There is a problem with England's top order and it is not an easy one to solve. Don't get me wrong. England's top three are exceptional players but the issue is that they are very one-paced and when the West Indies bowling was so disciplined, that became a problem on the first morning of the first Test. It is OK batting the way England did if they had got through to lunch on 60 without loss, but they will be exposed against better teams than West Indies, like Australia, if they crash to 34 for three in the first session as they did here. As a player I would never worry about the pace runs came as long as they came. You are there to win games. But now I appreciate the need to entertain as well and the way the top three go about things might become a bit monotonous. Joe Root (left) and Ian Bell (right) put on 177 runs for the fourth wicket on day one in Antigua . Bell raises his bat to the crowd after scoring his 22nd Test match century at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium . OK, if they stay in the runs will come and England supporters will be happy but it should be remembered that England have promised to play a certain way. You have to give Jonathan Trott huge credit for battling his way back to Test cricket but a bit of a risk has been taken with him because if it doesn't come off it will look like another big decision that England have got wrong. As for captain Alastair Cook, he has been working hard with Graham Gooch and has opened his shoulder up a bit, but the pitched up delivery continues to get him out. Ben Stokes was unbeaten on 71 at the close of play as England reached 341 for five . Bell and Root lifted England's run rate and got them out of a hole having fallen to 34 for three . Gary Ballance has got this big backwards movement so to get him driving, and dismissing him the way the West Indies did, represented a sucker punch. Then you looked at the way Ian Bell and Joe Root went about their business and they were just that bit busier. You can't bowl one way to them to dry up their scoring shots because they both drive and they both pull well. Thanks to those two and Ben Stokes, this turned out to be very much England's day. I was delighted that Stokes batted so well on his return to the side. He made no excuses when he was left out of the side and said he deserved to be dropped. I like that, and I like a player like him coming in at No 6 and taking the game away from the opposition. Alastair Cook is bowled through the gate by Kemar Roach for 11 on the first morning in Antigua . Jonathan Trott's first Test in 18 months ended in a third-ball duck as he was dismissed in the first over . Peter Moores and Cook are both genuinely good guys trying to do a good job, so when I received a text from Moores asking if I would have a motivational talk with the team on the eve of the Test I was happy to oblige. I have always said that if England ever want any input from me I will try to help. It's difficult to do that at times, being on the other side of the fence now with the media, but my heart is in English cricket and I want England to do well. It was only a 15-minute chat at the end of England's team meeting and, while not going into it too deeply, I just tried to give the team a sense of perspective. Gary Ballance was third to go for England on the first morning  as he was dismissed by Jason Holder . It's difficult at times when you are in the bubble to remember what it means to be an England cricketer and I tried to emphasise that it is important, but you have to try to play down in your mind quite how important it is and enjoy the journey. And when England were 34 for three, I was receiving a lot of comments in the commentary box about my supposed motivational skills! I replied that I only actually spoke to the England middle order.
England close day one of first Test against West Indies on 341 for five .
Ian Bell, Joe Root and Ben Stokes all played well to lead the recovery .
England's top three were all dismissed cheaply to leave England in a hole .
When England were 34 for three I received a lot of comments about my supposed motivational skills. I replied that I only spoke to the middle order .
PAUL NEWMAN'S day one report from Antigua .