The West Indies defeated England by 5 wickets at Kensington Oval in Barbados inside three days to level their three match Test Series 1-1. Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood, both batted well to ensure the Caribbean team was not in any danger and got to their modest target of 192 runs comfortably. The pair shared a match winning 108 run partnership for the fifth wicket to help the home team to a famous win.
Bravo played one of the better innings of his test career, getting a start and bated with confidence and maturity when the England bowlers were really chasing wickets. Bravo made 82 off 148 balls, taking West Indies to well insight of victory, before he picked out mid wicket four runs shy of victory.
Bravo and Blackwood knew they had work to do coming together when the score read 80 for 4. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, had to march back to the pavillion after dragging James Anderson first ball after the tea break on to his wicket. England was on top at this time with the West Indies needing 112 runs to win with 6 wickets in hand.
West Indies could have found themselves in deeper trouble when Blackwood went down the pitch to a delivery from Joe Root and missed, but Jos Butler failed to gather the ball. England did not have any more real chances as both batsmen batted with confidence and found runs easy to come by as they closed in on the target.
Bravo who has always been able to get starts but failed to capitalize majority of the times, did not pass up this opportunity as he played with patience and trusted his technique. England bowled six consecutive maidens and applied pressure on the West Indies but only had the wicket of Marlon Samuels, who was brilliantly bowled by Stuart Broad just before tea. Bravo stayed focused and brought up his 11th half century in Test cricket off 116 balls.
West Indies took control through Bravo and Blackwood as they attacked the England bowlers with the target nearer in sight. Bravo was the more aggressive of the two has he played some really good shots. First he hit the first ball after tea from Root for six then lofted Moeen Ali straight down the ground twice.
The result was welcomed by the West Indies camp and coach Phil Simmons must be elated to see his team fighting back and the youngsters showing their is something good on for the future of West Indies cricket. The England Cricket board (ECB) would be very disappointed not to able to win the series and it is going to make their trip back home very long.
England had the better conditions to bat in after winning the toss and opted to bat first, but failed to capitalize and were bundled out for 257. Alastair Cook century in the first innings was not enough to hold off the West Indies from securing a win after they bowled out the English’s for 123 in the second innings.
Captain Alastair Cook was left with almost no option after the West Indies were attacking Moeen Ali and Joe Root could only tighten the screws but was unable to make a break through. Moeen Ali removed Kraigg Brathwaite with Chris Jordan taking a beauty of a catch at slip, but he was too inconsistent with his line and length and was easy pickings fir the West Indies batsman. James Anderson was force to come back on for a second spell early and he did some damage when he had the wicket of Chanderpaul.
Stuart Broad had a excellent spell before tea and was bowling fast but was just able to get the single wicket of Marlon Samuels. Chris Jordan gave his team the break through when he had Shai Hope leg before wicket with a pitched up inswinger but did not do any more damage to the West Indies batting.
Jerome Taylor,Jason Holder and Versammy Permaul really took it to the English batsmen and all three bowler had three wickets to their name, bowling out England for 123. England had only themselves to blame. After having so much time left in the match to bat, they choose to get runs quickly and gave away their wicket cheaply.
Final scores: England 257 all out in the first innings and West Indies 189 all out. Englnad 123 all in the second innings and West Indies 194/5.
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