West Indies

A haul of 6-50 from Rabada carried the hosts home as West Indies were bowled out for 159 in their second innings, with Jermaine Blackwood's terrific 79 from 93 balls providing the chief resistance.

The SuperSport Park crowd had seen South Africa fall from their overnight 49-4 to 116 all out in the morning session, with Aiden Markram following his century in the first innings with 47 as only two others reached double figures.

Kemar Roach took 5-47, with Markram among his victims, to fuel hopes of a first Test win for West Indies against South Africa since December 2007.

Yet momentum began to tilt back the Proteas' way when West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell to Rabada just before lunch, before any runs went on the board in the chase.

The tourists needed 247, but a wretched start saw them crumble to 20-4 and left the middle and lower order with a cliff face to climb.

Rabada had Brathwaite and Raymon Reifer caught behind by Heinrich Klaasen, before Marco Jansen drew a badly timed hook from Tagenarine Chanderpaul and then bowled Roston Chase with the next ball.

They were 33-5 when Gerald Coetzee had Kyle Mayers taken at slip, and it was only Blackwood keeping West Indies in the game.

He delivered a sparkling innings that nobody else could match, with Joshua Da Silva (17) and Jason Holder (18) briefly joining him in handy stands, but both fell to edges off Rabada.

Eventually, so too did Blackwood, a fiery delivery from Rabada into the body jabbed to Markram at second slip.

That gave South Africa a ninth wicket and it was effectively job done with the dangerman out of the way. Rabada duly wrapped it up, pinning Roach lbw.

Rabada hits Windies for six

This was Rabada's first six-wicket haul in Tests since taking 6-54 against Australia in March 2018, and his three best innings performances have all now come at Centurion. This ranks third on the list, behind the 7-112 and 6-32 that he took in the same game against England in January 2016.

It was not enough for man-of-the-match honours this time, though, with Markram taking that award.

Proteas keep rivalry one-sided

South Africa led by 130 after the first innings of this match, meaning their dismal display with the bat second time around did not prove too costly. The result means they are now unbeaten against West Indies in their last 11 Tests (W9 D2), with this a fourth victory on the bounce. Indeed, all four matches between these sides at SuperSport Park have been won by the hosts.

Home captain Temba Bavuma made a pair of ducks in his first game as skipper, but got away with it. The second and final Test of this series begins at the Wanderers in Johannesburg next Wednesday.

Reports emanating from Spain have suggested that the Jamaica team did not want to travel to Europe for the March 30 friendly, as the region struggles to come to grips with the virus.  The number of cases reported in Spain has now reached 340, with the region of Catalonia accounting for 28.  None have, however, been reported in the city of Lleida.

Earlier this week Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) had promised to rely on advice from the ministry of health before finalising travel plans for the fixture.  The friendly was expected to be contested by an all European Jamaica international contingent, which head coach hoped to evaluate.  According to reports the JFF and the Spanish Football Association (SFA) are expected to reschedule the fixture just ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. 

The national team will return to action next week at the Montego Bay Sports Complex, where an all local contingent will face Bermuda.  The Reggae Boyz have made the CONCACAF Hexagonal round for the first time since the 2014 cycle and could be in line for a second appearance at the FIFA World Cup.

Kevin Sinclair, the off-spinning allrounder has replaced Raymon Reifer in the squad. Reifer will however travel to Trinidad as cover in case of injury. Sinclair was among the leading players in the West Indies Championship four-day first-class competition earlier this year. He also played a significant role with bat and ball in the recent West Indies “A” Team series win in Bangladesh.

Overall, he has so far played 18 first-class matches with 54 wickets including three five-wicket hauls at an average of 23.98 each. With the bat he has scored 756 runs at an average of 29, including six half centuries.

The upcoming second Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Match powered by YES BANK will be historic – marking the 100th Test Match between West Indies and India, since the two teams first met at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 1948. Play starts daily at 10am (9am Jamaica/7:30pm India). 

Fans can purchase tickets in their preferred viewing locations from the Windies Tickets service, presented by Mastercard, at tickets.windiescricket.com – where they will be able to download tickets securely to their mobile device, or print out their ticket to present for scanning at the entrance point.

