The West Indies will resume their first Innings in the third Test match at the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s, Grenada, on Saturday on 232/8 after bowling out England for 204.
There were distinct parallels between Friday’s play and what happened to England in their first innings on Thursday. The West Indies looked like getting bowled out cheaply, until the ball became softer and the tailenders were able to frustrate the bowlers.
The only difference was that it took England the best part of the first session to realise that pitching up on this pitch was not the answer and the key to success was to bang it in short.
By the time the message had got through, the first-wicket pair of Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell had already put 50 on the board. That could be decisive in what may prove to be a low-scoring match.
England still had hopes of claiming a first innings lead when they had West Indies at 177/8. But just like Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood had defied the West Indian bowlers the previous evening, Joshua Da Silva and Kemar Roach stepped up with an unbeaten stand of 55 for the ninth wicket. Da Silva finished the day on 54 and Roach on 25.
The West Indies already lead by 28, and any first-innings deficit greater than 60 may prove beyond the English unless their batting is substantially improved.
Fantasy Tips
• Back Da Silva and Roach. Not only will they bat, but will also produce wicketkeeping and bowling points respectively.
• Back the other West Indian bowlers as well.
• Back Root, the best batter from either side, to make amends for his first-innings duck.