Kraigg Brathwaite

In nine Tests, the 23-year-old Trinidadian has scored 372 runs at an average of 23.25 and has two half-centuries to his credit. He made his debut against New Zealand in Wellington in December 2020, making 57 in the West Indies second innings.

Scores of 42, 20, 92 and 20 followed against Bangladesh in February this year as well as 46 against Sri Lanka in March.

The 42 was made in the first innings of the first Test at Chattogram during a 99-run sixth-wicket stand with Jermaine Blackwood and his second innings 20 was made in a 100-run sixth-wicket stand with Man of the Match Kyle Mayers.

In the second Test at Dhaka, Da Silva made 92 and featured in a sixth-wicket partnership of 88 with Nkrumah Bonner which was followed by a seventh-wicket partnership of 118 with Alzarri Joseph, notwithstanding that latter’s contribution of 71 as the West Indies secured a 2-0 series win.

Since that time, Da Silva’s form has dipped significantly.

He had scores of 1 and 20 in the second Test against Sri Lanka in March and followed in June with a disastrous series against South Africa against which he had scores of 0, 9, 7 and 0 and then 21, 13, 6 and 15 against Pakistan in August.

However, his form away has been more encouraging averaging 39 while his home average is just under 14.

Asked during a recent press conference, asked whether he was concerned about the form of his wicketkeeper, who has played major roles in match-winning partnerships in Bangladesh earlier this year, Simmons said the good news is that Da Silva seems to bat better away than at home.

“A dip like that is always a concern but his away form is a lot better than his home form so we hope that that is not a coincidence and that that is a strength of his, so we are away now and hopefully he lives up to how he started the year. Hopefully, he finishes the year like that,” Simmons said.

Brathwaite, meanwhile, believes Da Silva would see a return to form with the right type of support from the team's leadership.

“He has been doing a superb job in times before with some very important partnerships. One of the keys to situations like this, for me, is making sure you have good communication with him, just let him know that he can do it, it’s as simple as that and for him to believe in himself,” Brathwaite said.

“I know he is fully capable of doing well. Obviously, we all go through little slumps. We all still learning as players but I think he has been putting in some good work and we look forward to him doing well.”

 The first Test begins at the Galle International Stadium on November 21.

Much like West Indies batsmen had no response to Gus Atkinson's precision in the first Test at Lord's, the Caribbean side's bowlers did little to slow England's batting onslaught on this occasion, though it was not for a lack of trying. This, as several chances were squandered in the field, and England rode their wave of fortune to post a daunting 416 all out.

Ollie Pope, who was dropped twice on 46 and 54 by Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze, plundered 121 from 165 deliveries. His knock, which had 15 boundaries and a solitary six, was backed by Ben Duckett's 59-ball 71 and captain Ben Stokes, who made 69.

Alzarri Joseph got three for 98, as Kavem Hodge (2-44), Jayden Seales (2-90), and Kevin Sinclair (2-73), a late addition for Gudakesh Motie, who woke up feeling ill, picked up the other wickets.

With the batsmen having done their part, the England bowlers will be basking in the prospects of possibly ending this contest within three days and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Scores: England 416 all out (88.3 overs)

After winning the toss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was optimistic of an improved bowling performance, and he would have relished his decision when Alzarri Joseph removed Zak Crawley with the third ball of the innings. However, Pope and Duckett pelted the boundary in a 105-run second wicket stand, but that was eventually broken when Shamar Joseph had the latter caught by Holder, who took four catches in total.

Joe Root (14) and Harry Brook (36) had brief stays in the middle, but Stokes and Pope added a further 80 runs for the fifth wicket to keep West Indies pinned against the proverbial ropes.

Pope was inevitably removed by Alzarri Joseph with England at 281-5, while Stokes' entertaining knock was ended by Kavem Hodge.

Jamie Smith (36) and Chris Woakes (37) chipped in with quickfire scores too, with Shoaib Bashir's dismissal in the final over of play bookending a fantastic first day for England.

Data Debrief: Speedy Duckett into the history books

Duckett needed just 32 deliveries to reach a half-century, as he kept up a pace mostly seen in T20Is.

It is the third-quickest 50 for England in their Test history, with Duckett drawing level with Ian Botham's effort against New Zealand in 1986. 

Jonny Bairstow is second on that list (30 v New Zealand in 2022), with the legendary Botham leading the way (28 v India in 1981).

After scoring a paltry 209 in their first innings, the Pride hit back by skittling out the Red Force for just 175 before returning to the crease to rack up 342 and put pressure on the visitors who are now struggling at 48-4.

