At stumps, the West Indies needed another 285 to overhaul the home team for victory. Although it is the West Indies that holds the record for the highest fourth innings, which was 418 against Australia in 2002, few would bet on the current inexperienced campaigners going anywhere close.
With the team scoring below 250 in seven of its last 12 innings, the team could be forgiven to ensure that it simply did not lose the first test. In order to secure a result, however, Cornwall believes the first hour of the final day will be crucial and looks to the batsmen continuing to stymie the Bangladesh bowling attack.
“Two guys are crease, set. They just have to come out again tomorrow and start over again,” Cornwall said at the end of the day’s play.
“The first hour is going to be crucial and we can just take it from there.”
For his part, Cornwall has had a tidy bowling effort, claiming 3 for 81 in the second innings and 2 for 114 in the first.
The 32-year-old pace bowler was initially named as the 15th member to the official Test squad for the upcoming tour. Gabriel, one of the team’s lead strike bowlers, has not played cricket since September of last year after a brief spell with Gloucestershire. The player was sidelined after suffering an ankle injury that required surgery.
Head coach of the West Indies Phil Simmons, however, recently revealed the player had been training well and would be in contention for a spot in the final day Test squad.
“We have to put this in perspective. We selected 14, but Shannon, as we know, has come back from injury and being a senior member of the squad in the past two or three years we would have to look at him if he is up to that fitness level heading into the first Test,” Simmons told members of the media on a conference call on Saturday.
Gabriel claimed eight wickets and bowled with plenty of menace when the teams met in the Caribbean last year. The West Indies won the Test series 2-1. The player was, however, suspended for five One Day internationals after a verbal exchange with England batsman Joe Root.
Initially, the 32-year-old quick was included as a reserve, having recovered from an ankle injury in the past several months. With no competitive cricket available to the player during the COVID-19 pandemic, doubts had surfaced regarding his fitness.
Gabriel has, however, proven himself match fit over the last couple of weeks and is expected to return to the bowling line-up. In the warm-up matches, the bowler has claimed eight wickets at an average of just over 15.
Thursday was the last day of the West Indies' second and final warm-up game. The team’s coach Phil Simmons returned to the bench after his latest negative coronavirus test.
West Indies captain Jason Holder, who has struggled for form with the bat, tried to gain more time in the middle by promoting himself up the order to open the batting for his team, against the Kraigg Brathwaite XI. The all-rounder could only manage two off 15 deliveries, for a total of just seven runs in the warm-up games.
Gabriel was much better as he took four for 42 as Brathwaite's XI were bowled out for 178 in a drawn encounter, after resuming on 112 for seven.
Despite being one of the region’s top prospects, the 23-year-old has not played for the West Indies since 2020. Paul opted out of the team’s tour of England in 2020 but appeared against New Zealand in T20 internationals at the end of that same year. He has not been seen on the international stage since.
The player has, however, in the meantime taken part in a few T20 leagues and with the regional 4-day tournament looming on the horizon, Paul will be looking to make a statement. According to reports, the player recently turned in excellent scores in a fitness test conducted in Guyana recently.
“I am feeling excellent, I think I needed this to get back out there and bowl a few overs to get the feel of four-day cricket. My body is responding really well and for me personally, I am feeling really happy with where I am right now. I bowled a few overs on the trot, I was not feeling tired, I just wanted to put a few balls in the right area and it’s coming out really nice and I am happy with that,” Paul recently told the Guyana Times.
“I was in the Sri Lankan Premier League, it was not the best of tournaments for me, but it is always a learning experience for me; you go to these different leagues in the different continents and you play on different pitches, you gain a lot of experience so that was a major learning curve for me,” he added.
“My body is starting to feel like where it was when I first started playing. I am in the gym and I am trying not to worry about injuries. I just want to try and enjoy my cricket as best as I can. I want to represent my country and hopefully, back to the West Indies team sometime soon.”
In the 2018-2019 season, his last full season in the four-day competition Paul claimed 42 wickets in 10 matches, while scoring 260 runs.
The 34-year-old batsman is only just recovering from injury, having missed out on the team’s most recent tour of South Africa, which ended in a disappointing 3-0 loss.