FULL SQUAD

Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)
Alick Athanaze
Tagenarine Chanderpaul
Rahkeem Cornwall
Joshua Da Silva
Shannon Gabriel
Jason Holder
Alzarri Joseph
Kirk McKenzie
Kemar Roach
Kevin Sinclair
Jomel Warrican

Traveling Reserves:

Tevin Imlach
Akeem Jordan

FULL MATCH SCHEDULE – Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test Series powered by YES BANK 

12-16 July: 1st Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Windsor Park, Dominica – India won by an innings and 141 runs
20-24 July: 2nd Cycle Pure Agarbathi Test powered by YES BANK, Queen’s Park Oval, Trinidad

• start at 10am local time (9am Jamaica/7:30pm India) 

Chasing 275 set by Brathwaite’s XI on Tuesday, Holder’s XI looked set to produce a strong reply with Sunil Ambris leading the way with 52. However, his dismissal with the score on 90 for 2, opened the door for Reifer to strike.

The fast-medium pacer ripped the heart from the Holder’s XI batting taking five wickets in just 11 balls to have his rivals tottering on 111 for 7. During that destructive spell, Reifer dismissed Nrkrumah Bonner for 5, (95-3), Joshua Da Silva for 0, (104 for 4), Jason Holder for 0, (104 for 5), Shayne Moseley for 40, (109 for 6) and Rahkeem Cornwall for 2, (111 for 7).

“I was trying to hit the top of off stump and create problems for the batsman. I’ve played here in England before on the last tour (2017). I didn’t play a Test match but I played a few warm-up matches so I learned a few things and used them to my advantage today,” said Reifer afterwards.

"The conditions here are helpful to the bowlers … someone with my pace who can get the ball to move around. It’s about working hard and putting yourself in the best position to perform for the team. It’s about putting in the performance and waiting for your opportunity.”

However, unlike Brathwaite’s XI that lost their last four wickets at 275 on Tuesday, there was a bit more fight from Holder’s side. Kyle Mayers (45) with help from Alzarri Joseph 10, and Kemar Roach 18, added some respectability to the score. Marquino Mindley took two of the last three wickets to return figures of 3 for 37, providing solid support to Reifer whose 5 for 60 did most of the damage.

With a lead of 82, Brathwaite’s XI started well in their second turn at strike. Brathwaite who got 84 in the first innings and John Campbell had an opening stand of 88 before Campbell was trapped lbw by Joseph for 49. Seven balls later and with no addition to the score, Brathwaite fell to Jomel Warrican for 35.

Holder’s XI struck a big blow six runs later when Joseph trapped Shai Hope leg before for 2 to leave Brathwaite’s XI in some bother at 94 for 3.

Sharmarh Brooks and Roston Chase were each on 4 at the close with their side boasting a 181-run lead heading into Thursday’s final day.

Joseph has figures of 2 for 17 while Warrican has 1 for 4.

Mehidy, who punished the Caribbean team with a first-innings century, tore through the top half of the Windies batting order after claiming 3 for 52 to close the evening session.  The spinner struck for Bangladesh after a solid start from the West Indies, which saw skipper Kraigg Brathwaite and left-hander John Campbell post 39 runs in an hour for the first wicket.

Early on, Campbell was more than ready and willing to deploy the sweep shot against the spinners.  He cashed in for four 4s, in his 23, but was eventually undone after missing one from Mehidy and being trapped lbw.  Brathwaite, in the meantime, showed solid footwork against the spin but was let down by hard hands after a defensive stroke offered against Mehidy went bat-pad to short leg and was gobbled up by Yasir Ali.

Shayne Mosely contributed 12 before also being trapped lbw, which meant the West Indies lost three wickets for 20 runs and found themselves struggling at 59-3.

Coming together to stabilize the innings, Bonner and Mayers used different tactics to see out the day.  Mayers was more aggressive for an unbeaten 37, while the more watchful Bonner accumulated 15 from 63.

In the morning session, Bangladesh skipper Momimul Haque registered his 10th Test century as they declared at 223-8. He was the second wicket for fast bowler Shannon Gabriel, who bagged 2-37.

 Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican was again the most successful bowler with 3-57 off 17.5 overs, to end with match figures of 7-190 off 65.5 overs. He bowled well in tandem with off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall, who picked up 3-81 off 27 overs. He took 2-144 off 42.2 overs in the first innings.

During the ballot period, over 3 million ticket applications from over 161 countries were received for the pinnacle global event for T20 cricket. Ticket allocations are currently unavailable to nine T20 World Cup matches scheduled in the USA, with the India v Pakistan fixture on 9 June in New York oversubscribed more than 200 times.

