Rain delays start of second test between England, West Indies

The start of the second test between England and the West Indies was delayed on Thursday, July 16 because of wet weather in Manchester.

The toss did not take place at its scheduled slot of 10:30 am local time (0930 GMT) and covers were on the pitch after light drizzle early in the morning.

ICC tweeted that the covers are coming off and the teams are preparing for a start in just under an hour’s time.

In another tweet, the cricket board tweeted, “Jason Holder has won the toss and chosen to bowl first.”

The West Indies lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first test in Southampton last week and are seeking a first test series victory in England in 32 years.

England will be without fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was excluded from the team for breaching isolation protocols by returning to his home in Brighton on Monday as the squad transferred from Southampton to Manchester.