Rory Burns says weather forecast forced England’s hand in search of series win over West Indies

After three days’ play, in which the hosts were able to establish a dominant position, day four looks a potential washout

Joe Root and Rory Burns leave the field after declaring on day three (Reuters)

With just eight wickets needed for victory over West Indies, who need the much tougher ask of 389 more runs, England’s biggest obstruction to a series win remains the weather.

After three days’ play, in which the hosts were able to establish a dominant position, day four looks a potential washout. While it is worth noting the forecast over the last few days has been more off-the-mark than West Indies’ batsmen – bowled out for 197 in their first innings on Sunday morning and are 10 for two in their second going into Monday – the time left in the third Test (or lack of) has played into Joe Root’s thinking.

“I think it probably played in the declaration,” said Rory Burns, whose 90 formed part of a brisk 112-run partnership with Root. “You’ll have to ask the skipper a little bit more about that one. I don’t think tomorrow looks that great. We accelerated a little bit there and managed to get a couple of poles tonight, so we’re eight wickets away.”

The acceleration, while more pronounced in Root as he scored a 49th fifty from 49 deliveries, finishing with 68 from 56, was most stark in Burns who had played watchfully for his first hundred balls. By then, he had made it to 38, and the next 52 runs coming in 32 deliveries.

“It was nice to play some different shots,” said Burns, whose 147 runs across both innings are the most he has scored in a single Test match. “Nice to open up a little bit there but Sibs (Dom Sibley) set the platform there with me and how Rooty came in and played, we put ourselves in a good position and that’s the most pleasing thing.”

When asked if a third century was on his mind, Burns admitted it was part of the deal with the hurry up. “I think he’d have given me another over had I got passed it. I was looking to try and hit the fence and unfortunately missed out.” He fell ramping Roston Chase to stand-in wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva.

Burns has been the standout opening success story since Andrew Strauss retired back in 2012 and, earlier this summer, became the first opener to pass 1,000 Test runs since Alastair Cook in 2007. Yet, even with this 10th score of 50 or more, and an average now bumped up to 35, he is not resting on his laurels.

The partnership with Sibley, after West Indies had been bowled out for 197 to give England a first innings lead of 172, was noteworthy for being the first century opening stand for English batsmen in England since Alastair Cook and Alex Hales against Pakistan in August 2016.

“You’re always under pressure to keep scoring. I always felt like that at Surrey before Test level. I feel like it in the same way – runs are your currency. If you keep trying to put up numbers and keep impressing and those sorts of things. You’re learning on the job a little bit. You go to difference places that you haven’t been before and you try and take lessons from people around you and try and learn as much as you can. To a certain extent there is a point of feeling settled but it’s also a dangerous position to put yourself in.”

Though he understands the whims of top level cricket, particularly not taking anything for granted, he was unaware Stuart Broad, who took six wickets today – four as part of a first innings six for 31 – and will begin again on Monday on 499 career wickets. There is a chance for some play tomorrow, with the rain expected to settle in by midday. And while Burns is certain the weather will be a big factor on day four, he was none the wiser of the more tangible matter of Broad about to become the second England cricketer to pass 500,

“I didn’t actually know he was as close as he was,” said Burns. “Sibs nudged me before he bowled a ball (in the second innings) and said, ‘he’s on 497’. I was like ‘497 what? Oh, wickets!’ ‘There you go, we better catch these!’”