West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has downplayed concerns over the fitness of pacer Shannon Gabriel, who had to go off for part of the first day of the second Test in the #RaiseTheBat series being held at Old Trafford, Manchester.

Gabriel, whose nine wickets made him man of the match in the first Test, lost his run-up in the very first over and failed to find his usual accuracy throughout the first day where England recovered from 81-3 to end on 207-3.

Gabriel’s first spell was just three overs, the first of which was almost disastrous.

He had to abort his run-up on his first intended ball of the innings, bowled a wide with the second, then went for four wides in the very same over.

And after a second spell, in which another of his deliveries went so wide it stung the fingers of captain Jason Holder at second slip, the pacer had to go off for treatment before bowling a third spell towards the end of the day.

In that day, Ben Stokes, 59 not out, and Dom Sibley, 86 not out, oversaw a recovery that staved off more than 50 overs from the West Indies.

Gabriel only bowled 10 overs throughout the day with figures, going wicketless at a cost of 32 runs.

“Shannon, he had a stretch. He’s just a little stiff. I think he’ll be good to go,” said Brathwaite when questioned about the state of the paceman’s fitness.