According to reports, the batsman is already back in training and will be ready to go for the T20 and perhaps ODI series. The series will get underway on February 6th, while the T20 series gets underway on February 16th. Rohit is recovering from a left hamstring injury. In the past, the player has captained India vs the West Indies in three matches in 2018. India won the series 3-0. Overall, in 17 T20Is India has won 10 and lost 6.
"Rohit is fit and available for the series against the West Indies," a BCCI source was quoted as saying.
"By the time the West Indies series starts, it will be more than seven and half weeks of rehabilitation and recuperation for Rohit.
The West Indies are expected to head to India immediately after the England tour.
The soon-to-be 39-year-old Barbadian last played for the West Indies in 2012, but still able to generate 90mph deliveries, he believes could be an asset for the two-time champions.
"I have made myself available for West Indies. I have spoken to Kieron Pollard and Phil Simmons and let them know that, if there's any opportunity, I'm ready,” said Edwards, who is currently playing in the Abu Dhabi T10 tournament, in a recent interview with ESPN Cricinfo.
“Training has always been a big part of my game but, in the last 18 months or so, I've changed what I do and I'm the fittest I've ever felt. I've had my time in England and now I've made myself available to represent West Indies again. I think I did pretty well in the CPL and I'm keeping my fingers crossed."
Bashir's figures of 5-41 saw England surge towards the win in a single session on the fourth day of the second Test.
England started the day 248-3 as Joe Root (122) and Harry Brook's first Test century (109) laid the foundations for the triumph, setting West Indies a target of 385 to win.
The tourists scored 61-0 from the first 13 overs before Chris Woakes (2-28) removed openers Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite in quick succession.
And a spell of five wickets in six overs dismantled any hope of a comeback, as Bashir bowled a magical spell to claim 3-8 in 15 deliveries.
Mark Wood (1-17) sent Kevin Sinclair walking in the 23rd over as Gus Atkinson (2-49) struck twice in three balls to put England within touching distance of the victory.
It would be Bashir who would secure the triumph, bowling out Shamar Joseph to secure his third five-wicket haul in five Test appearances as West Indies were bowled out for just 143.
It gives England their first series win since the tour of Pakistan in 2022. They will look for a 3-0 sweep when the final Test begins at Edgbaston on Friday.
Data Debrief: Bashir the main man
Root’s 122 was his 32nd Test hundred, one short of Alastair Cook’s England record, moving ahead of Shivnarine Chanderpaul (11,867) to become the eighth all-time run-scorer in Test cricket (11,870).
But on Sunday, it was all about Bashir, England's main man with the ball in hand. He became the first spinner since 2006 to take five wickets in a Test at Trent Bridge.
In fact, over the last two tours, the regional team has lost its last four games in a row against the Black Caps on their own soil, the most recent a 2-0 defeat in 2017. Overall, the West Indies have won only once in New Zealand, in 2006, with the other result being a draw in 2009. It is a record the opening batsman hopes can be improved with the current campaign soon to get underway.
“This is my third time in New Zealand. The team goal for me is to actually make sure that we can win this series. My individual goal is to make sure I can get as many runs as possible so that I can actually cement my spot in the T20 squad,” Fletcher said in an interview with windies cricket.
In 12 matches for this season’s CPL, Fletcher scored 211, with a high score of 46 and an average of 21.10 for St Lucia Zouks. The batsman believes he has improved since then.
“I’ve become a more positive player. My shot selection has improved a lot. I’ve worked hard on the physical part of my game well. I’ve been putting in a lot of strength work behind the scenes and it pays off,” he added.
Set 225 to win after the Scorpions shockingly collapse for 60 in their second innings, on day three, the Windwards began the final day on 51 for three. Following the loss of marque batsman Devon Smith (0), Kimani Meluis (11) and Kaveem Hodge (21), Ambris and Flethcer combined to steady the Volcanoes early wobbles.
