Roston Chase

The Pride restricted the Academy to 213 all out in 46.1 overs after winning the toss and fielding first. The Academy’s batting effort was led by fifties from Keagan Simmons (64) and Kevin Wickham (54) as well as 45 from Teddy Bishop. Pacer Ramon Simmonds led the way with the ball for Barbados with 4-39 off seven overs while Roston Chase (3-31 off 10 overs) and Roshon Primus (3-27 off 4.1) also contributed with the ball.

Chase, recently recalled to the West Indies Test squad heading to Australia later this month, then compiled a classy 86 not out from 81 balls to lead the Pride to a successful chase. His innings included nine fours and four sixes. Opener Zacahry McCaskie also played a big hand with a 93-ball 71 including nine fours and a six as Barbados reached 214-4 off 44.1 overs for victory. 

This was Barbados' first game while the Academy now have two losses from as many outings.

The 29-year-old Jamaican, who acquitted himself well during the #Raisethebat tour of England in July, was the second highest scorer on the tour; his 216 runs only bettered by Kane Williamson’s 251 in the first Test that the West Indies lost by an innings and 134 runs.

However, Blackwood’s 216 runs were made in four innings and included his second Test century in the second innings of the first Test. He added a score of 69 in the first innings of the second Test that was more than half of the West Indies total 131 all out.

He averaged 54 for the series, well above his career average of 31.10.

For the rest of the batsman, the tour was a train wreck even though one of the West Indies bowlers might be moving towards a new designation; that of allrounder.

Opener John Campbell was the next best West Indies batsman having scored 110 runs in four innings. He achieved his highest Test score of 68 in the second innings of the second Test which helped prop his average up to 27.5, the same as fast bowler Alzarri Joseph.

The 24-year-old Antiguan also scored 110 runs during the series with a career best 86 made in the first Test. He showed glimpses of his batting potential when he scored 24 from 12 balls as the second Test drew to a close. That cameo included two majestic sixes square of the wicket and a sublime straight drive to the boundary, one of three he struck during his brief stay at the crease.

Captain Jason Holder averaged 34.33 which flattered him as he only scored 103 runs during the series, 61 of which came in his final innings when he and Joshua Da Silva fought in vain to avoid another embarrassing defeat.

Da Silva didn’t do his cause any harm scoring 60 runs in two innings including a well-played 57 in the final Test match. He averaged 30.

By contrast, this was a series that Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase, will quickly want to forget. The former only managed 55 runs at an average of 13.75. It was even worse for Chase who could only muster 17 runs at 4.25.

Shamarh Brooks, who faced 92 balls for just 14 runs in the first innings of the second Test, compiled 53 runs during the series averaging 13.25 per inning. Of note, is that Brooks scored 36 runs in the second innings of the final Test, meaning he scored 50 of his 53 runs in the second Test match at Wellington.

Patriots captain Rayad Emrit chose to bowl, but while Sheldon Cottrell and Sohail Tanvir started tightly to Rakheem Cornwall, Andre Fletcher was able to pick up boundaries off both. Cornwall retired ill in the third over, and while Mark Deyal started with a Hero Maximum first ball, he should have fallen off his third when Ben Dunk missed a slip catch off Jon-Russ Jaggesar. Jaggesar’s frustration grew when Kieran Powell stepped on the rope while trying to complete a juggling catch.

The Zouks were quick to take advantage, Fletcher taking a liking to Tanvir and Deyal, peppering the leg-side off Jaggesar to power the Zouks to 64/0 off the Powerplay. The onslaught continued as the field went back, with Deyal launching his third Hero Maximum to bring up the 50 stand off just 27 balls.

Ish Sodhi took a good juggling catch at mid-off to dismiss Deyal off Emrit’s first ball. The Patriots captain foxed Najibullah Zadran with an array of slower balls, but the Afghan powered a pair of reverse sweeps off Sodhi and the legspinner was frustrated when Fletcher was dropped again on 38. Another Najibullah four saw the Zouks motor to 91/1 at halfway.

Jaggesar finally got his man when Fletcher picked out deep midwicket. With the Zouks so well set, it was a surprise to see the anchorman Roston Chase come into bat, and he fell to a spitting Jaggesar carrom ball before he could make much of an impression. Tanvir picked up Najibullah and Sammy caught behind in the same over, and at 123/5 in the 15th the Zouks were in danger of wasting a good platform.

Cornwall was well enough to return but hit only one boundary before he was freakishly run out. A Nabi leading edge spun back onto the bowlers’ stumps with Cornwall backing up looking for a run, and Emrit had ample time to complete the run-out.

