There is a problem with England 's top order and it is not an easy one to solve . Do n't get me wrong . England 's top three are exceptional players but the issue is that they are very one-paced and when the West Indies bowling was so disciplined , that became a problem on the first morning of the first Test . It is OK batting the way England did if they had got through to lunch on 60 without loss , but they will be exposed against better teams than West Indies , like Australia , if they crash to 34 for three in the first session as they did here . As a player I would never worry about the pace runs came as long as they came . You are there to win games . But now I appreciate the need to entertain as well and the way the top three go about things might become a bit monotonous . Joe Root ( left ) and Ian Bell ( right ) put on 177 runs for the fourth wicket on day one in Antigua . Bell raises his bat to the crowd after scoring his 22nd Test match century at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium . OK , if they stay in the runs will come and England supporters will be happy but it should be remembered that England have promised to play a certain way . You have to give Jonathan Trott huge credit for battling his way back to Test cricket but a bit of a risk has been taken with him because if it does n't come off it will look like another big decision that England have got wrong . As for captain Alastair Cook , he has been working hard with Graham Gooch and has opened his shoulder up a bit , but the pitched up delivery continues to get him out . Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 71 at the close of play as England reached 341 for five . Bell and Root lifted England 's run rate and got them out of a hole having fallen to 34 for three . Gary Ballance has got this big backwards movement so to get him driving , and dismissing him the way the West Indies did , represented a sucker punch . Then you looked at the way Ian Bell and Joe Root went about their business and they were just that bit busier . You ca n't bowl one way to them to dry up their scoring shots because they both drive and they both pull well . Thanks to those two and Ben Stokes , this turned out to be very much England 's day . I was delighted that Stokes batted so well on his return to the side . He made no excuses when he was left out of the side and said he deserved to be dropped . I like that , and I like a player like him coming in at No 6 and taking the game away from the opposition . Alastair Cook is bowled through the gate by Kemar Roach for 11 on the first morning in Antigua . Jonathan Trott 's first Test in 18 months ended in a third-ball duck as he was dismissed in the first over . Peter Moores and Cook are both genuinely good guys trying to do a good job , so when I received a text from Moores asking if I would have a motivational talk with the team on the eve of the Test I was happy to oblige . I have always said that if England ever want any input from me I will try to help . It 's difficult to do that at times , being on the other side of the fence now with the media , but my heart is in English cricket and I want England to do well . It was only a 15-minute chat at the end of England 's team meeting and , while not going into it too deeply , I just tried to give the team a sense of perspective . Gary Ballance was third to go for England on the first morning as he was dismissed by Jason Holder . It 's difficult at times when you are in the bubble to remember what it means to be an England cricketer and I tried to emphasise that it is important , but you have to try to play down in your mind quite how important it is and enjoy the journey . And when England were 34 for three , I was receiving a lot of comments in the commentary box about my supposed motivational skills ! I replied that I only actually spoke to the England middle order .
England close day one of first Test against West Indies on 341 for five . Ian Bell , Joe Root and Ben Stokes all played well to lead the recovery . England 's top three were all dismissed cheaply to leave England in a hole . When England were 34 for three I received a lot of comments about my supposed motivational skills . I replied that I only spoke to the middle order . PAUL NEWMAN 'S day one report from Antigua .