Chasing 173 for victory, the West Indies were bowled out for 163, a result that the Trinidadian agrees could have been different had better application been shown by a number of their batsmen.
Asked why the players, himself included, keep making those mistakes, Pooran said he simply did not know but pleaded for understanding as the team was still learning.
“To be honest, I really don’t have an answer. If we knew why we make mistakes then we would have the best team in the world by now, but it’s cricket,” Pooran said.
“We are learning on the job, so don’t be too hard on us.”
Explaining why he got out to Mohammad Nawaz going for a second consecutive six when the bowler had already conceded 14 runs, more than the required 10 runs an over, Pooran said: “I saw Nawaz as a match up. I thought to go after him but in saying that, getting 14 in the over, I felt like I didn’t have to play that shot off the last ball of the over when I could have just tried to start the next over, so knock it down and take single.
“So that’s why I felt it was a silly mistake from me because that’s something we talk about, we don’t want to be getting out on last balls if we don’t need to.”
He said Brooks, who got out trying to sweep similar to a shot he played in the first match when he was given out but survived after he called for a review, is still learning on the job and is still trying to find his feet in T20 cricket.
Both sides had already qualified for the Super 8s, but West Indies ensured they finished unbeaten in Group C, breaking a few records along the way.
Afghanistan had no answers to the co-hosts' dominant batting performance, with Johnson Charles getting 43 off 27 balls before Pooran plundered 98 off 53 balls, including six fours and eight sixes.
He was run out in the final over while searching for his century, but Shai Hope (25) and Rovman Powell (26) had already helped push West Insides towards the highest total of the tournament so far with 218-5.
West Indies did not let up during the Afghanistan chase, starting strongly when Akeal Hosein had Rashid Khan caught for a duck in a wicket maiden to start.
Obed McCoy was the standout though, as he took 3-14, including Ibrahim Zadran, who was starting to build some momentum with his 38, leaving Afghanistan all out for 114 with 22 balls remaining.
West Indies meet holders England in their first Super 8 match on Wednesday, while Afghanistan face India the following day.
Data Debrief: West Indies finish group in record-breaking style
West Indies' score of 218 was their highest-ever at the T20 World Cup, while they also registered the highest powerplay score with 92, beating the Netherlands' record of 91 against Ireland in 2014.
In the fourth over alone, they scored 36 runs - equalling the record for the most expansive over in men's T20s.
Pooran has scored the joint-most sixes in the tournament so far (13, along with USA's Aaron Jones), and has broken the record for the most sixes (128) in T20s for West Indies, going past Chris Gayle's 124.
His total of 98 was also the highest individual total at this World Cup, carrying him past 2000 runs in T20Is.
All in all, not a bad day for the West Indies.
The Windies currently lead their five-match T20 series against Australia, 3-1. So far, Pooran has made a total of 65 runs in three innings. He was run out in the first game for just 17 from 16 deliveries and did not bat in game 2. He had a better game 3 when he scored a responsible 32 not out from 27 deliveries to build a partnership with Chris Gayle that led the Windies to the series victory.
Despite that good performance in the previous game, Pooran was dismissed cheaply once again in game 4. With the West Indies chasing 190 to win, he was caught off the bowling of Mitchell Marsh for just 16 from 15 deliveries.
Pooran’s lack of form has been a concern for many West Indies cricket fans and analysts since the IPL earlier this year. The left-hander, who represents the Punjab Kings, only managed 28 runs from 7 matches before the tournament was halted due to the rising COVID cases in India. He was dismissed for a duck 4 times out of his 6 innings with his highest score being 19.
“I’m not worried about myself to be honest. You know I’m getting starts which is very important. A couple of months ago (during the IPL), I wasn’t even getting starts at all so I’m very thankful, very happy to actually be getting starts. So, I’m not worried about myself in all honesty,” Pooran told members of the media during a press conference on Thursday.
The West Indies will play the final game of their T20 series against Australia tonight at the Darren Sammy National Stadium in St Lucia. They will then move on to Barbados for a three-match ODI series.
In the end, the West Indies got to the line with quite a few deliveries to spare, in large part due to a steady 119 by opening batsman Shai Hope. Hope, however, also received plenty of support at the top of the order, including a 120-run partnership with Sharmarh Brooks for the first wicket.