When the Pride bat for a second time, Kraigg Brathwaite scored 58, Sheyne Moseley had a wonderful knock of 155, and Kevin Stoute chipped in with an important 55.

Jeremy Solozano, with an even 50, was the only person to lay down a significant mark on the scoreboard in the Red Force’s 175.

On Sunday morning, Joshua Da Silva, on 23, and Yannic Cariah, on 12, will resume batting for the Red Force with Solozano, 5, Yannick Ottley, 1, Jason Mohammed, 5, and Denesh Ramdin, 0, all back in the pavilion.

Kemar Roach, 2-25, and Chemar Holder, 2-13, have been the destroyers so far.

Roach and Holder had bagged two wickets when they bowled to the Red Force the first time out, providing good support to Keon Harding, who had ended with 5-57.

The Hurricanes started day three 98-1 off 32.1 overs after being asked to follow-on by the Bajans and eventually made 311 all out off 101.2 overs.

Mikyle Louis got his second half century of the match with a 194-ball 80 including eight fours and two sixes while Keacy Carty, who scored 127 in the first innings, followed that up with 69 off 112 balls including five fours and a six.

Hayden Walsh Jr also contributed well with 60 from 92 balls including four fours and three sixes.

Roston Chase, who got a hundred with the bat, completed an excellent all-round performance with 7-67 off 33.2 overs to finish with a match haul of 10-104.

Needing just 58 to win, Barbados lost only one wicket on the way to their target. They finished 58-1 off 10.4 overs with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite, who hit 189 in the first innings, finishing 30*.

Full Scores: Barbados Pride 542-9 declared off 143 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 189, Roston Chase 127, Zachary McCaskie 101, Rakheem Cornwall 5-132) & 58-1 off 10.4 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 30*)

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 288 all out off 93.2 overs (Keacy Carty 127, Jewel Andrew 53, Mikyle Louis 52, Roston Chase 3-47, Shaquille Cumberbatch 3-48) & 311 all out off 101.2 overs (Mikyle Louis 80, Keacy Carty 69, Hayden Walsh Jr 60, Kieran Powell 52, Roston Chase 7-67).

The Trinidad & Tobago Red Force also completed a 123-run win over the Combined Campuses & Colleges on day four at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground.

CCC started the day 67-1 off 21 overs, needing a further 382 runs for victory.

Despite fighting knocks from Damel Evelyn (73), Demario Richards (66), Shamarh Brooks (62) and Romario Greaves (47), the target proved to be too much as they were eventually dismissed for 325 in 108.3 overs.

Bryan Charles and Khary Pierre did the bulk of the damage for the Red Force with 4-46 from 23.3 overs and 3-90 from 40 overs, respectively.

Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 591-7 declared off 123 overs (Amir Jangoo 218, Jason Mohammed 157, Joshua Da Silva 79, Amari Goodridge 5-92) & 95-2 off 17 overs (Jason Mohammed 41*, Amir Jangoo 34*)

Combined Campuses & Colleges 238 all out off 77 overs (Yannick Ottley 56*, Kamil Pooran 40, Anderson Phillip 5-71, Bryan Charles 2-30, Terrance Hinds 2-43) & 325 all out off 108.3 overs (Damel Evelyn 73, Demario Richards 66, Shamarh Brooks 62, Romario Greaves 47, Bryan Charles 4-46, Khary Pierre 3-90).

First at Sabina Park where the Pride had the Jamaica Scorpions reeling in their second innings at 220-8 off 63 overs at stumps, a lead of just 100 runs.

The Pride had earlier amassed 389 all out off 120 overs after starting the day 315-6. Kraigg Brathwaite, who entered Friday 129* wound up making 142 while Shane Dowrich finished with 44 after entering the day 19*.

Derval Green ended up with 4-78 off 31 overs while Peat Salmon picked up 3-94 from 34 overs for the hosts.

Jamaica’s second innings saw a number of batsmen get off to good starts but none were able to get a big score. Abhijai Mansingh has led the way with 54, his fourth first-class fifty, while Leroy Lugg (43), Kirk McKenzie (39) and Carlos Brown (35) also chipped in.

Debutant Shaquille Cumberbatch has led the charge with the ball for the Pride with 4-22 off nine overs while Kevin Wickham has picked up 2-26 from seven overs.