Both semi-finals in Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana along with the final in Barbados were oversubscribed in the ballot, as were two Super Eight matches in Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Tickets to all other fixtures in the West Indies are available, with fans encouraged to purchase their tickets now to be a part of the biggest T20 World Cup ever.

The 100 days-to-go milestone also marked the launch of the official campaign film ‘Out of this World’, which features T20 superstars Quinton de Kock, Kieron Pollard, Marcus Stoinis, Shaheen Afridi, Shubman Gill and Ali Khan. The full campaign, which blasts off globally today, will utilize a variety of platforms to engage audiences on a global scale and will give the world a visual taste of what they can look forward to in the West Indies and USA come June.

A series of fan engagement events will also blast off at all nine host locations across the West Indies and USA, including a larger-than-life cricket ball taking over Times Square in New York City, Bayside Marketplace in Miami, Klyde Warren Park, Dallas and all Caribbean host locations.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said: “With just 100 days to go until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 there is huge anticipation from fans to witness what will be the largest ICC event ever played, with 20 international teams playing across nine host cities. A large proportion of the more than 3 million applications for tickets across the event were from our host countries, so we are confident that this event will not only entertain fans around the world but leave a lasting legacy that will help us continue to grow the sport across the Americas.

“Celebrating the launch of our official campaign film that captures the energy of T20 cricket and features some of the game’s biggest stars is another important milestone, as excitement builds across the global cricket community for what will be a historic event.”

Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Johnny Grave said: “With just 100 days to go until the start of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, the global excitement is accelerating at pace and all signs indicate that this World Cup is poised to make history on multiple fronts. With a significant number of games already oversubscribed, it is evident that the global appeal of T20 cricket is growing exponentially. Fans wanting to experience a T20 World Cup with Caribbean flair should seize the opportunity to get their tickets as soon as possible and join the celebration on the grandest stage of cricket – the West Indies and USA.”

T20 World Cup USA, Inc. Chief Executive Brett Jones said: “Today is an extraordinary day for global cricket and that’s especially true in the U.S. While those of us involved in the sport know cricket’s popularity in our market, there is no data point like ticket sales to showcase the level of enthusiasm that’s out there and we’re thrilled with the support we’re seeing. The 2024 T20 World Cup is going to fundamentally change the game of cricket in the U.S. and it’s our job to capitalise on this moment.”

West Indies require 19 runs to win a see-saw final that has ebbed and flowed like the nearby Hooghly River. Having recovered from a shocking start, England have a first limited-overs international trophy seemingly within touching distance.

They battled back from 23-3 to post 155-9. Having top-scored with 54, Joe Root claimed two of three early wicket to fall in West Indies' reply with his occasional off-spin.

Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo put on a 73 for the fourth wicket, yet when Andre Russell and Darren Sammy both fell to David Willey in the space of three deliveries, England were the team in charge.

After Chris Jordan managed to deny the well-set Samuels from claiming the strike at the end of the penultimate over, Ben Stokes was tasked with seeing the job through.

His previous two overs in the game had gone for eight and nine runs respectively – combine those two together and it would still be enough for Eoin Morgan’s side to be crowned champions.

Brathwaite, however, has other ideas…

BALL ONE: WHAT A START!

When you need so many off so few, an early maximum quickly heaps the pressure back on the bowler. 

Stokes appears to aim for a yorker but only serves up a half-volley instead, one he's shoved down leg so far that Brathwaite simply has to help the ball on its way, depositing it over the boundary at backward square leg with a flick of the wrists.

A gift. An absolute gift. Stokes should have sent it down with a bow on. West Indies now need just 13 from five.

BALL TWO: IT'S UP, UP, UP AND OUTTA HERE!

Straighter – but still in the slot from Stokes. Brathwaite manoeuvres his front foot out of the way to clear space for the bat to come through and send this one much straighter down the ground – and several metres back into a now delirious crowd inside Eden Gardens.

Stokes pulls a face in response to suggest he either feels he was not too far off target or he's just eaten something that's way too hot. Either way, he's hurting. The once-taxing equation is now down to a seriously manageable sum of seven from off four. 

Can England somehow claw this back?

BALL THREE: GOING, GOING, GONE!