Nkrumah Bonner didn’t add much to the total in the way o partnerships, after being dismissed without scoring and Pooran might also have done better after adding just 7. However, another strong partnership between Hope and Brandon King, who added 116 for the fourth wicket, saw the team well over the line. King added 58 for a maiden half-century.
“The way the batsmen went about it, the opening partnership of 100 plus, that was fantastic. That’s something we have been working on as a team, just trying to build partnerships,” Pooran said, following the match.
“Hope was excellent, as usual, Sharmarh Brooks got the opportunity to bat and grabbed it with both hands. Brandon King came and also did well in the end there, he didn’t leave it for anyone. Kudos to King and Hope for bringing the game home for us,” he added.
Shamarh Brooks (167 runs from three games), Shai Hope (161 runs from three games) and Brandon King (159 runs from three games) were all among the top five run-scorers in the series.
The Caribbean side comfortably chased targets in the first two games reaching 249-3 in the first game and 217-5 in the second game before posting 308-5 in the third contest and batting their full quota of overs in the process.
“Batting 50 overs was one of the goals we set before the series and we achieved that in the last game,” Pooran said in an interview on Sunday.
The Windies had three centurions in the series with Shai Hope, Shamarh Brooks and Kyle Mayers all reaching three figures, something Pooran says is a good sign going forward.
“I think the batsmen are settling in nicely and taking their opportunity,” he said.
“It’s always important getting multiple batsmen scoring centuries. It’s very important for a team in terms of getting a big score or a score to actually defend. It shows that the batsmen are hungry for runs and willing to spend time in the middle to get those big runs,” Pooran added.
Pooran, who was on his first assignment as the West Indies official ODI skipper, said the inexperienced squad made the series triumph more special.
“I felt it was a really good one for us. It’s a new team and I felt like we bonded really well. We spoke about learning on the job and taking this opportunity,” he said.
Pooran and his team’s next assignment will be the three-ODI series against Pakistan in Multan on June 8, 10 and 12.
In recent times, however, Pooran has embraced a new role at the top of the innings. He recently explained how the roles differ.
“Massive difference. At three sometimes, if you come in in the powerplay, the ball is swinging, it's then just a matter of facing a couple balls and you basically have the freedom to execute your skills to maximize only two fielders being outside the circle,’” Pooran said in a recent interview with EspnCricinfo.
“Batting later and coming in the tenth or 15th over, it's about having that clarity in your execution, the skill and ability to perform in those different roles,” Pooran added.
He also emphasized the importance of being versatile as a T20 batsman.
“If you look around at international cricket, not many openers can finish an innings, so to me it's about being versatile and working on your skills to adapt. But it's definitely easier batting at the top of the innings than in the back end,” Pooran said.
In the West Indies' last T20 international series against India, Pooran scored three fifties in as many games batting at the number three slot.
He will hope to bring that versatility to the Sunrisers Hyderabad for the Indian Premier League which gets underway on March 26th. Pooran’s Sunrisers open their tournament on March 29th against the Rajasthan Royals.
At Providence in Guyana, the West Indies white-ball captain hit five fours and five sixes in his match-winning 39-ball 74 while Mayers hit two fours and five sixes in his score of 55 made from just 38 balls.
The pair came together after the West Indies, needing 164 for victory, lost the wickets of Brandon King (7), Shamarh Brooks (12) and Odean Smith (2) by the seventh over with 43 runs on the board.
Together they added 83 in 51 balls before Mayers was dismissed by Nasum Ahmed, who had earlier had King caught at mid-on.
Pooran and Rovman Powell put on 25 for the fifth wicket but after facing only nine balls, the vice-captain was caught in the deep, off the bowling of Afif Hossein for five in the 18th over.
However, by then the West Indies needed only 11 runs to put a wrap on the series and the captain duly obliged. Two balls after Powell’s dismissal, Pooran smashed Afif for six and then smashed the second ball of the 19th bowled by Mahmudullah over the umpire’s head to bring an end to the match.
Ahmed took 2-44 while Mahedi Hasan, Shakib al Hasan and Afif each had one wicket.
Having won the toss and opting to bat, Bangladesh produced their best score of the series, 163-5.