Full Scores: Jamaica Scorpions269 all out off 78.4 overs (Romaine Morris 97*, Carlos Brown 40, Kirk McKenzie 40, Jomel Warrican 5-62, Jair McAllister 3-69) & 220-8 off 63 overs (Abhijai Mansingh 54, Leroy Lugg 43, Kirk McKenzie 39, Carlos Brown 35, Shaquille Cumberbatch 4-22, Kevin Wickham 2-26)

Barbados Pride 389 all out off 120 overs(Kraigg Brathwaite 142, Kevin Wickham 63, Shane Dowrich 44, Jonathan Drakes 31, Derval Green 4-78, Peat Salmon 3-94)

Elsewhere in Jamaica, at Chedwin Park in St. Catherine to be exact, the Combined Campuses and Colleges ended day three 271-6 in their second innings, leading the Windward Islands Volcanoes by just 80 runs.

The Windwards, after entering Friday 359-8 off 100 overs, went on to post an imposing 395 all out off 105.4 overs in their first innings.

Kavem Hodge, who entered the day 131*, carried his bat through the innings on his way to a career best 158* off 251 balls including 16 fours and a six.

Romario Greaves ended up with 5-142 off 38 overs for the CCC.

With the bat, Jonathan Carter almost got his second century of the season, being dismissed for 94 to lead the CCC second innings scoring, so far.

Greaves, who is having a fine all-round showing, ended day three on 62* off 117 balls including five fours and two sixes.

Earlier, opener Damel Evelyn followed up his 43 in the first innings with 56 in the second.

Shamar Springer has taken 2-33 in 13 overs for the Volcanoes.

Full Scores:Combined Campuses & Colleges 204 all out off 71.3 overs (Demario Richards 46, Damel Evelyn 43, Darel Cyrus 6-72, Gilon Tyson 3-32) & 271-6 off 81 overs (Jonathan Carter 94, Romario Greaves 62*, Damel Evelyn 56, Shamar Springer 2-33)

Windward Islands Volcanoes 395 all out off 105.4 overs(Kavem Hodge 158*, Sunil Ambris 120, Romario Greaves 5-142, Jediah Blades 2-35, Govasta Edmond 2-54)

Moving to the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua where the defending champions, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are on the brink of a dominant victory over the West Indies Academy.

The Harpy Eagles entered Friday 165-5 off 65 overs, leading the Academy by 178 runs. They went on to pile up a massive 415-7 declared leaving the Academy needing a massive 429 to win.

Kevin Sinclair, the hero with the ball in the first innings, led the way with a magnificent 165* off 182 balls, his first century in first-class cricket, including 26 fours. Kemol Savory also batted well for a 68-ball 58 including eight fours and a six.

Ronaldo Ali Mohamed and Veerasammy Permaul also provided useful cameos at the end of the innings with 318 and 29*, respectively.

Ashmead Nedd was the pick of the bowlers for the Academy with 5-97 off 45 overs.

At stumps, the Academy reached 161-7 off 40 overs, needing a further 268 runs for victory on Saturday.

West Indies Under-19 representative Jordan Johnson led the way with 54 against 3-32 off eight overs from Isai Thorne, who also represented the West Indies at the recently concluded ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa. Sinclair has also picked up 2-30 from 11 overs in the second innings.

Full Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 175 all out off 54.3 overs (Ronaldo Ali Mohamed 30, Matthew Nandu 28, Joshua James 4-43, Johann Layne 2-27, Joshua Bishop 2-31) & 415-7 dec. off 112.1 overs (Kevin Sinclair 165*, Kemol Savory 58, Kevlon Anderson 49, Ashmead Nedd 5-97)

West Indies Academy 162 all out off 49 overs (Rashawn Worrell 58, Joshua Bishop 51, Kevin Sinclair 4-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-15, Gudakesh Motie 3-31) & 161-7 off 40 overs (Jordan Johnson 54, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 34, Isai Thorne 3-32, Kevin Sinclair 2-30)

Finally, we go to Warner Park in St. Kitts where the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force were 285-6 at stumps on day three, leading the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 104 runs.

The Red Force entered the day 48-0 off 18 overs replying to the Hurricanes first innings total of 318.

Jyd Goolie continued his good form with the bat this season with 64 to lead the Red Force charge so far.

Jason Mohammed (49), Tion Webster (38), Cephas Cooper (36), Terrance Hinds (34) and Captain Joshua Da Silva (32) all got starts but weren’t able to carry on to a big score.

Rakheem Cornwall has led the Hurricanes bowling do far with 3-56 off 29 overs while Jeremiah Louis has picked up 2-70 from 18 overs.

Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 137 all out off 60.2 overs (Jyd Goolie 30, Collin Archibald 3-28, Jeremiah Louis 3-38, Rakheem Cornwall 2-5, Daniel Doram 2-32) & 285-6 off 108 overs (Jyd Goolie 64, Jason Mohammed 49, Tion Webster 38, Cephas Cooper 36, Terrance Hinds 34, Joshua Da Silva 32, Rakheem Cornwall 3-56)

Leeward Islands Hurricanes 318 all out off 98.2 overs (Jewel Andrew 87, Kieran Powell 65, Jeremiah Louis 41, Mikyle Louis 32, Anderson Phillip 4-62, Brian Charles 3-81)

The West Indies, after starting the day 145-4, were eventually dismissed for 233 in 91.5 overs, trailing South Africa by 124, after the day’s first two sessions were rained out.

Jason Holder and Kavem Hodge, the not our batsmen overnight heading into the day, made 36 and 25, respectively while Jomel Warrican made a significant contribution with 35* batting at number 10.

Maharaj was causing consistent problems for the West Indies batsmen, eventually taking 4-76 off an impressive 40 overs while Rabada took 3-56 off 18 overs.

At stumps, South Africa reached 30-0 off five overs in their second innings, leading the West Indies by 154 runs. Tony de Zorzi was 14* and Aiden Markram 9*.

Full Scores:

South Africa 357 off 117.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 86, Tony de Zorzi 78, Wiaan Mulder 41*, Kyle Verreynne 39, Jomel Warrican 4-69, Jayden Seales 3-67, Kemar Roach 2-53) & 30-0 off 5 overs

West Indies 233 off 91.5 overs (Keacy Carty 42, Jason Holder 36, Kraigg Brathwaite 35, Mikyle Louis 35, Jomel Warrican 35*, Keshav Maharaj 4-76, Kagiso Rabada 3-56)

Bangladesh carried on from their overnight 50-2 to reach 245 all out off 90.5 overs thanks to Captain Shakib Al Hasan who got his second fifty in the match with 63 and wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan who got 64. Opener Mahmudul Hasan Joy earlier got 42.

Roach, who now has 249 Test wickets, was brilliant for the hosts with 5-53 off 24.5 overs while Alzarri Joseph and Kyle Mayers supported well with 3-55 from 19 overs and 2-30 from 13 overs, respectively.

The hosts, needing 84 to win, got off to a terrible start and were 9-3 after four overs, losing captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Nkrumah Bonner, and Raymon Reifer in quick succession.

Opener John Campbell (28 not out) and vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood (17 not out) then combined to ensure the hosts lost no more wickets, ending the day 49-3 off 15 overs, needing a further 35 runs for a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Khaled Ahmed took all three wickets for Bangladesh.

Roach grabbed figures of 4-64 from 13 overs to help restrict Warwickshire to 161 all out in 44.3 overs replying to Surrey’s first innings total of 396.

Michael Burgess led the way for Warwickshire with 54 while West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite made 16.

Roach’s new ball partner, Daniel Worrall, provided excellent support with 3-34 from 12 overs while Tom Lawes took 2-27 off 6.3 overs.

At stumps on day two, Warwickshire were 126-7 off 33 overs following on. Dan Mousley ended the day 60* off 70 balls. Kraigg Brathwaite followed up his first innings 16 with nine.

Worrall (3-17 from seven) and Jordan Clark (3-22 from six) have done most of the damage so far in the second innings.

Scores: Surrey 396 off 109.4 overs (Ben Foakes 125, Cameron Steel 71, Dom Sibley 65, Jamie Smith 60)

Warwickshire 161 off 44.3 overs (Michael Burgess 54, Kemar Roach 4-64, Daniel Worrall 3-34) & 126-7 off 33 overs (Dan Mousley 60*, Daniel Worrall 3-17, Jordan Clark 3-22)

Roach was the undisputed star of the series, with the ball, when the West Indies defeated England 2-1 in the Caribbean last year.  Figures of 5 for 17, 4 for 52, and 4 for 48 routinely found a place on the scorecard for the pace bowler.

So far, in the current England series, Roach has caused a few uncomfortable moments for the England batsman but is yet to secure any kind of breakthrough.  The bowler has nonetheless enjoyed good spells.  In the first innings of the first Test, despite not claiming a wicket, Roach conceded just 41 runs in 19 overs for an economy rate of 2.15.  In the second, he went for 50 off 22 overs, an economy rate of 2.27.  On both occasions, the bowler was second to only Windies captain Jason Holder, in terms of economy rate.