No. Braithwaite does it again as the noise levels inside the ground rise even higher.

It's a similar stroke to the last maximum, only this time the right-hander manages to send his home run over long off. There is a brief moment after it departs the bat that you wonder if it is going to clear the fielder, like a golfer who initially fears he's taken the wrong club and could end up in the water. In the end, though, the man in the deep just watches it sail over him.

West Indies require just one to win and the rest of the squad are now off their feet out of the dugout and ready to start celebrating. 

BALL FOUR: WEST INDIES WIN! WEST INDIES WIN!

Forget knocking it into a gap to pinch a single. Brathwaite winds up again as he gets another ball on his pads, allowing him to finish the job in style.

As it sails into the sky to such an extent towards mid wicket that air traffic control may need to get involved to help find a landing spot, the hero of the over stretches out his arms as team-mates rush out to the middle. What initially seemed a seriously tough challenge completed with room to spare.

"Carlos Brathwaite ​– remember the name!" Ian Bishop booms on commentary. Few who have witnessed it – whether live at the ground or on television – will forget it, least of all poor Stokes.

West Indies complete one of the most stunning heists in limited-overs cricket to be crowned T20 champions for a second time.

At the close of play, the Scorpions were 302 all-out, after being put in to bat by the Leewards who won the toss.  Initially, the decision to field first had looked to be a wise one, as Kirk Mckenzie (3), Jermaine Blackwood (3), and John Campbell (2) were all back in the Pavillion with just 10 runs on the board.

Palmer would, however, stand firm at the crease, and ensure that the Scorpions did not collapse, courtesy of a string of partnerships carefully constructed throughout the innings.  The batsman first put on, 44 with Alwyn Williams for the fourth wicket to stop the rot, before featuring in an innings changing 102 with Jamie Merchant for the 7^th wicket.  Later on, he paired with Nicholson Gordon to add 60 for the 9^th wicket and push the Scorpions closer to 300 runs.  Paul ended unbeaten with 144 from 233 balls, while Merchant added 55 from 60.

 For the Hurricanes, Colin Archibald, Rahkeem Cornwall, Sheeno Berridge took two wickets each.

The 38-year-old officially called time on representing the West Indies, following the close of a disappointing T20 World Cup campaign that ended with a loss to South Africa.  An uninspiring performance from the titleholders saw them lose four of the five matches played. 

Overall, Bravo made 295 appearances for the Caribbean team, winning two T20 World Cup titles and one ICC Champions Trophy.  Despite the disappointment of the most recent tournamet, however, Bravo, who only months ago claimed the Indian Premier League (IPL) title with the Chennai Super Kings, is not quite ready to walk away from the game completely.

“I will continue playing franchise cricket for a few more years as long as my body will allow me to,” Bravo said during the post-match press conference.

“My aim was to retire a few years ago, but with a change of presidency and change of leadership comes a change of heart, and I wanted to give back to West Indies because I was still in a good place physically and enjoy my cricket,” he said.

Bravo had previously announced his international retirement in October of 2018 but came out of retirement in 2019 to help West Indies defend their T20 title.  He is convinced now is the time for a new generation to step into the limelight.

“I think this was the right moment for me to walk away from the game, and allow the next generation and young players who I share a very good friendship with to come through.”

Wicketkeeper Buttler averages 31.46 in the longest format but has failed to get beyond 47 in his last 12 innings, a worrying slump in form that has seen his place in the team come into question, with Ben Foakes waiting in the wings.

The right-hander made scores of 35 and nine during the first Test against West Indies last week, with his second-innings dismissal coming during a collapse that swayed the game in the touring side's favour.

England lost at Southampton by four wickets but the under-pressure Buttler is set to keep his place for the game in Manchester, which begins on Thursday.

Returning skipper Root, who missed the series opener due to the birth of his second child, has seen technical improvements in Buttler's game to suggest a big score is just around the corner.

"I think you look at Jos and the game last week - and a I know we're in a results business and we're judged on performances - but you watch how he batted in that first innings and I thought, technically, it was as well as he's played in a long time," Root told the media on the eve of the second Test.

"His game is in a really good place, it's just a matter of time until we see some of those special innings that we've seen in white-ball cricket and his performances from that transfer across.

"He's someone that is a big part of our group – has been for a long time – and is a great thinker about the game. He's a big senior player in the dressing room across all formats.