Opener Litton Das scored 49 and Afif, an even 50, which helped the tourists to a competitive total. The pair shared in a third-wicket stand of 57 when Das was trapped lbw by Hayden Walsh Jr.
Afif found another useful partner in Mahmudullah and together they put on 49 for the fourth wicket and threatened to push the score beyond 170.
However, Bangladesh lost two wickets in the 19th over stalling their progress. Mahmudullah was out lbw to Walsh for 22 and then Afif was run out to leave the tourists on 150-5.
Mosaddek Hossain, who remained unbeaten on 10, carved out consecutive boundaries off Obed McCoy in the final over but ultimately it proved not to be enough.
Walsh was the best of the West Indies bowlers with 2-25. Romario Shepherd took 1-19 from two overs. Odean Smith continued to prove to be expensive conceding 34 runs from the three overs he bowled while claiming the wicket of opener Anamul Haque for 10.
Pooran, who scored 34 in the second T20, was also named Player of the Series.
After restricting India to 152-7 from their 20 overs, the West Indies scored 155-8 from 18.5 overs.
India won the toss and chose to take first strike but lost wickets early as Alzarri Joseph dismissed Shubman Gill for seven and Kyle Myers ran out Shuryakumar Yadav for one to have the tourists at 18-2 in the fourth over.
Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma added 42 for the third wicket before Kishan was bowled by Romario Shepherd for 27. Sanju Samson was next to go, dismissed by Akeal Hosein for seven. India were then 76-4.
Varma and Karthik Pandya built a 42-run partnership that was broken at 42 when Hosein picked up his second wicket when he had Varma caught by Obed McCoy for 51. Pandya carried on before he was bowled by Joseph for 24.
Axar Patel made 14 that helped India approach 150. However, any chance of India making much more ended when he was bowled by Shepherd. Ravi Bishnoi raced to eight from four and Arshdeep Singh, six from three as India’s innings closed at 152-7.
Shepherd and Joseph had identical figures of 2-28 while Akeal Hosein took 2-29.
Needing to score at just over 7.5 runs an over, the West Indies were in dire straits losing two wickets in the opening over.
Brandon King was dismissed by Panda first ball. Three balls later, Pandya removed Johnson Charles for two to leave the West Indies 2-3. Kyle Mayers was trapped lbw by Singh for 15 and the West Indies were looking at a collapse at 32-3 in the fourth over.
Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell fought back against the Indian attack partnering for 57 from 37 balls when Powell was caught at deep third man for 21 to give Pandya his third wicket of the match. Pooran continued to plunder the bowling while Shimron Hetmyer, who has replaced Powell, got his eye in.
Together, they took the West Indies to within 27 runs of their target. However, as is often the case with the West Indies, the game was turned on its head when Pooran was dismissed by Mukesh Kumar, caught at cover-point for 67 that included six fours and four sixes.
His dismissal triggered a collapse in which the West Indies lost four wickets for three runs in 13 balls. It was Yuzvendra’s Chahal’s third over, the 16th of the innings where things went pear-shaped for the West Indies. Shepherd was run out for nought off the first ball, he then had Holder stumped off his fourth and Hetmyer trapped lbw for 22 on the final ball.
It was left to Akeal Hosein, who ended unbeaten on 16 and Alzarri Joseph at the other end on 10, to see the West Indies to a nail-biting victory.
Pandya took 3-37 and Chahal 2-19 were the main bowlers for India.
Such marks will, however, not be easy to eclipse. India batsman K.L. Rahul currently holds the record for the fastest 50, achieved in a meagre 14 balls, in 2018. The fastest century was smacked by no other than legendary West Indian batsman Chris Gayle who reached the mark, in 2013, in just 30 deliveries.
Pooran has, however, looked in good form recently. Just last month, he cracked 10 sixes in a 45-ball epic worth 100 runs for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
"Any. Fastest fifty or the fastest hundred,” Pooran replied when asked which record, he would like to break in a recent Espn Cricinfo interview.
The player, however, also reflected on his performance in the IPL, which he believes could have been better.
"I don't think that I've too many great IPL performances. I had a couple of scores last year and the one against the KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) was good."
The batsman represented Kings XI Punjab in the IPL last season.
