JOE Clarke was dismissed for a single on the opening day of the England Lions three-match test series against West Indies A in Trelawny.

The Worcestershire batsman had gone into the game in good form after scoring 87 in the warm-up match versus a Jamaica X1.

But Clarke had made only one when he flicked Keon Joseph off his legs – and Vishaul Singh took a superb catch at mid-wicket.

He was third out at 101 in the 43rd over.

An attritional opening day ended with the Lions on 233-6 from 96 overs after being put into bat.

Nick Gubbins and debutant Paul Coughlin scored half centuries for the Lions.

Gubbins made an assured 50 before becoming one of three victims for the burly Antiguan off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall.

The Lions were in trouble at 149 for five on a slow, tacky pitch.

But Coughlin, who had been presented with his Lions cap by Adam Hollioake before the start, steered them to a much healthier position at the close.

He ended unbeaten on 51 and shared in an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 51 with Toby Roland-Jones.