Paul Collingwood’s one day captaincy reign properly got started yesterday with a very, very professional performance as they overwhelmed a very naïve West Indies team.

There was a lot of talk about a new dawn and a new way of playing, especially at the top of the batting order, but Lords yesterday was not the place to go out swinging from the ask, as it was a typical seam friendly wicket that both teams encountered.  England batted respectively in the circumstances and amassed 225 and a reasonable amount of those I saw as free runs, given to them through the middle part of the innings by naïve field standings from the West Indies captain. 

It was clearly tough going yesterday morning, as the number of fours hit would tell you, but I was amazed that Chris Gayle for large parts of the innings only had the statutory four fielders in the circle.  Thus helping England move along with one and two runs when he should have been asking the England batsmen to try and pierce a tight packed field. 

I thought some of the comments were very harsh from the Sky commentary team, as they more than most should have realised that this would not be a pitch to come out flaying on which is clearly what some of them thought was going to happen.

Our bowlers then came out and hit their straps, Anderson was excellent opening up with the new ball.  Then young Stuart Broad showed why so many people have such high hopes for him at this level of the game with an immaculate score that could have ended up being even better than his 3-20.

England’s jig of delight at the end told how much the team had put in to the build up and during the performance.  They had clearly enjoyed their one day experience, let’s hope there is more to come.