"You feel he's not far away from grabbing Test cricket, taking it and running with it. I've seen big strides off the field with his technical game, I suppose you almost want him to find that balance and mindset he has in white-ball cricket and add it to a technique that can definitely thrive in red-ball cricket."

Root was a keen spectator back home as the action unfolded in Southampton, where all-rounder Ben Stokes took charge of the team for the first time.

The Yorkshireman admits it was not easy watching on afar when fully fit, though he saw enough from his players to suggest there are positive signs for the future, despite the result.

"It was challenging, more so because you're fully fit and could be out there, it's just a very strange set of circumstances," Root said.

"Ben as captain did a brilliant job. He had some very difficult decisions to handle and manage, and I think on the ground and throughout the game he managed things very well.

"One thing that I was really pleased with, actually, is the performance for the first two and a half days we were probably behind the game, but we managed to find a way of wrestling ourselves into a position where we could win it.

"In the past, sometimes we've fallen away a bit early, but going into those last two sessions we still had a chance at winning the game.

"In a way it was a small step forwards for us, though of course we couldn't quite get across the line.

"You look at the back-end of our second innings and that really did hurt us, but I think there were a lot of positive things to take from it. You could certainly see that, sat watching from home."

England have confirmed Root will come into the XI in a place of Joe Denly, while James Anderson and Mark Wood are both rested.

Bucknor, whose career behind the stumps lasted for 20-years, officiated in 128 Test matches and 181 One Day Internationals.  In addition, he stood in 5 World Cups.

 With the Jamaica-born official having retired in 2009 and the Umpire Digital Review System (DRS) being trialed in 2008, he never had the advantage of appeals and instant replays but is certain it has made the game better for all involved.

“I am not certain if it affects the confidence of umpires, but I know it has improved umpiring,” Bucknor told the Mason and Guest radio program.

“It has improved umpiring because there was a time when we were saying the batsman was so-called playing down the line, therefore he is not going to be given out leg before, but if the technology is saying the ball is hitting, then you have to give him out.  So, we learn from the technology,” he added.

"The umpires who do not enjoy having technology around, I hope that they have a rethink.  What it does if you make a mistake it can be corrected on the field,” Bucknor said.  “Now thinking about when I was umpiring and I gave a batsman out who was not out, realizing I made a mistake it took a long time to fall asleep that night.  Now you can fall asleep quickly because the correct decision is eventually given.”

Bucknor infamously and incorrectly gave legendary India batsman Sachin Tendulkar out on two occasions.   The first of the mistakes came in Australia (at the Gabba in Brisbane off Jason Gillespie in 2003) where he declared Tendulkar lbw, when the ball was clearly flying over the stumps.  Another decision was a caught behind (at the Eden in Kolkata off Abdul Razzaq in 2005) when he thought the batsman had nicked the ball. 

“It is human to err.  These were mistakes.  I don’t think any umpire wants to do the wrong thing, it lives with him and his future could be jeopardised.  I was unhappy but human beings make mistakes.  Accepting your mistakes and moving on is a part of life.”

The third Test of the #RaiseTheBat Series, which starts at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday will be the last time the two sides compete for the Wisden Trophy, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have announced.

In its place, the new Richards-Botham Trophy will now be designed ready for when the teams next meet in a Test series.

The title honours Sir Vivian Richards, one of cricket’s greatest batsmen, who scored more than 8,500 runs in a 121-Test career, and Sir Ian Botham, the legendary all-rounder who scored more than 5,000 runs and took 383 wickets in 102 Tests.

Fierce competitors on the pitch, the pair developed a great friendship off it, which still endures, and the new trophy is a fitting way to celebrate the warm relationship between the nations and to honour the gladiatorial spirit of contests past and present.

The Wisden Trophy, first introduced in 1963 to commemorate the hundredth edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, will now be retired and will be displayed at the MCC Museum at Lord’s where it has traditionally been kept.

“This is a huge honour for my good friend Ian and myself. I am delighted to know that the game that I have shown my love for since a little boy is naming such a prestigious award in my recognition of what I managed to achieve as a cricketer. When I had the opportunity to go to England and represent Somerset, one of the first persons I met was Ian Botham, who would later become of one my best friends. We are friends for life,” Sir Vivian said.