In the second Test so far, Roach has bowled 20 overs with 5 maidens, while conceding 38 runs.  Brathwaite, however, backs the player to make a breakthrough soon.

“I think in the areas he bowled he was just a little bit unlucky (to not get a wicket).  Once he keeps up that pressure, I’m sure he will get wickets tomorrow (Friday),” Brathwaite said.

The Pride were devastating with the ball, restricting the Jaguars to under 100 in both innings, the hosts scoring 55 and 94. While the Pride didn’t cover themselves with glory when they bat either, their 174 and 210 were more than enough.

When the Pride bat first, they had no answer to Keemo Paul, whose 3-61 led the way. They didn’t have many responses to Romario Shepherd (2-15), or Raymon Reifer (2-19).

But if the Pride had no answer to the trio, the Jaguars didn’t even understand the questions Roach, who bagged 5-20 and Holder, who had 4-24, were asking.

The two helped reduce the Jaguars to 54 before going back to bat where they fared a little better in the runs column but still could not deal with the pace and guile of Paul, who had 4-52. Kevin Sinclair, 2-28, and Christopher Barnwell, 2-26, were also markedly difficult for the Pride to negotiate, who benefitted from Kraigg Brathwaite’s 84 and Jonathan Carter’s 43.

In the first innings, Brathwaite had scored an important 48.

With a lead of 329, Roach and Co set to work again.

Roach ended with 4-40, while Chemar Holder got in on the act with 2-29.

Jason Holder had an easy afternoon, bowling just four overs, with 1-10.

Carter was also in the thick of things, taking 3-13.

Root declared with the tourists 185-5 after batting on during a morning session on day five that included short delays due to rain in Barbados.

The Windies were never likely to chase down a target of 282 to win, but Brathwaite led by example with 56 not out after making 160 in a marathon first innings, to frustrate England with support from Joshua Da Silva (30no) and Jermaine Blackwood (27).

West Indies batted out 65 overs and were 135-5 when Root shook hands with Brathwaite, setting up a series decider in Grenada.

Opener Brathwaite set a record for the most balls faced by a West Indies batsman in a single Test – 673 – on the back of his incredible first-innings vigil.

Jack Leach took 3-26 and debutant Saqib Mahmood 2-21 on the last day as England were unable to force a victory, having also failed to bowl West Indies out on day five in Antigua.

Root had no regrets about not ending England's second innings earlier in the day.

He said in the post-match presentation: "It's always a tricky one. With how small this ground is and how strong the winds are, a couple of overs of someone coming off – you don't want to make it too close."

Root praised spinner Leach, who racked up 94.5 overs in the match on a flat pitch.

"It's really pleasing to see Jack play the way he has. You can see how much he enjoys it out there," Root said. "He's bowling with great control and looks threatening. It's great to see him find his feet and look comfortable at this level."

Marathon man Brathwaite was delighted by the fight his side showed under pressure.

He said: "I thought it was a tremendous effort. England bowled extremely well. It was good as a team we could fight and put 400 back. Fighting at the end, that is the attitude we want."

Brathwaite wants to see a surface in Grenada that will give the Windies paceman more of an opportunity to do damage.

He added: "We put in a very big effort, but we want a result in the last Test. We have to see what they produce [the pitch for the final Test] but let's hope it has something for the pacers."

Though West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash in that ICC World Test Championship series, Seales emerged as a standout performer, as he earned the player of the series award for his 13 wickets snared across all three games.

That performance saw the 22-year-old Trinidadian move seven places up to a career-best 26th position, joining teammate Jason Holder, who held firm in that position.

Veteran seamer Kemar Roach remains the top-ranked West Indies bowler at 17th, with Alzarri following Seales and Holder as the next best-ranked player at 31st. Kyle Mayers (37th), Shannon Gabriel (43rd), Gudakesh Motie (52^nd), Roston Chase (59^th), Shamar Joseph (64^th), Jomel Warrican (66^th), and Rahkeem Cornwall (82^nd) are the other Caribbean bowlers in the top 100.

On the batting chart, Hodge inched up three places to 72nd, following a credible display in the three-match series. The 31-year-old Dominican tallied 216 runs, including a maiden Test century.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite remains the highest-ranked West Indies batsman at 41st, with out-of-favor Jermaine Blackwood slipping to 52^nd. Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua da Silva (62^nd), Holder (70^th), Mayer (76^th), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (86^th), and Roston Chase (92^nd) are also in the top 100.

