Cricket is back… and so is England’s batting collapse! 

The English summer is well and truly alive as England’s batsmen were skittled by West Indian fast bowlers under dark clouds in Southampton on Thursday.

After rain and bad light restricted the first day of the international season to just 17.4 overs on day one, they were able to get in a full opening session on the second.

But the hosts’ top order collapsed yet again in the face of some quick, disciplined bowling from the tourists as they reached lunch on 106 for five. 

Rory Burns walks back to the pavilion as one of four England batsmen out before lunch

Jason Holder took two of the wickets to fall as West Indies made inroads on the second day

Hopes rest on stand-in skipper Ben Stokes, who was unbeaten on 21 at the lunch break

Stokes was almost back in the pavilion but he was dropped on just 14 by Kemar Roach

Hopes rest yet again on stand-in skipper Ben Stokes, who was unbeaten on 21 at the interval and earned a life after he was dropped by Kemar Roach on 14.

Shannon Gabriel led the West Indies’ assault, adding to his wicket of Dom Sibley on day one with the scalps of Joe Denly and returning opener Rory Burns.

Jason Holder then trapped Zak Crawley and claimed the key wicket of Ollie Pope, caught behind for 12. 

Stokes was joined at the crease by vice-captain Jos Buttler to see England through to the lunch break. 

Resuming on 35 for one after a rain-ruined start to the series, England faced a challenge to justify the decision by Stokes to bat first. 

Joe Denly was the first to lose his wicket as he lost his off stump to Shannon Gabriel

Rory Burns was out LBW on review as Gabriel claimed his third wicket of the innings

Denly took the best part of half-an-hour to add to his overnight score of 14, chipping Gabriel for four through mid-wicket, and was dismissed by the very next ball.

The delivery topped 90mph, zipped in between bat and pad and sent the stumps sprawling.

Gabriel followed up by seeing off Burns, who had looked solid for 30 before playing across a fast yorker that was destined for leg stump. Richard Kettleborough rejected the initial appeal but DRS settled the matter in Gabriel’s favour.

Crawley was gone for just 10, with Holder rewarded for a probing spell with a second successful lbw referral of the morning.

Ollie Pope makes his way back to the shed after being caught behind off captain Holder

New man Pope, who excelled in South Africa over the winter, was up and running with back-to-back boundaries off Holder but the visiting skipper exacted full revenge.

Pope had 12 when he poked at a ball in the channel, edging through to the wicketkeeper to make it 87 for five. 

Alzarri Joseph then came desperately close to picking up the big one – Stokes top-edging a hook to fine leg on 14 – but Roach allowed the ball to squirm loose as he dived.