The two combined for a 4th wicket partnership of 105, leaving the Volcanoes just another 76 runs to win before Ambris (56) was dismissed by Jeremy Merchant. Fletcher, who top-scored with 71, would continue to anchor the team’s charge to victory but was eventually dismissed by Marqino Mindley, with the team in a solid position at 180 for 5. Keron Cottoy then contributed 24 from 49 balls before being run out, but, in the end, the team got comfortably over the line. Patrick Harty was the pick of the Scorpions second innings bowlers after claiming 53 for 3.
The Scorpions had looked in full control of the match after dismissing the Winwards for 217 in the first innings, a total still some 164 runs of their total. A disastrous second innings showing at the crease, however, handed their opponents the initiative.
Merchant (19) and Mindley (10) were the only batsman to get into double figures. Ryan John, 4 for 26, Preston McSween, 3 for 23 and Kenneth Dember, 3 for 9, did the damage as they ripped through the Scorpions batting line-up.
The 27-year-old Brathwaite was a standout player when the regional team played in England three years ago. The opener scored 40 in the first Test, before scoring 134 and 95 in the second, forming part of a crucial partnership with Shai Hopes as the West Indies leveled the series.
The player has not been in the best of form since then. The top batsman averaged just 16 from his last six Tests, to see his overall average drop to 33. During the recent first-class championship, he was averaging a mere 25 after the seventh round of matches before knocks of 48 and 84 not out against Guyana Jaguars in the eighth round, boosted his numbers. It has led some to question his inclusion in the squad. The player, however, insisted he would not focus on either those negatives or dwell on his strong showing in England the last time around.
“I look forward to any series against England but what I’m really focusing on is obviously doing my job on the team and built that foundation, that’s all I’m focusing on,” Brathwaite told members of the media on Wednesday.
“There’s no pressure. You can’t always do well. I know my role and it just about going out there and focus on each ball. The batting hasn’t been going well the last few innings but I’m up for challenge,” he added
“Looking back, you obviously see things that you did well (2017) but that is history. I have an important job to do here and now and I’m raring to go.”
The West Indies followed up a gutsy away win over Bangladesh, with a hard-fought T20 series win over Sri Lanka, before putting on a dominant display in a One Day International (ODI) series against the same opponents.
While some may view the results with an air of skepticism, due to what they believe is inferior opposition, Murray was quick to point out that the team’s approach and attitude in recent encounters was just as important as the results and could augur well for the future.
“We are at a stage where West Indies cricket, let’s face facts, is at the bottom of the rung and we have taken the opportunity to beat teams on an equal footing with us or just above us,” Murray told the Mason and Guest radio show.
“What we saw in the One Days against Sri Lanka were people playing to their responsibilities within the team…we saw that in areas of the One Day game where people were called up to bowl at different times, people coming to bowl at the death, etc. People were moving out of their comfort zone and doing what the team needed,” he added.
“Between going from number 9 to number 1 there are going to be obstacles and hiccups along the way. We are not going to beat everybody as we go along but being able to win in tight situations is key, forget whether it was Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. In tight situations, we came out of it winning. Players are going to start believing they can win. So, when we face England, Australia, India, or New Zealand, it’s not going to be us trying to do something as a one-off but let’s get into a situation to give ourselves a chance to win. You are going to start winning more than you are losing.”
The West Indies will now turn their attention to securing victory over Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series, which begins on Sunday.
A capable wicketkeeper, the floppy-hat wearing Payne spent most of his Test career as an understudy to Jeff Dujon with whom he shared a resemblance.
He served as Dujon’s back up during the 1984 tour of England, in Australia 1984-85, and on later trips to New Zealand, Pakistan and Sharjah. His only chance came when Dujon missed the second Test against England at Port-of-Spain in 1986 through injury, and he held five catches in a comprehensive win.
He played seven One Day Internationals for the West Indies scoring 126 runs at an average of 31.50 and took six catches.
He was more successful in his first-class career that spanned more than a decade.
Payne played 68 first class matches, scoring 3391 runs at an average of 36.85 for Barbados with six hundreds and 25 half centuries. Behind the stumps, he took 103 catches and completed eight stumpings.
In paying tribute, Cricket West Indies President Dr Kishore Shallow said Payne's contributions to West Indies Cricket will be cherished.