“To have this trophy – West Indies vs England – named in honour of our work on the cricket field is great. What I think is also remarkable is that it says a lot about our relationship off the field as well. We were competitors on the field, but we showed we were brothers off the field. I’m proud to have my name on one side of the trophy with him on the other side.”

Sir Ian Botham was in agreement with the Master Blaster’s sentiments.

“Viv was the finest batsman I ever played against. He’s a great friend but we’ve always been competitive, not least when we were on the cricket field, and there was no one else’s wicket I would treasure more,” Botham said.

“Playing the West Indies was always one of the toughest tests in cricket, and it’s an honour for this trophy to bear our names. I hope future series will be just as exciting as the one we’ve all been enjoying this summer.”

Sir Vivian averaged 62.36 against England across his career with eight hundreds. He dominated the 1976 series between the two sides, scoring 829 runs at an average of 118.42 in the series, which West Indies won 3-0. This included 232 in the first Test and 291 in the fifth. He also made what at the time was the fastest Test hundred in the game against England in 1986, taking just 56 balls to reach his century. It is still the equal second fastest of all time.

Facing the best team in the world at the time, Sir Ian took 61 wickets at an average of 35 against the West Indies, with three five-wicket hauls and a best of 8-103 at Lord’s. He also scored four 50s, with a best of 81 in the same game at Lord’s in 1984.

“England and the West Indies have produced many magic cricketing moments over the years, and this series has been no different even though it’s been played in very different circumstances. We remain very grateful for West Indies travelling here to play this series, and it’s fitting that we’ve got such an exciting final test in store as the teams compete for the Wisden Trophy for the final time,” said ECB Chairman Colin Graves.

“The Wisden Trophy was introduced nearly 60 years ago to mark the 100th edition of the Almanack, and we’ve been extremely proud to contest it since then. Both we and Cricket West Indies felt that the time was right to honour two of our greatest modern players. Sir Vivian and Sir Ian were fierce competitors on the pitch but great friends off it, exemplifying the spirit of the contests between our two cricketing nations and providing perfect inspiration for those who compete for the Richards-Botham Trophy in years to come.”

CWI President Ricky Skerritt said both men were deserving of the honour.

“Sir Viv’s phenomenal West Indies track record against England, both as a player and captain, and his longstanding friendship with his former Somerset teammate and England rival, Sir Ian Botham, presented an excellent opportunity to honour two uniquely suited living legends,” Skerritt said.

“Both honorees put their heart into the game, and always gave their all for their teams and countries. There are other West Indian cricket legends whose names could also have been chosen for this honour, but none more deserving than Sir Viv.”

Richardson, a former opening batsman, led the West Indies from 1991-1996 and scored 5,949 runs in 86 Tests and scored 6,248 runs in 224 One Day International (ODI) matches.  One of a handful of West Indies players that have been knighted, Richardson remains involved with the sport as he is now also an ICC match referee.

“The University of the West Indies is a very important institution to us as a Caribbean people and it’s ranked as one of the best universities in the region so for them to see the need to bestow such an honour on me, then I am deeply touched, honoured and I am very grateful,” Richardson told the Good Morning Jojo Radio Show.

“I was surprised to be honest because I never really expected it but when I realised that it was going to happen I was very excited and deeply honoured.”

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.

Joseph struck with his first ball in Test cricket when he removed Steven Smith, then finished with 5 for 94 and also showed his prowess with the bat with scores of 36 and 15.

His rise to Test cricket has been remarkable on the back of just five first-class games, having grown up in the village of Baracara in Guyana, which could only be reached by boat.

He has now shot to global prominence and is being talked about as part of West Indies' future as they look to rebuild their Test cricket, but Joseph already has an ILT20 deal and more such offers are unlikely to be far away.

"The best advice I can give him is to build his own legacy," Roach said.

"Understand what you want from cricket. That's up to him to determine, if it's monetary, or if it's just stats and statistics or whatever. There's going to be a lot of distractions… he's a hot commodity right now so he needs to choose what he really wants and what he thinks is best for his career going forward. So, it's up to him as a young man, but I definitely give him that advice."

Roach, the senior figure in West Indies' attack with 80 caps to his name, is happy to take on a mentor role having had similar players to feed off early in his career.

"I had that when I started. Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards [were] some guys around to help me when I started my career," he said.

