Interim England coach Paul Collingwood launches impassioned defence of under-performing bowlers

Paul Collingwood launched a passionate defence of his under-performing attack after England struggled to make inroads against a defiant West Indies on the third day of the first Test.

The interim coach could not have been more pleased with his side even though they could take only five wickets all day and saw 33-year-old Nkrumah Bonner make one of the slowest centuries in West Indian Test history, eventually falling to the part-time off-spin of Dan Lawrence for 123 off 355 balls.

‘I thought that was probably one of the best efforts I’ve seen in an England shirt in Test cricket,’ insisted Collingwood. ‘To go for just 170 runs and take five wickets on that pitch today was a pretty good effort.

Paul Collingwood launched a passionate defence of his under-performing England attack

The interim coach could not have been more pleased with his side even though they could take only five wickets all day

‘The fitness levels the guys showed and their attitude in the field was exceptional. It was hard work out there on a docile pitch. All of us expected it to break up a bit more than it has done and sometimes you can look at the scoreboard and see you haven’t bowled them out but I thought the attitude was superb. You cannot fault them.’

England were handicapped by the absence of Mark Wood, who left the field after bowling just five overs on the third day with heavy strapping on his right elbow and could be out of the rest of this Test and maybe longer.

‘He’s pretty sore at the moment,’ admitted Collingwood. ‘We’ll get anti-inflammatories in him and assess him overnight to see if he’s available for the second innings. You need guys who can bowl 90 plus miles per hour and can reverse swing the ball. It will be disappointing if he’s not involved but we’ll have to wait and see.’

In Wood’s absence Ben Stokes, who was not expected to bowl in this Test after a side strain, stood up to lead the attack with 28 whole-hearted overs.

‘It’s fair to say Ben Stokes declared himself fit to bowl,’ added Collingwood. ‘None of us expected that many overs out of him but, Ben being Ben, he went out there and felt great and he’s done everything he can to get fit. He showed today what a warrior he is.’

Veteran Nkrumah Bonner made one of the slowest centuries in West Indian Test history

England were handicapped by the absence of Mark Wood, who left the field after bowling just five overs