Meanwhile, England batter Joe Root reclaimed the number one Test batting position after scoring 87 in the first innings of the third and final match against West Indies in Birmingham, which his side won by 10 wickets.

This is Root’s ninth stint as number one. His first tenure at the top of the rankings commenced in August 2015, and he was last at the top in June last year after a fine performance in the opening match of the Ashes series, also in Birmingham.

While Root overtook Kane Williamson to take the top spot, Babar Azam, Daryl Mitchell, Steve Smith, and Rohit Sharma have all gained a spot each as Harry Brook slipped to seventh position after attaining a career-best third position last week.

In the weekly update to the rankings that also takes into consideration performances in the Ireland versus Zimbabwe Test in Belfast, England captain Ben Stokes, who struck 54 in the first innings in Birmingham and a quickfire 57 not out off 28 balls in the second, has moved up four positions to 30^th in the batting rankings.

Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has re-entered the rankings in 33^rd position after scores of 35 and 40, while England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s knock of 95 has lifted him 31 places to 64^th position.

England fast bowler Mark Wood’s Player of the Match performance of two for 52 and five for 40 has lifted him into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time in his career.

Gus Atkinson of England (up four places to 46^th), Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe (re-entered in 50th position), and Mark Adair of Ireland (up three places to 63^rd) are other notable gainers in the bowling rankings.

Brathwaite, who took charge of the regional squad after Holder and several others opted out of the tour, after citing health and safety concerns, has widely been credited for unifying the team under difficult circumstances.

Holder, on the other hand, has had a difficult spell in charge over the last several months with lopsided losses to England and New Zealand.  Albeit triumphing against more lowly ranked opposition, Murray believes Brathwaite was able to pull exceptional performances out of the squad and is in favour of keeping momentum.

 “It is something that you have to talk about very seriously.  I do not discard Kraigg Brathwaite as Test captain automatically,” Murray told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“You need to look at the team that we are going to put together, and if it is that there is going to be four or five players from this (Bangladesh tour) team there is a strong case for doing that (retaining Brathwaite),” he added.

“There is a strong case for saying to Jason Holder ‘come back, don’t have the pressures of captaincy on you.  You are going to be the central all-rounder in this team.  You are going to bat at six, we need you to attack as a bowler, be a wicket-taking bowler, not a containing bowler as the fourth seamer in the team, and therefore we need to have the best available team at that time.”

“The team who is coming with the confidence of just being successful.  Rallying around the team that we are going to build for the next three or four months because we have two or three series coming up in quick succession.  We have to make sure we are doing that and that we don’t suddenly say ‘yep these players have done it but we are not putting too much emphasis on that.”

The young fast bowler's seven-wicket haul on the fourth day turned the tide, securing not only the Test match but also tied the series 1-1. It was the West Indies first Test victory in Australia since 1997. Joseph, who had figures of 1-56 and 7-68 in the match, took total of 13 wickets during the two Tests and was awarded the Richie Benaud Medal as Player of the Series.

Riding the high of his extraordinary feat, the 24-year-old Guyanese fast bowler, who bowled unchanged for 11.5 overs on the final day, expressed gratitude for his teammates' support and the medical intervention that enabled him to play through the pain after being struck on the big toe by a Mitchell Starc yorker the night before.

The young bowler, who had contemplated skipping the remainder of the match, said he stuck to the basics that brought him the rewards.

"Shout out for my teammates for their support. I wasn't even going to come to the ground today. But the doctor did something to my toe. I don't know what he did. But it worked. I just stuck to the basics. Stuck to the top of off. I feel like we win the entire series by winning this Test. Shout out to my teammates for their support. I cried for my five-wicket haul but I'm so happy now. I'm not even tired. I would have kept bowling," exclaimed Joseph.

The elation was shared by the West Indies captain, Kraigg Brathwaite, who seized the opportunity to respond to criticism from retired Australian Test cricketer Rodney Hogg. Hogg had labeled the West Indies team as 'pathetic and hapless.' Brathwaite, flexing his biceps, challenged Hogg's assessment and credited it as motivation for his team's spirited fightback.

"We won a Test match in Australia. It does a lot for West Indies cricket. It means a lot. It's been a number of years since we've won a Test match here. But my message to the group is that this is the beginning. It's amazing, we enjoy this, but this has to continue. I'm extremely proud,” Brathwaite declared.