Recently, calls have grown louder for the 25-year-old batsman to be included in the team for the game’s longest format. Pooran has put together a string of impressive performances in both the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) convincing some, including legendary West Indian batsman Viv Richards, that some of that success can be translated to the four-day format.
The batsman was not picked on the Test squad for next month’s tour but was named as part of the team’s T20 squad. Despite that, Cricket West Indies (CWI) chief of selectors Roger Harper recently revealed that the matter was being given some serious thought.
“There was a lot of consideration given to Nicholas Pooran; we are still looking at it and I am sure as we move forward, Pooran will have an opportunity as well,” Harper said.
The pair of First-Class matches are expected to take place at the same time as the Test match. The first Test is scheduled for Hamilton, between December 3-7, with the second booked for Wellington from December 11-15. Harper indicated that the team will consist of some of the T20 players and Test reserves.
"He is in the T20 squad and he has expressed willingness to play in four-day games that will be available during the tour," Harper said.
So far, Pooran has only played three First-Class matches and he has a top score of 55. In One Day Internationals (ODIs) he is considered as one of the most talented young batsmen. In 25 matches Pooran has scored 932 runs at an average of 49 with one century and seven fifties. In T20 cricket, he has 14 fifties and one hundred in 146 global matches.
In recent months, there have been calls to consider the in-form Pooran, in particular, for the Test cricket format, with his advocates insisting the shot maker has the ability to adapt.
Chief of selectors Roger Harper, as a result, extended the invitation to players on the current tour interested in playing a set of three-day games that will take place at roughly the same time as the team’s Test matches.
In addition to the interested white-ball specialists, the team will consist of six reserve Test players.
“This series will give our players an opportunity to play first-class cricket against foreign opposition as well as experience different conditions here in New Zealand,” Harper was quoted as saying.
“It will also help to keep them in the frame should the need for replacements for the Test team arise, as we will have players who have been playing red-ball cricket and in-form to consider.”
FULL SQUAD
Fabian Allen
Nkrumah Bonner
Joshua DaSilva
Brandon King
Kyle Mayers
Preston McSween
Shayne Moseley
Nicholas Pooran
Rovman Powell
Raymon Reifer
Jayden Seales
Romario Shepherd
Oshane Thomas
Hayden Walsh
West Indies “A” Team Tour Schedule
December 3-6: West Indies “A” vs New Zealand "A" at Bay Oval
December 11-14: West Indies “A” vs New Zealand “A” at Saxton Oval, Nelson
After winning the toss, the Warriors restricted the Bulls to 81 for 9 in 10 overs. Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Evin Lewis got things off to a flier, after scoring 16 runs off the first over. The innings soon lost momentum after Gurbaz’s mistimed shot was taken at cover and Lewis was gobbled up by Powell. In the end, Mohammad Nabi top-scored with a 10-ball 21 for the Bulls. Maheesh Theekshana starred with the ball for the Warriors after claiming 3 for 14.
In pursuit of a gettable target, Warriors skipper and in-form batsman Nicholas Pooran took responsibility by promoting himself up the order. He was, however, dismissed lbw by Fidel Edwards on 12. Simmons and Waseem Muhammad, however, kept the scoreboard ticking over. Opener Muhammad scored 27 off 22 but was dismissed before Powell (16 from 8) and Simmons (14 from 12) finished the proceedings.
Powell hit the winning runs with a huge six with 10 balls left. Theekshana received the Man of the Match award while Pooran was named Man of the Series. Northern Warriors are the first team to win the trophy twice.
England sealed a series victory over the Windies in last week's second Test at Trent Bridge, scoring over 400 in both innings of a Test match for the first time as they made totals of 416 and 425.
Vice-captain Pope managed a superb first-innings knock of 121 before Joe Root (122) and Harry Brook (109) brought up their centuries in the second innings.
England have become renowned for their all-out batting style – dubbed 'Bazball' – under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
Pope believes that approach suits England's batters and feels they could make history by breaking the record for most runs made by a team in a single day of Test cricket – Sri Lanka's 509-9 versus Bangladesh in July 2002.
"I got asked on day one, 'do you get told to play like that?' No, we don't. It's just our natural game and the way we go about it," Pope said.
"Sometimes we might score 280 to 300 in a day, but that's okay and probably because we're reading situations.
