When the West Indies arrived in England for a three-Take a look at collection, many observers questioned if their batsmen may give a proficient assault sufficient runs to play with. In the long run it was a process that proved past the vacationers’ top-order throughout a 2-1 reverse that noticed England regain the Wisden Trophy. The Caribbean facet struck first, profitable the primary Take a look at at Southampton by 4 wickets, with Jermaine Blackwood’s 95 anchoring their spectacular run-chase within the fourth innings of the match.
However it was a distinct story within the subsequent two matches at Previous Trafford, the place a fired-up Stuart Broad, controversially omitted from the collection opener, took 16 wickets — together with his 500th in Exams.
Going through Broad in English circumstances, the place he repeatedly makes the ball transfer off size, is one among world cricket’s tougher assignments.
However whereas the West Indies survived for 70.1 overs within the second innings of the second Take a look at, they had been all out in a mere 37.1 overs as England accomplished a 269-run win in Manchester on Tuesday.
Broad was reunited with new-ball accomplice James Anderson, England’s all-time main wicket-taker, within the third Take a look at and West Indies coach Phil Simmons mentioned that gave his facet a tough process.
“Wherever you go it may be powerful, in England’s it may be hardest with two bowlers (Anderson and Broad), one there in 600, one there in 500 wickets,” he mentioned.
Blackwood, Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamarh Brooks all twice reached fifty however none went on to succeed in three figures. In distinction, Ben Stokes and Dom Sibley scored important a whole lot for the house facet.
For all England’s excellence with the ball, there have been a number of self-inflicted wounds.
Shai Hope, who scored his solely two Take a look at a whole lot in opposition to England at Headingley three years in the past, gave his wicket away on Tuesday by mistiming a pull off Chris Woakes to mid-on — an attacking shot when the West Indies had been batting for a draw.
Batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer each declined invites to tour for a collection happening in opposition to the backdrop of the coronavirus.
Schedule stress
Even earlier than COVID-19, fashionable schedules had enormously diminished the variety of warm-up matches that enabled touring sides to regulate to native circumstances.
This time round, the West Indies needed to make do with a few intra-squad video games as a substitute.
The rise of profitable franchise Twenty20 tournaments imply a number of main West Indies cricketers now play little first-class cricket outdoors the Take a look at enviornment.
However it’s nonetheless solely a yr in the past since West Indies captain Jason Holder, an all-rounder, made an unbeaten double century and shared a stand of 295 with wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich throughout a 381-run win over England in Barbados.
When West Indies had been Take a look at cricket’s dominant drive within the 1970s and 1980s, lots of their gamers had been additionally English county regulars.
Opener Gordon Greenidge and quick bowler Malcolm Marshall confronted Take a look at team-mates Viv Richards, one among cricket’s biggest batsmen, and large fast Joel Garner when Hampshire performed Somerset.
An growing variety of worldwide matches and adjustments in laws led to restrictions on abroad stars, however from subsequent season the 18 first-class counties will once more be allowed to area two per facet.
“That might undoubtedly assist and provides our gamers publicity,” mentioned Holder of the prospect of renewed West Indian involvement in county cricket.
Promoted
“In the intervening time the (visa) guidelines for abroad gamers are stringent — you must play worldwide cricket to qualify as an abroad participant.
“But when we get extra gamers over right here it will put us in higher stead.”
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