"I took knowledge and learning from it. So obviously for me now, it's all about passing on the mantle now to the youngsters. He's got a very good career ahead of him. At this stage, he's willing to learn. We have a lot of conversations. So, I think once he keeps doing that, not just coming from me but anyone who he thinks can help him in his career, he can take a lot of knowledge on board and become a better cricketer."

Roach himself is towards the latter stages of his career but has put no end point on his Test career.

"Day by day," he said with a smile, "let's see how it goes."

He made a big impression on his first tour of Australia in 2009 when he forced Ricky Ponting to retire hurt in Perth but has found the country the toughest place to take wickets with 10 at 77.90 from eight matches.

"As a bowler coming to Australia you are bowling against some of the best batters in the world so there is always a good challenge," he said.

"I love a good challenge. I have lived for that my whole career so for me coming here is just about expressing yourself, enjoying and relishing the moment and giving it a good go. Be confident in yourself and your skills and let's see how the day goes for you."

Roach only briefly dipped his toe into the franchise world of T20 - his last game in the format was in 2018 - although that did include a stint with Brisbane Heat, who will play the BBL final against Sydney Sixers on Wednesday.

The last time Heat won the BBL was in 2012-13, when Roach claimed 3 for 18 against Perth Scorchers at the WACA. "I saw my picture on the wall, so good memories," he said of his return to the Gabba, the home ground of Heat.

Test cricket, where he ranks fifth among West Indies' all-time wicket-takers, has remained his No. 1 priority and Roach firmly believes that is the case among many young players in the Caribbean.

"I love Test cricket," he said.

"Honestly, I love the red-ball format. I've played one-dayers and the T20 format as well but I think my heart was always a part of the red ball. I just wanted to be a part of those mega cricketers back in the days. The Joel Garners, the Malcolm Marshalls, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh, I just want to be a part of those names.

"And I think for me, obviously, I didn't grow up much in the franchise era. So I had Test cricket at heart, and it has stuck with me throughout. I just think it is different times now. So for me, it's just about these youngsters, what they want to achieve from it. And they make the right decisions and they go forward [in their] careers.

"The franchises are a big distraction," he added. "But guys still want to relish red-ball cricket. Test cricket is still at the hearts of West Indian cricketers at home. It's just about us to provide support around it. To keep those guys interested in red-ball cricket. Discussions will be had. I'm not part of it. They take Tests very seriously still. They are very proud to be a part of the red-ball team for the West Indies."

On Saturday, the 33-year-old put in another stirring performance against one of his favourite opponents, Bangladesh.  The bowler’s 10^th five-wicket haul, on this occasion figures of 5 for 54, not only left the West Indies on the verge of winning the first Test but represented a huge personal milestone.

His latest tally sees the bowler now tied for 6^th all-time on the list of the regional team’s top wicket-takers, shoulder to shoulder with the revered Holding, and 10 behind Joel Garner for 5^th.  The significance of the moment was not lost on the player, who made his Test debut against the same opponents in 2009.

 “I’m proud.  I’m proud to know how I started, obviously, I came into the team under very difficult conditions, and to build a career and get among the greats is a good feeling,” Roach said.

“I’m one for stats, I love my stats.  I'm always checking once I'm not playing, so it’s always good to be among the greats,” he added.

With more left in the tank, the bowler has targeted the 300 wickets milestone, which would put him 9 behind spinner Lance Gibbs and fifth on the all-time list.

“I’d love 300 Test wickets.  I’m at 249, I have about two to three more years left in me, so that’s the target.”

Resuming on 258-4, England lost a wicket in four consecutive overs to collapse to 280-8, with Ollie Pope falling first and failing to add to his overnight score of 91.

The collapse brought Broad to the middle and the left-hander hit the Windies’ bowlers to all parts of Old Trafford, reaching his half-century in 33 balls — putting him tied for third place in the all-time list of England’s fastest test fifties.

Broad’s 45-ball innings ended when he holed out in the deep off an ambitious swept volley, but by then he had frustrated the West Indies and put England back in charge of a series currently poised at 1-1.

His potentially game-changing ninth-wicket partnership with Dom Bess was worth 76 runs, with Broad hitting nine fours and a six.

Bess was left stranded on 18 after Anderson was the last man out for 11. England added 111 runs in the session.

Earlier, Pope was dropped at slip off Shannon Gabriel before the same paceman got one through the gate his very next over.

Chris Woakes (1) then slashed at a wide ball onto his stumps to give fast bowler Kemar Roach his 200th test wicket.