“I must say we had two words that inspired us in this Test match. Mr. Rodney Hogg said that we were 'pathetic and hopeless.' That was our inspiration. We wanted to show the world we're not pathetic.”

Brathwaite then singled out Joseph for his remarkable performance.

“I knew I had Shamar probably an hour before play. The doctor said he got an injection and he's quite good and then he told me he's going to do it. I had to back him. He's a superstar and I know he'll do great things for West Indies in the future. Just his belief. It's a great example for this team to follow. As I said, this is the beginning. We have to continue and play with heart and keep fighting for West Indies. I would love more Test cricket for sure," declared Brathwaite.

The final day's play saw Steven Smith standing as the lone barrier against Joseph's onslaught. Smith's unbeaten 91, however, wasn't enough to save Australia as Joseph dismissed key batters in quick succession, setting up an intense and nail-biting finish.

 Resuming from their overnight total of 60-3 with Steve Smith on 30 and Cameron Green on nine, Australia appeared to be cruising towards the target of 216 at 113 for 2 until Joseph struck with the wickets of Cameron Green and Travis Head in consecutive deliveries.

He then dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Alex Carey as Australia lost 4 for 23.

Joseph claimed his second five-wicket haul in as many matches by dismissing Mitchell Starc, who had briefly counterattacked.

Joseph, who had sunk to his knees with his head on the ground pushed through the pain and exhaustion to nick off Pat Cummins.

The umpires extended play 20 minutes after Joseph dismissed Cummins, but neither he or Alzarri Joseph could not get through Smith and Lyon. After the break Alzarri dismissed Lyon with Australia still needing 27.

Joseph would not be denied and flattened Josh Hazlewood’s off stump too see the underdogs claim a famous victory.

In the first innings, Brathwaite made 94 off 268 balls, batting for 400 minutes in the process.

“There’s not much to tell as a batsman because I think everybody’s seen his determination and unique style,” Simmons said in an interview after the match.

“He doesn’t have a problem being there for five days and doing his job which is unique because a lot of batsmen nowadays want to play shots and be done with it but, from his point of view, he wants to be there all the time for his team and that rolls into the captaincy,” he added.

Since being named permanent Captain in March 2021, Brathwaite has led the team to a series win against England and drawn series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“He seems to be growing into the role as we go along,” Simmons said.

“He’s not loud but the players know what he wants in his unique way. He makes them understand what he wants from them,” he added.

Brathwaite’s next assignment will be to lead the team to victory in the second test against Bangladesh which begins on Friday at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St. Lucia.

The hosts won the toss and decided to bowl first, a decision which proved to be correct as the tourists were, at one point, struggling mightily at 45-6 after 15 overs of play with three top-order batsmen being removed without scoring. 

They eventually recorded six ducks in total as a fighting 51 from captain Shakib Al Hasan and 29 from opener Tamim Iqbal helped the Bangladeshis stumble to 103 all out after just 32.5 overs.

Jayden Seales (3-33 from 10 overs), Alzarri Joseph (3-33 from 8.5 overs), Kemar Roach (2-21 from eight overs) and Kyle Mayers (2-10 from five overs) were the wicket-takers for the hosts.

In their reply, the Windies ended the day 95-2 off 48 overs, trailing Bangladesh by just eight runs. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite (42) and Nkrumah Bonner (12) are the batsmen at the crease while John Campbell (24) and Raymon Reifer (11) are the batsmen dismissed so far.

Pacers Mustafizur Rahman and Ebadot Hossain took the wickets.

 At the Sir Frank Worrell Ground in St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force dominated proceedings against Combined Colleges and Campuses, amassing a formidable 374-4 by stumps. Jason Mohammed led the charge with a magnificent 157, laced with 22 boundaries, before departing late in the day. Amir Jangoo provided solid support with an unbeaten 151, guiding Trinidad and Tobago towards a commanding position. Opener Kjorn Ottley's contribution of 47 earlier in the innings set the tone for the Red Force's batting onslaught.

 Initially, Amari Goodridge posed a threat for Combined Colleges and Campuses, claiming key wickets including Ottley and Vikash Mohan early on. However, Mohammed and Jangoo's partnership proved unyielding, frustrating the opposition bowlers and propelling their team to a dominant position at the close of play. Goodridge finished the day with commendable figures of 3-37.

 Over at the Queen’s Park Oval, Barbados Pride batters also shone brightly against Leeward Islands Hurricanes, posting a respectable 248-3 at stumps. Kraigg Brathwaite anchored the innings with an unbeaten 117 off 275 deliveries, while Zachary McCaskie notched his maiden List A century with an aggressive 101 from 148 balls. Their opening partnership laid a solid foundation until Justin Greaves broke through by dismissing McCaskie.

