article: For two hours at the start of a Test match that England cannot afford to lose it was possible to believe that Colin Graves’ description of West Indies as ‘mediocre’ would have the same motivating effect as Tony Greig saying he would make them grovel. Certainly the comments of the ECB’s outspoken new chairman were not looking very accurate when England’s new top three had all succumbed to a West Indies pace attack seemingly inspired by bowling coach Curtly Ambrose. That England averted disaster was down to their middle order. Ian Bell, with his 22nd Test century, Joe Root and, thrillingly, the rejuvenated Ben Stokes had restored order in this crucial first Test. Tony Cozier, the most respected of Caribbean broadcasters, had said ahead of this series that Graves’ words might well inspire the home side, just as Greig did all those years ago in 1976 when West Indies were approaching their peak. And it looked that way when the West Indies pace trio of Jerome Taylor, Kemar Roach and Jason Holder had all bowled with a discipline and skill in the opening session worthy of their great mentor Ambrose himself. The last time England played a Test at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium, in 2009, it was abandoned after 10 balls because of an unplayable outfield, and for a while it looked like West Indies were going to kick sand in their faces again. What a terrible start this was for England and a captain in Alastair Cook, who desperately needs both runs and victories here if he is to avoid being swept out along with managing director Paul Downton by the mood for seismic change. Cook, still steaming about his sacking as one-day captain ahead of the World Cup, has been working hard on his batting with his old mentor and the man he sacked himself as England batting coach in Graham Gooch. Ian Bell hit his 22nd Test match century to rescue England after a top-order collapse in the first Test . Bell is congratulated by Ben Stokes on reaching his ton and leading England out of trouble . Bell and Joe Root put on 177 for the fourth wicket after England's top order collapsed in Antigua . Alastair Cook - 25 . Kevin Pietersen - 23 . Wally Hammond - 22 . Colin Cowdrey - 22 . Geoff Boycott - 22 . Ian Bell - 22 . Yet a slightly altered technique that worked so well against hapless St Kitts last week did not pass its examination against a much better attack here, notably Roach, who took advantage of Cook’s old failing against the full ball. By that stage the remarkable comeback of Jonathan Trott, making his 50th Test appearance 18 months after his traumatic 49th, had been nipped in the bud in the first over of the day when he fended his third ball to slip. The decision to prefer the proven quality of Trott as Cook’s new opening partner to the county form horse in Adam Lyth had not found universal approval but it would be foolish to judge the move until Trott has adapted to a new role. A minute silence was held before the start of play in honour of Richie Benaud, who died last week . England fast bowler James Anderson was presented with a silver cap by Michael Atherton in his 100th Test . Anderson with Rod Bransgrove (left) and Atherton after receiving a special silver cap before play . Jonathan Trott's return to the  team ended with a three-ball duck when he was dismissed in the first over . Jerome Taylor celebrates after having Trott caught in the slips in the first over in Antigua . When Gary Ballance became the third to fall to a bad shot with just 34 on the board England were in trouble and Bob Willis was spluttering on Sky about the top three being ‘constipated’ and in need of a ‘good dose of syrup of figs.’ Yet by the close of the first day of a hectic spell of 17 Tests in the next nine months that will make or break the captaincy of Cook and the coaching of Peter Moores England could breathe a lot more easily after being put in to bat. They had moved on to 341 for five, with Stokes, unbeaten with 71 off 80 balls, adding refreshing attacking impetus with a flurry of boundaries in a stand of 130 with 174 coming in the final session as West Indian wheels began to fall off. England captain Alastair Cook was clean bowled by Kemar Roach having scored just 11 runs . West Indies fast bowler Roach runs off to celebrate after making a mess of Cook's stumps . The England captain makes his way off the field after being dismissed for 11 with his team on 22 for two . Gary Ballance was dismissed by Jason Holder to leave England in a hole at 34 for three . If England are going to emerge from the Caribbean unscathed then Bell, as the senior member of their batting order, must make his quality count, as he did here after going 20 balls without scoring before he got off the mark. Bell survived an early scare when he edged through the vacant third slip on 21 but he was soon unfurling his silky array of shots and West Indies were looking much more like the side who Graves dismissed so disrespectfully. He was joined in a stand of 177 by the man who looks sure to be the figurehead of a new era that has struggled to blossom under the giant shadow that continues to be cast over England by Kevin Pietersen. Bell and Root combined to dig England out of trouble with a fourth-wicket partnership of 177 . Bell was in brilliant form as he scored his 22nd Test match century on Monday in Antigua . Root hit 83 off 133 balls as England began to accelerate in a wicket-less afternoon session . Bell and Root walk off for tea unbeaten on 69 and 61 respectively having led England's revival . Root punches his bat in frustration after being dismissed by Taylor 17 runs short of a century . Root will undoubtedly succeed Cook as England captain one day, especially with Yorkshire being in such vogue, but for now his runs are invaluable to the incumbent and he carried on where he left off last summer. The man who hit who three big Test hundreds and three more half centuries against Sri Lanka and India looked certain to add another century here, especially when Sulieman Benn dropped him on 61, before he got an inside edge to a short ball from Taylor and was bowled for 83. There was to be no denying Bell, however, as he went to a hard earned hundred with a late cut boundary off Marlon Samuels and fell just before the close for 143 to a brute from Roach. Only Cook, with 25, and Pietersen, 23, have scored more Test centuries for England. Bell kisses the England badge on his helmet after reaching his century on the first day in Antigua . Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 71 at the close of play having put on 130 for the fifth wicket with Bell . The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on the first day of the first Test match . England supporters relax on the grassy bank and watch the action from the Caribbean . England had chosen the side that looked inevitable after their unsatisfactory warm-up in St Kitts, with Trott being preferred to Lyth and the steady James Tredwell profiting from Adil Rashid’s inconsistency last week. West Indies, meanwhile, were bereft of those players who prefer to put money ahead of Test cricket by playing in the Indian Premier League, notably their star batsman in Chris Gayle. It is a sad but inevitable consequence of the Twenty20 revolution and one that, by the close, with the Test running away from them, saw West Indies look much more like the eighth ranked Test team that they currently are.
highlights: England close day one of first Test against West Indies on 341 for five .
  Ian Bell scored his 22nd Test match century to lead the recovery .
  England fell to 34 for three having lost the toss and been put into bat .
  Jonathan Trott fell for a duck on his return to the England team .
  Alastair Cook and Gary Ballance also fell cheaply in Antigua .
  Bell put on 177 for the fourth wicket with Joe Root (83)
  Ben Stokes unbeaten on 71 after 130-run fifth-wicket stand with Bell .
  Bell edged behind off Kemar Roach late in the day and was out for 143 .
prediction: at 
   match 
   to 
   to 
   of West Indies 
   Tony 
   pace 
   Ian Bell, with his 22nd Test century, Joe Root and, 
   was for England and a captain in Alastair Cook 
   out 
   - 
   hit 
   - order 
   in the first Test . 
   by Ben Stokes 
   on 177 for the fourth 
   after England' s top order 
   Antigua . 
   Roach