This is the last test match of the three-match series between England and West Indies at Kingston Oval, where in the first innings, the home team, i.e., England, has scored over 500 runs in which the captain has scored a brilliant century in front of the West Indies fast bowling attack with the support of one of the world’s best all-rounders, Ben Stokes, who is coming back after a long time in cricket.
This break has helped him to get back to his old attacking form, which has helped him enjoy the games in this series. He is back in form with 120 runs in 128 balls with a strike rate of 90 plus hitting 11 fours and sixes, and taking one wicket in the second innings, proving to the world that he is England’s best all-rounder till now.
WEST INDIES BRAITHWAITE AND BLACKWOOD DOES MAGIC
Instead of centuries and runs on a good batting pitch, we can expect to see this in the first innings with captain Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Strokes. England bowled with control and enthusiasm, getting 4 wickets early, but these two players choked them with their 183-stand partnership dealing in boundaries.
In all, Braithwaite played a brilliant inning in front of England’s fast bowling attack. He brought up his 10th century and his first at his home ground, Barbados.
Brathwaite has come in for criticism over the years for batting too slowly, but here he once again proved his worth as he brought up his century off 274 deliveries. In doing so, he briefly took ownership of a curious stat, becoming the player with the lowest average score of the ten Test centuries.
At a press conference, he said “I always love batting with Kraig,” Blackwood said. “He’s the captain of the team, and I’m vice-captain, so whenever we correspond at the crease, we always tell each other we want to bat as long as possible and score as many runs as possible.”
For Blackwood, it was just his third century in a 45-match career that has spanned almost eight years.
Blackwood’s innings was not without fortune. If England had chosen to review, he would have been out LBW on nought, and he was bowled on 65, only for what would have been Saqib Mahmood’s maiden Test wicket to be ruled out after he overstepped. But luck was on Jermaine’s side, and seeing the relief on his face as he reached three figures revealed a man who, despite his eccentricities, takes pride in his work just like anyone else. It was a century marked by both chance and foresight.
“Very emotional,” Blackwood said of the moment. Coming into this game, I felt a bit of pressure. The captain and my teammates had faith in me, but I felt under pressure, wanting to score runs for my team. It felt very good. I cried after I got my century because I knew how special it was.
I like playing against England. I had my first century against them. Coming into this series, I knew it was going to be challenging. I didn’t score any runs in the first game, so I told myself, “I have to score big for my team.”
A sign of England’s frustrations came in a heated exchange between Blackwood and Ben Stokes, with the umpires stepping in. But rather than unsettling Blackwood, it seemed to have the opposite effect.
For a long time, Ben Stokes always liked to come at me with a bit of banter, “he said. I love it. I think it’s good for cricket. I don’t have a problem with it. That boosts my confidence, as well, whenever I hear someone talking to me. It got me to stay more focused, so I’m really glad he did that. “