"There might also be a day where we go and get 500 to 600 at some point in the future as well, and that's a cool thing to have."
England came within three runs of that record Sri Lanka total on their 2022 tour of Pakistan, and Pope believes their success is down to the ruthlessness of the batting order.
"There's a real hunger – there always is a hunger – but now there's an extra bit in that batting line-up," Pope added.
"We want to be as ruthless as we can as a batting unit, but still play the way we do because that's our natural game.
"Obviously being ruthless is being part of Test cricket as well."
Pope struck 121 from 165 deliveries at Trent Bridge as England began the second Test of their series against the Windies in dominant fashion.
Arsenal goalkeeper Ramsdale was a guest of Gunners fan Pope on Thursday, having also watched his double century against Ireland last year.
And after his sixth Test century helped England to 416 all out, the 26-year-old feels Ramsdale, who was part of the Three Lions squad that reached the Euro 2024 final, is a lucky omen.
"He messaged me last night and I managed to sort him a couple of tickets. He can come more often," Pope said.
"I'm obviously a big Arsenal fan, so I go to support him a fair bit. He seems to be my lucky charm on the cricket pitch as well."
Pope opened 2024 with a superb 196 against India in Hyderabad, but scored over 30 just once in the subsequent four Tests of the tour, while a contribution of 63 was his best for Surrey in this season's County Championship.
The 26-year-old was left questioning his ability, but highlighted the influence of England batting coach Marcus Trescothick on his upturn in fortunes in this series.
"I wouldn’t say I had doubts," Pope added, "but I was thinking: 'why is everyone else in the country scoring runs in county cricket, but England's number three isn't going out and averaging 50?'
"[Marcus] came to London, and we did some really good work, which has put me in really good stead for the Test summer."
Pope is nine short of three figures after the first day of the deciding Test at Old Trafford having steadied the ship alongside Jos Buttler (56 not out) in an unbroken 136-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
England will resume on Saturday on 258-4 with Pope seeking a second Test century in his 10th match, and his first on English soil.
The 22-year-old had scored 97 combined in his previous seven Tests against India and West Indies, and feels judgements on him in the longest format have been reached prematurely.
"It would be a massive achievement for myself," Pope said of making a century.
"So far, I think I've played four Test matches before this in England. I haven't scored the runs that I would like.
"People talk a little bit and I've seen some comments but it's not a massive sample size to take it from. I've played all my first-class cricket in England.
"I don't look into that stuff too much but to get over the line would be a nice feeling. Those nine runs, hopefully they will come at some point."
Pope was particularly pleased to return to his Old Trafford hotel room not having to ruminate on a failure with the bat.
Both teams have remained in the bubble throughout the series in Southampton and Manchester, meaning there has been nowhere for Pope to hide after difficult days out in the middle.
"It's a really nice feeling this evening," Pope, who had scored 43 in his four previous innings in the series, added.
"I've missed out in those first two games. We've not been able to get away.
"You are brought back to your hotel after you've got out in the last two overs of the day and you're looking at over the cricket ground, there's no real escape from it.
"You can't go out for dinner, can't go for a coffee, see your family, it isn't easy.
"You can naturally think about your batting, think about your failures a little bit more than normal. To get a few runs today, it is a nice feeling."
Pope struck 121 from 165 deliveries at Trent Bridge on Thursday, propelling England to 416 all out.
While England's bowling attack dismantled the Windies at Lord's in the first Test, their batters put on a show in Nottingham, despite Zak Crawley going for a duck in the first over.
Ben Duckett sparkled with a sensational 59-ball 71, which included 14 fours, as he and Pope mounted a partnership of 104.
Duckett lost his wicket when he was caught by Jason Holder, who took four catches in total, but Pope ensured the day would be England's with his sublime knock, with the hosts having reached 281-5 by the time he was dismissed by Alzarri Joseph.
Captain Ben Stokes contributed an entertaining 69, while 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).
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).
The Windies reduced England to 122-4 after Jason Holder won the toss, Kemar Roach the standout bowler with 2-56 in Manchester on Friday.
Pope (91 not out) and the under-pressure Buttler (56no) raised their bats for the first time in the series, an unbroken stand of 136 taking Joe Root's side on 258-4 when stumps were drawn 15 minutes early due to bad light.