“On behalf of CWI, I offer sincere condolences to the family and friends of Thelston Payne. He is one of those unsung heroes of West Indies cricket who served the game at all levels for over four decades. During his playing career, he was a dynamic keeper and stylish batsman and was part of the great era of West Indies cricket when we dominated world cricket, under Sir Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards.," Dr Shallow said.
“After his playing days were over, he made a meaningful contribution as a coach and mentor in Barbados at the grassroots level. He also played a key role in the development of many players. His contribution will be remembered and we will remain grateful to this stalwart of cricket.”
The 34-year-old big-hitter has had a difficult campaign to date for the many-time IPL champions, who have themselves struggled to make an impact. With only two wins and eight losses in 10 games, the five-time title winners are rooted at the bottom of the IPL table.
In ten matches so far in IPL 2022, Pollard has struggled to score just 129 runs at an abysmal average of 14.33 and a strike rate of just 109.32. Pollard has been a loyal servant to the Mumbai franchise and despite it being the only IPL club that he has ever represented, since making his debut in 2010, Chopra believes the club is likely to take a chance with young South African Dewald Brevis. Brevis has scored 124 runs in six games but has an incredible strike rate of 155.
“I feel Kieron Pollard will not play any further this year, that's it, they won't play him anymore because Dewald Brevis is sitting outside and Tim David is doing well," Chopra said via his YouTube channel.
"Don't know why they didn't play a punt on Tim David earlier. They had kept this six-hitting machine sitting outside for a long time. Now they have remembered that they should play him and he has not disappointed them even once since they have played him.”
“They won’t be playing in the World Cup. In all three formats, they are lagging behind in the rankings. Eventually, there has to be a threshold,” Chopra argued during a question and answer session with Sportsekeeda.
“I have been talking about that tier system - promotion and relegation. Just because they are an erstwhile champion side, till when can you carry on with them as a Test-playing nation? The team, as such, is doing nothing.”
Chopra says that West Indies' lack of unity and coordination has been a major factor in their downfall, and that many top players prefer franchise cricket over representing West Indies.
“Their case is unique because they have separate islands. Their pitches are so slow. You saw it in Dominica and you will see it at Port of Spain as well. It’s not a bad idea. May be the island teams might play with more pride. All said and done, West Indies’ state of cricket is quite bad.
“The five fingers are split and everyone is thinking about themselves - be it Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua or Guyana. There is hardly any coordination. During their prime, Clive Lloyd kept them together. This team needs leadership, because it’s a scattered side. Every island nation has them own anthem. As it is, things were difficult and then players became T20 journeymen. The pride in playing for West Indies has reduced.”
Chopra's comments come at a time when West Indies are struggling both on and off the field. The team was recently hammered by India in the first Test in Dominica, and they are currently ranked ninth in the Test rankings. Chopra believes that the team needs to be shaken up, and that stripping them of their Test-playing status would be a wake-up call.
Chopra played 10 Tests for India between October 2003 and October 2004 scoring 437 runs at an average of 23.
Otto played 48 first-class matches for the Leeward Islands between 1979 and 1990. During that period, he scored 2550 runs that included six centuries and 12 50s at an average of 34.00.
The right-handed batsman was the vice-captain of the West Indies ‘B’ that toured Zimbabwe in 1986. Former West Indies batsman Carlyle Best was the captain of that team that included Jimmy Adams and Carl Hooper who would both go on to become captains of the West Indies team, Phil Simmons, David Williams, Julian Charles, Javon Etienne and Vibert Greene among others.
A cousin to West Indies fast-bowling great Sir Curtly Ambrose, Otto would go on to manage the Leeward Islands team. He also managed the Antigua and Barbuda team that participated in the Stanford 20/20 tournament in 2008.
Rafi Ali who was president of the Esmeralda Cricket Club and a nominated member of the TTCB made the comments while Ramnarine was a member of the Sports Company of Trinidad and Tobago.
In addressing the matter, Master of the High Court Martha Alexander insisted that Ali acted deliberately, jeeringly, and maliciously. She believed the judgment would “serve to caution any defendant who uses Facebook or any other social media platform to libel and destroy a claimant’s reputation that he will feel the punitive arm of the court acting to deter such behaviour.”
