England v West Indies cricket Test series: when does second Test begin? UK time, TV coverage, location, squads

The England men’s Test cricket side are back in action this week, when they face the West Indies in the second match of their series.
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The two sides played out an entertaining first encounter in Antigua last week, with time running out on the fifth day meaning neither side could claim a win, and the match ultimately ended in a draw on a pitch that offered the bowlers little reward for their efforts.

It was two gutsy innings from West Indies batter Nkrumah Bonner that saw the West Indies secure a tie, as he remained at the crease for a total of close to 500 balls over the five days, scoring a total of 161 runs, across both his innings.

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England will have been encouraged by some of their batting performances, however, with Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Zak Crawley all claiming much-needed centuries to boost the side’s morale after a dismal Ashes series.

With the series delicately poised ahead of the second Test, England will still be hopeful of their chances of recording their first series win in the West Indies since 2004.

Here is everything you need to know about the second Test:

When does the second Test match begin?

The second Test begins on Wednesday 16 March at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. If all five days are needed, the match will conclude on 20 March.

What time will it be played in the UK?

Like the first Test, viewers in the UK will be able to catch the start of play at 14:00, with the toss taking place half an hour earlier at 13:30.

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Assuming there are no rain delays, lunch will take place at 16:00 (GMT), tea at 18:40, and the close of play is likely to be at around 21:30.

How's the weather forecast looking?

The weather in Bridgetown looks pleasant for the entirety of the five scheduled days, with any early cloud set to quickly change to blue skies and temperatures getting close to 30 degrees celsius (86F)

However, as in the first Test, there's set to be moderate to strong breeze throughout the match - these conditions worked a treat for England spinner Jack Leach in Antigua, as he used the conditions to drift in deliveries and bamboozle the opposition batters.

How can I watch the game on TV?

All of the action will be available to watch on subscription channel BT Sport and on the BT Sport app.

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Those wishing to invest in a month long pass with no contract can do so for the price of £25.

Existing BT customers can add the sports package to their existing deal, with prices starting from £16 per month.

As things stand, there is no free trial option with BT Sport.

England Cricket and BBC Sport will show short highlights of the day’s play, but footage of every ball will be only available with BT.

Who are in the squads?

The current squads are as follows:

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England: Joe Root (captain); Jonny Bairstow; Zak Crawley; Matthew Fisher; Ben Foakes; Dan Lawrence; Jack Leach; Alex Lees; Saqib Mahmood; Craig Overton; Matthew Parkinson; Ollie Pope; Ollie Robinson; Ben Stokes; Chris Woakes; Mark Wood.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain); Jermaine Blackwood; Nkrumah Bonner; Shamarh Brooks; John Campbell; Joshua Da Silva; Jason Holder; Alzarri Joseph; Kyle Mayers; Veerasammy Permaul; Anderson Philip; Kemar Roach; Jayden Seales.

England team news

One player set to miss out for England in the second Test is Mark Wood, who was withdrawn from bowling action in the first match due to an elbow injury.

Ollie Robinson, who has successfully recovered from a back spasm that ruled him out of the first Test, looks like he could replace the Durham star, although Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Fisher could also be in contention to step into the side.

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Alternatively, if the pitch looks to suit spin bowling, then skipper Root may opt for a second front-line spinner in rising star Matt Parkinson, who has played both T20 and ODI cricket for his country before.

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