Jos Buttler, who resumed on 56, was out for 67 when he edged Gabriel to Jason Holder at second slip and the West Indies captain also pouched a catch to remove Jofra Archer (3) off the bowling of Roach.

Roach had team-best figures of 4-72.

The Windies, who won the first test in Southampton before losing the second match in Manchester, are looking to capture a test series in England for the first time since 1988.

Roach earned his 200^th scalp when he bowled Chris Woakes, ending day two of the final Test in the #raisethebat Series against England at Old Trafford with figures of 4-72 and in the process helping the West Indies bowl the hosts out for 369.

Roach was the best of the bowlers with his 25.4 overs going at 2.81. Shannon Gabriel ended with 5-77, Jason Holder, 1-83, and Roston Chase 2-36. Rahkeem Cornwall, in his English debut bowled 27 wicketless overs for 85 runs.

“It’s a great feeling. I’ve worked very hard to get to this stage,” said Roach.

Roach, who was at the peak of his powers in 2014, suffered a car accident a number of injuries on his way to recovery, leaving many to believe his career might have been over.

“I’ve been through a lot cricketing wise with my body and injury and stuff so, today it was very heartwarming to get to this significant milestone,” he said, thinking back to his ordeal.

With the worst of his injury woes behind him, Roach is now looking toward the future and seeing how far up the ladder of great West Indies fastbowlers he can climb.

Roach, with 201 wickets in his 59^th Test, is ninth on the list of all-time highest wicket-takers from the West Indies. He is one wicket behind Andy Roberts and 34 behind Sir Garfield Sobers.

Ahead of those three are Courtney Walsh (519), Curtly Ambrose (405), Malcolm Marshall (376), Lance Gibbs (309), Joel Garner (259), and Michael Holding (249).

Roach is aware of all the names ahead of him and sees these milestones as important.

“I base my career on milestones actually, 100 wickets, 150 wickets, and obviously if you get to those stages it means you’re doing well so I push myself to the limit trying to get to as many milestones as I can in my career. That is a motivating factor for me,” he said.

“That is a motivating factor for me. This 200 was great for me to tick off but let’s see what 250 looks like, let’s see what 300 looks like.”

The West Indies reply to England’s 369 has not gone well, with the visitors struggling at 137-6. Holder, on 24, and Shane Dowrich on 10, are the not-out batsmen.

The West Indies and England are tied 1-1 in their three-Test series with the next three days set to decide who takes home the Wisden Trophy.

Roach, 36, who missed the just-concluded three-match Test series against England due to a knee injury, now has the opportunity to prove his fitness to possibly break back into the Kraigg Brathwaite-led team for the upcoming two-match Test series against the Proteas scheduled to begin on August 7.

The same is true for the others, namely Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Justin Greaves, who fell out of favour for Test team selection following sub-par performances in Australia earlier this year, as the warm-up match will be their shot at redemption.

Following the Test series, West Indies and South Africa will cross swords in a three-match T20 series starting on August 23.

Cricket West Indies (CWI), in making the announcement, said the warm-up match is a crucial opportunity to also engage several talented players that have either demonstrated consistent performances over multiple seasons or have shown impressive emerging talent.

The selection of these players also forms part of CWI’s strategy to evaluate the readiness of potential squad members for the upcoming West Indies home Test Series against South Africa.

According to CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, the focus is on assessing their battle readiness and potential contributions to the men's Test team.

“We are excited to see these players in action against a formidable South African side. This fixture is a valuable opportunity to assess their readiness and gauge their potential for the upcoming Test series. Each player selected has shown significant promise, and we are eager to see how they perform on this stage,” Bascombe said.

He added that this match will serve as a significant test for these players, providing a platform to showcase their skills and further their case for inclusion in the senior team.

West Indies Championship XI: Justin Greaves (Captain), Keacy Carty (Vice Captain), Jediah Blades, Joshua Bishop, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Bryan Charles, Amir Jangoo, Anderson Phillip, Nial Smith, Jeremy Solozano, Shamar Springer, Isai Thorne, Kevin Wickham, Kemar Roach

Management: Floyd Reifer (Head coach), Ramesh Subasinge (Assistant coach), Jelani Baptise (Physiotherapist), Shayne Cooper (Strength & Conditioning coach), Keshavar Ramphal (Analyst)

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.