England players joined their West Indian counterparts in taking a knee ahead of the first ball in Test cricket since lockdown.
In a powerful symbol of the black lives matter movement the Windies players also wore a black glove on their right hand that was raised in the air.
The symbolic gesture came following two periods of silence in remembrance of those who had died from Covid 19 and for Sir Everton Weekes, a giant of the game who passed away last week.
The teams had lined up in a semi-circle for the silences before dispersing into their usual fielding positions.
All the England players bar batsmen Dominic Sibley and Rory Burns left the field and placed themselves alongside support staff on the boundary edge.
With Kemar Roach ready to bowl umpire Richard Illingworth called play, then immediately took the knee and all the players and support staff followed on and off the field.
With international cricket returning for the first time in 117 days, a further delay of a few hours due to rain wasn't going to dampen the spirits.
And the Windies got off to the better start with an early appeal against Burns before Sibley left one from Shannon Gabriel that nipped back and clipped his off stump.
Indeed, there were just three overs of action before the rain returned and the players were forced to take their leave with the hosts first innings score standing at 1-1.
England's absent Test captain Joe Root was watching from home with the latest addition to his family - Isabella Florence - having left the bio-secure team bubble to attend the birth.
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