across the world as they witnessed the return of international cricket after three months. It was clear that the match being played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, United Kingdom, between England and West Indies, was about more than just the game. It was also about the sheer joy of live cricket.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Twitter became the perfect sports companion for cricket fans as it united them, encouraging public conversation and dialogue, in the true spirit of the game.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Welcome back, cricket!<br />
<br />
You've been missed ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/G5HOBL44GE">pic.twitter.com/G5HOBL44GE</a></p>
— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1280102403312963584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The hashtag #ENGvWI made it to the top of India trends chart as Indian cricketers and fans celebrated the return of cricket. Indian cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane,&nbsp;R.Ashwin and many others, shared their joy in Tweets.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-monty-panesar-on-england-vs-west-indies-series-ben-stokes-new-norms-and-more-311445" hreflang="en">Exclusive: Monty Panesar on England vs West Indies series, Ben Stokes, new norms and more</a></strong></p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cricket is back 😃Positive scenes coming out from UK. So good to finally see some cricket being played. Wishing both teams the best. Can’t wait to be out there myself 🤞 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EngVsWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EngVsWI</a></p>
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/1280869910860582913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cricket is BACK! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/rlL5Qu5CxK">pic.twitter.com/rlL5Qu5CxK</a></p>
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1280923818333212675?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">So nice to see that cricket is back!<br />
Good luck to both the teams!<br />
Can’t wait to get back on the field again<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a></p>
— Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajinkyarahane88/status/1280890256644993030?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Whatever happens from here on in, cricket will be the winner”<br />
The above statement has been used so many times in the past, today is one day where it will fit in perfectly. Good luck to both the teams. 👍🏻👍🏻 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cricketisback?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cricketisback</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvsWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvsWI</a></p>
— Ashwin (During Covid 19)🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashwinravi99/status/1280877939173842944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Live cricket returns today. Here's hoping for a successful and safe series. And hoping it leads the start of live cricket all over the world with precautions of course. Good luck to both teams. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a></p>
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) <a href="https://twitter.com/WasimJaffer14/status/1280757204111560704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Not only cricketers but fans were also left ecstatic by the return of international cricket after 117 days. Fans posted photos from the match, images of Kemar Roach opening the bowling for the West Indies and even Dom Sibley departing for a duck.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Finally , Cricket is Back and Its Trending No.1 in india . Good Riddance from those Racist , Negative &amp; sometimes Paid No.1 trends we have been seeing since past 4 months . Sports is a Healer .<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/bXE37mbMbq">pic.twitter.com/bXE37mbMbq</a></p>
— Vivek Sharma (@IMViiku) <a href="https://twitter.com/IMViiku/status/1280857783110217733?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We have seen numerous tosses in Cricket, but this one will be surely remembered forever 🙌<br />
<br />
Welcome back, Cricket! ❤<br />
You have always been there in our minds, just missed you at the ground 😍<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cricketisback?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cricketisback</a> <a href="https://t.co/0sXOidaeTt">pic.twitter.com/0sXOidaeTt</a></p>
— North Stand Gang - Wankhede (@NorthStandGang) <a href="https://twitter.com/NorthStandGang/status/1280925563440545796?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Welcome Back Cricket 😊☺️ we've Missed you 🤗🏏🏏 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ENGvWI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ENGvWI</a> <a href="https://t.co/uTZP18RcYK">pic.twitter.com/uTZP18RcYK</a></p>
— Adil Rasheed🇮🇳 (@imadilr) <a href="https://twitter.com/imadilr/status/1280857965948547072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Even though rain gods played spoilsport on Day 1 of the Southampton Test, fans were jumping in joy as Windies and English players walked onto the Ageas Bowl to start the proceedings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>England on Day 1 lost Sibley for a 10-ball duck before Shannon Gabriel wreaked havoc to the scalp two more on Day 2 - Rory Burns and Joe Denly - as the hosts found themselves in a spot of bother after opting to bat first.&nbsp;</p>


It was a moment of celebration for cricket fans across the world as they witnessed the return of international cricket after three months. It was clear that the match being played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, United Kingdom, between England and West Indies, was about more than just the game.

It was a moment of celebration for cricket fans across the world as they witnessed the return of international cricket after three months. It was clear that the match being played at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, United Kingdom, between England and West Indies, was about more than just the game. It was also about the sheer joy of live cricket. Twitter became the perfect sports companion for cricket fans as it united them, encouraging public conversation and dialogue, in the true spirit of the game. Welcome back, cricket! You've been missed ❤️ pic.twitter.com/G5HOBL44GE — ICC (@ICC) July 6, 2020 × The hashtag #ENGvWI made it to the top of India trends chart as Indian cricketers and fans celebrated the return of cricket. Indian cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, R.Ashwin and many others, shared their joy in Tweets. ALSO READ: Exclusive: Monty Panesar on England vs West Indies series, Ben Stokes, new norms and more Cricket is back 😃Positive scenes coming out from UK. So good to finally see some cricket being played. Wishing both teams the best. Can’t wait to be out there myself 🤞 #EngVsWI — Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) July 8, 2020 × Cricket is BACK! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏏#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/rlL5Qu5CxK — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 8, 2020 × So nice to see that cricket is back! Good luck to both the teams! Can’t wait to get back on the field again#ENGvWI — Ajinkya Rahane (@ajinkyarahane88) July 8, 2020 × “Whatever happens from here on in, cricket will be the winner” The above statement has been used so many times in the past, today is one day where it will fit in perfectly. Good luck to both the teams. 👍🏻👍🏻 #cricketisback #ENGvsWI — Ashwin (During Covid 19)🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) July 8, 2020 × Live cricket returns today. Here's hoping for a successful and safe series. And hoping it leads the start of live cricket all over the world with precautions of course. Good luck to both teams. #ENGvWI — Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) July 8, 2020 × Not only cricketers but fans were also left ecstatic by the return of international cricket after 117 days. Fans posted photos from the match, images of Kemar Roach opening the bowling for the West Indies and even Dom Sibley departing for a duck. Finally , Cricket is Back and Its Trending No.1 in india . Good Riddance from those Racist , Negative & sometimes Paid No.1 trends we have been seeing since past 4 months . Sports is a Healer .#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/bXE37mbMbq — Vivek Sharma (@IMViiku) July 8, 2020 × We have seen numerous tosses in Cricket, but this one will be surely remembered forever 🙌 Welcome back, Cricket! ❤ You have always been there in our minds, just missed you at the ground 😍#ENGvWI #cricketisback pic.twitter.com/0sXOidaeTt — North Stand Gang - Wankhede (@NorthStandGang) July 8, 2020 × Welcome Back Cricket 😊☺️ we've Missed you 🤗🏏🏏 #ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/uTZP18RcYK — Adil Rasheed🇮🇳 (@imadilr) July 8, 2020 × Even though rain gods played spoilsport on Day 1 of the Southampton Test, fans were jumping in joy as Windies and English players walked onto the Ageas Bowl to start the proceedings. England on Day 1 lost Sibley for a 10-ball duck before Shannon Gabriel wreaked havoc to the scalp two more on Day 2 - Rory Burns and Joe Denly - as the hosts found themselves in a spot of bother after opting to bat first.

Cricket fans celebrate the return of international cricket #ENGvWI on Twitter

England, West Indies take a knee in first Test as cricket returns in slightly different look

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Cricket fans celebrate the return of international cricket #ENGvWI on Twitter

England, West Indies take a knee in first Test as cricket returns in slightly different look