She added that Ali’s Facebook statement was posted to destroy Ramnarine’s reputation.
“And the court must send a message that such reckless abuse of social media platforms must stop. The defendant before this court will not be allowed to use Facebook to boost his popularity at the claimant’s expense or ‘to sell another man’s reputation for profit.”
The fees amounted to US$114,382 in damages, plus interest and an additional US$8,386 in legal fees.
Phillips, who played several years for the country’s Jamaica Tallawahs franchise in the CPL, looked right at home as he blasted 76 from 31 deliveries. The batsman was aided in the carnage by Daryl Mitchell who made 48 from 20 as the pair put on 83 for the fourth wicket.
No Windies bowler, in particular, did well against the onslaught with Obed McKoy claiming the best bowling figures with 3 for 40.
In reply, the West Indies never looked like making a game of the run chase. They managed just 125 for 9 in reply, lacking the partnerships that underpinned New Zealand's record innings, which was the most by a visiting team in the Caribbean.
With the top order vanishing in dizzying fashion, the Windies did not get a decent partnership until lower down the innings. The best two were 35 for the seventh wicket between Romario Shepherd and Rovman Powell, but that came when the Windies were 40 for 6 and well out of the game. Hayden Walsh and Obed McCoy put on 38 in an unbroken stand for the last wicket.
Mitchell Santner and Michael Bracewell did the damage for New Zealand with the ball, both finishing with 3 for 15.
Ramdin was a member of the West Indies T20 World Cup sides in 2012 and 2016. Claire reacted to the signing on her Instagram page.
“Two-time World Cup T20 winning wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin. It is a privilege to work with people you admire for all their accomplishments,” she said.
The Trinidadian is a former West Indies captain at both the Under-19 and senior levels and holds the West Indies wicketkeeping record for most T20 dismissals.
The 36-year-old scored 2898 runs in 74 Test matches at an average of 25.87 for the West Indies with four centuries and 15 fifties with his highest score of 166 coming against England in 2009.
In 139 ODIs, Ramdin scored 2200 runs at an average of 25.00 with two centuries and eight fifties with a highest score of 169 against Bangladesh in 2014.
He also represented the West Indies in 71 T20 Internationals scoring 636 runs at an average of 18.70 with one half-century
Lloyd the former two-time World Cup-winning captain was honoured with a CBEs (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for his services to the sport of cricket.
The Guyana-born batsman played for the English County cricket club of Lancashire between 1968 until 1986. During that time the team won two One-Day League titles in 1969 and 1970 and four Friends Provident Trophy titles between 1970 and 1975.
Lloyd captained the West Indies between 1974 and 1985 and is one of the most successful Test captains in the sport’s history. During his captaincy, the team had a run of 27 matches without defeat, which included 11 wins in a row. Lloyd was also named Wisden’s Cricketer of the Year in 1979.
After retiring from the sport, Lloyd went on to manage the West Indies in the late 1990s and also served as a member of the team's panel of selectors. For his exploits, Lloyd was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
In a video on YouTube shared by veteran sports journalist Vimal Kumar on his channel, Benjamin says he has contacted well-known cricket figures in India to help the issue.
Benjamin, who represented the West indies in 21 tests and 81 ODIs between 1986 and 1995, says doesn’t need financial donations; he is happy to receive something as simple as cricket bats or other equipment that he can help distribute to aspiring players in the area.
“Previously, we used to have a tournament in Sharjah where it used to be like a benefit game for players from different countries. I don’t want benefits. All I want is for somebody to say ‘here is some equipment’ – 10-15 bats, that is good enough for me. I don’t want 20000 US dollars. I just want some equipment so that I can give back to youngsters. That’s all I am asking.”
Benjamin also asked Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar while thanking former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin.
“Mr. Tendulkar if you are in a position, could you assist me? Hit me up,” he said.
“I would like to thank my good friend Mohammad Azharuddin. He sent me some equipment over. Azhar, congratulations! And thank you so much for that assistance. Stay in touch. Anyone else who wants to contribute, feel free,” Benjamin added.