Rory Burns earlier made 57 at the top of the order before he was superbly caught by all-rounder Rahkeem Cornwall, playing his first match of the series.
England moved Ben Stokes up to number four and picked a five-strong bowling attack, including Jofra Archer and James Anderson, so the Windies will be disappointed not to have made further inroads but weather could prevent either side from forcing a win.
Roach snared Dom Sibley, a centurion in England's victory at the same venue last week, leg before without scoring from the final ball of the first over but the Windies suffered a blow when an injured Shannon Gabriel left the field.
England were 66-2 at lunch after captain Joe Root (19) was brilliantly run out by a direct hit from the alert Roston Chase after paceman Gabriel was able to return.
Roach produced a peach of a delivery to clean up Stokes, Man of the Match in the second Test following two magnificent knocks, for 20 prior to Burns bringing up a patient 126-ball half-century.
Cornwall then took centre stage to see the back of Burns with a brilliant one-handed reaction grab for at first slip off the bowling of Chase, leaving England four down before tea.
The classy Pope looked anything but a man out of touch with the Windies bowlers looking weary, finding the rope with a flurry of glorious drives and bringing up his 50 off 77 balls.
Buttler was watchful before dispatching spinner Cornwall for two sixes in an over and also reached his half-century, with West Indies unable to strike with the new ball.
Roach closes in on double-century
Roach was the pick of the Windies bowlers and conjured up a special delivery to see the back of the in-form Stokes, who made a hundred and a rapid half-century to set up a series-levelling win last week.
The Barbados-born fast bowler made a great start by trapping Sibley in front and then got one to nip back in and bowl Stokes, the newly-crowned top-ranked Test all-rounder, through the gate for his 199th scalp in the longest format.
Cornwall makes his presence felt
Cornwall had to be patient to get his chance to play a part in the series and although he was wicket-less, the sizeable all-rounder certainly made an impact on the first day of his third Test.
The 6ft 6in tall, 22 stone Antiguan, selected instead of Alzarri Joseph, snaffled a sharp chance to get rid of Burns and generated turn without reward.
Pope and Buttler to the rescue
England were in danger of being dismissed cheaply when Buttler joined Pope at the crease, only for the fifth-wicket pairing to turn the tide.
Pope has been out of sorts in the series, but returned to form in style with elegant strokes on both sides of the wicket and Buttler offered great support with a timely knock with his place under threat.
The match between the teams, which was scheduled for the Kensington Oval today, was postponed shortly after the toss as news of the positive test reached the units.
According to the existing COVID-19 protocols all players, management teams, and match officials will return to their hotel rooms where they will isolate before undergoing a round of PCR testing.
According to Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave, a decision will be taken on when or if the match can resume once the testing is completed.
“Everyone will be retested later today. In the meantime, everyone will have to stay in isolation until the results of those PCR tests are confirmed,” Grave said.
“We’ll make a further decision when the match can be replayed at a later date, once all the test results are back in, which will hopefully be by tomorrow morning.”
Australia currently leads the three-match series 1-0, after securing a 133 runs win via the DLS method in the first match on Tuesday.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, the Leewards suffered an early setback after losing Montcin Hodge in the second over of the match. Hodge was caught by Bryan Charles off the bowling of Jadon Seales. Powell, however, immediately set about repairing the damage after forming a 64-run partnership with Kacey Carty.
Carty’s dismissal left the Hurricanes at 66 for 2 but Powell feature in another pair of crucial partnerships. First with Devon Thomas, who made 12 before being bowled by Akeal Hosein, then Amir Jangoo with the two putting on a 100-run partnership to bring the score to 198 for 4 when Jangoo was sent back to the pavilion by Jason Mohammed soon after making his half-century. Powell’s brilliant resistance was brought to an end when he was trapped lbw by Yannic Cariah, having totalled 139 or 211 deliveries.
Terrance Ward added a patient 26 from 101 balls before being caught by Gabriel off Seales, while Cornwall could only add 5 to the tally before himself being dismissed by Gabriel.
Jeremiah Louis (16) and Hayden Walsh (8) ended the day as the not-out batsmen for the Hurricanes. Seales was the pick of the bowlers for T&T after ending with a best of 2 for 35.