 Despite Rahkeem Cornwall's efforts for Leeward Islands, picking up crucial wickets including Raymon Reifer and Johnathan Drakes, Barbados remained in control by day's end. Cornwall finished with figures of 2-70, while Greaves contributed with 1-32.

 Meanwhile, at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua, the match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and West Indies Academy was impacted by rain. The Volcanoes were dismissed for 162, with Shamar Springer top-scoring with 31 runs. Joshua Bishop was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies Academy, claiming four wickets for 24 runs.

 In response, West Indies Academy struggled at 99-5 before rain interrupted play. Kadeem Alleyne was the top-scorer with 35 runs. Gilon Tyson made inroads with the ball for the Volcanoes, picking up 2 wickets for 30 runs.

Wicket-keeper/batsman Devon Thomas, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and fast bowler Anderson Phillip are the players set to make their West Indies senior Test debuts.

Meanwhile, experienced fast bowler Kemar Roach is to undergo a fitness assessment as he recovers from an injury sustained in the English County Championship with Surrey. If he is passed fit, he will be included as the 13th player in the Test squad.

Allrounder Jason Holder is unavailable for selection as CWI has granted his request for a period of rest and recovery. He will therefore miss Bangladesh’s all-format tour of the West Indies. Batter Tagenarine Chanderpaul and fast bowler Shermon Lewis have been selected as reserves.

Thomas has played 21 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and four T20 Internationals (T20Is) while Motie has so far played one T20I and was a reserve for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates last year.

Phillip was in the squad throughout the recent Apex Test Series victory against England but has not made his debut to date. He has featured in three ODIs, including last week’s 3-0 Series win against the Netherlands and is in the ODI squad for the ongoing ODI series in Pakistan. The Test squad also includes left-handed allrounder Raymon Reifer, who has one match on his record.

“Devon Thomas has been knocking on the door for quite some time. He has done extremely well in our franchise cricket system and we view this as a good opportunity to give him a go,” said lead selector Sir Desmond Haynes.

“You would notice that Raymon Reifer is also in the squad. He is another person that has done impressively well in the four-day competition and against England. So again, we are giving opportunities to guys who are performing.

“We think Gudakesh Motie is one of those guys who is also bowling well and we think it will be a good opportunity for him to be involved. We are looking to pick up World Test Championship points against Bangladesh which will be very important. It would be good for us to use our home advantage to win both Test matches and collect those points.”

The Selection Panel also named the CWI President’s XI to face the visitors in a three-day warm-up match at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua from Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12. The team will be captained by all-rounder Yannic Cariah.

“Yannic Cariah has captained Trinidad & Tobago at youth level and he was also the captain of the West Indies Emerging Players team which won the CG United Super50 Cup in 2019,” Haynes said.

 ‘We are looking at future leaders. We need to start identifying these persons as early as possible. While we will need some assistance from the territories as well, we want to make sure there are leaders we can identify and begin grooming for the future of West Indies cricket.”

Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain), Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain), Nkrumah Bonner, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Anderson Phillip, Raymon Reifer, Jayden Seales and Devon Thomas.

Reserves: Tagernarine Chanderpaul, Shermon Lewis

CWI President’s XI: Yannic Cariah (Captain), Colin Archibald, Alick Athanaze, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Bryan Charles, Roston Chase, Tevin Imlach, Jeremiah Louis, Preston McSween, Marquino Mindley, Jeremy Solozano and Jomel Warrican.

Solozano, who was expected to partner Brathwaite at the top of the order, had to be stretchered off on the first day of the opening Test after being hit flush on the helmet by a pull shot from Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne.

The young batsman was taken to the hospital for scans and remained overnight for observation, but the tests showed no further damage.  The player will, however, remain on concussion protocol for the next few days.  Solozano was replaced in the line-up by Shai Hope.

“It was a tough situation, but at least we heard he’s doing good, his scans came back good, and we’ll be supporting him 100 percent,” Brathwaite said.

As per CWI’s concussion policy, Solozano is expected to miss a minimum of seven (7) days. During this time, he will be monitored and evaluated before he can return.  The second match between the teams will take place between November 28 and December 3.

West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican has made a significant leap in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings, as he leads a group of Caribbean players who have inched up the charts after their performances in the recent Test series against Pakistan.