Nabi showed his class with two huge Hero Maximums off Tanvir, one of which went literally out of the ground. Another flurry off the 20th took the Zouks to an imposing 172-6 despite their mid-innings stutter.

Nabi was back in the action immediately, bowling an excellent first over to Chris Lynn and Evin Lewis. Saad bin Zafar was not so accurate - when he dropped short Lynn pulled, and when he overpitched Lewis drove and paddle-swept - but a stunned Lynn had to depart when Najibullah sprung magnificently to take the catch of the tournament so far.

Lewis toyed with Scott Kuggeleijn, dispatching a Hero Maximum over square leg and paddling the follow-up slower ball very fine for four. But it was the New Zealander who was waiting at long-on when the recalled Joshua Da Silva toe-ended a straight hit off Chase. Kesrick Williams, bowling a rare Powerplay over, mixed up good and bad and the Patriots ended the Powerplay at 52/2.

Chase continued to impress, the ominous Lewis edging a cut to the keeper off a quicker ball. With Obed McCoy also accurate, Sammy was able to ramp up the pressure on Denesh Ramdin and Ben Dunk, and despite Ramdin’s Hero Maximum last ball before the drinks break, the Patriots needed 9.5 an over off the last 10. Dunk succumbed to the pressure, missing a sweep and giving Chase a third wicket of a fantastic spell. Tight overs from Williams and Nabi pushed the required run rate up above 11, and Powell, Ramdin, Tanvir and Emrit all fell trying to slog Kuggeleijn.

The Patriots’ keeper deserves credit for a good lone hand, and Cottrell launched a few lusty blows to narrow the margin of defeat, but other than their mid-innings batting wobble the Zouks were in control throughout, and with their well-stocked spin attack could be a force later in the tournament if the pitches tire as expected. The Patriots meanwhile have work to do if they’re not to be cut adrift.

Rakheem Cornwall battered Oshane Thomas for two fours in the game’s first over, and Andre Russell dropped Andre Fletcher on just 4, but captain Rovman Powell made no mistake when Cornwall it to him at cover when the batsman was on 9. 

Mark Deyal cut Mujeeb-ur-Rahman for four and lofted Permaul for consecutive Hero Maximums, but Permaul had his revenge, keeper Chadwick Walton taking a neat catch. Fletcher struggled against Mujeeb but sent Permaul into the stands over long-on, and the Zouks closed the GuardianLife Powerplay at 52/2.

Thomas sent down four wides and was pulled for four by Chase, and while Russell’s bouncer was too hot for Fletcher to handle, Chase was quickly onto a hook for his first six. Najibullah Zadran launched Sandeep Lamichhane onto the grass bank, and another boundary from Chase off Russell took the Zouks to 86/3 at halfway.

Lamichhane kept Najibullah quiet with a series of googlies, and while Chase relieved the pressure with a pull off Carlos Brathwaite and a cover drive off Lamichhane, the Nepalese spinner came back beautifully to almost have Chase out twice in two balls.

Big hitters Daren Sammy and Mohammad Nabi were kept waiting as Chase and Najibullah were forced to run hard to keep the scoreboard ticking. Four twos in a row might have taken it out of Najibullah as a flat-bat found only Powell at long-off, the catch held despite a collision with Permaul.

Nabi took Mujeeb for a huge Hero Maximum and a deft four, but his countryman took revenge with a simple return catch. Chase brought up his first-ever T20 fifty off 39 balls, but Mujeeb beat him in the flight to give Thomas a simple catch at point. 

With Russell accurate at the death, Sammy was forced to risk a tight second run and Powell’s hard throw found him short. Despite the slow finish, the Zouks’ 158/7 was the highest total of Hero CPL 2020 so far.

The Tallawahs struggled early, and a frustrated Walton skied Obed McCoy to Sammy at mid-off. The Zouks used a different bowler for each of the first four overs, and none of them went for even a single boundary.

Nicholas Kirton tried to break free, but Deyal pulled off the Republic Bank Classic Catch of the tournament so far, leaping almost behind him to pluck a pull shot from the sky and reduce the Tallawahs to 13/2 in the 5th over.

Powell began the rescue mission off his first two balls, hitting Scott Kuggeleijn for four and then a powerful flat Hero Maximum. Phillips lofted Zahir Khan or a four-and-six pair of his own, but at 36/2 the Tallawahs were behind the game after the Powerplay.

But it was a different story in the middle overs. Phillips meted out brutal treatment to Kesrick Williams, and Powell clubbed a pull followed by a straight six off Zahir. All of a sudden, the Tallawahs were ahead of the required run rate.

Sammy sensed the danger and brought back McCoy, and Phillips had to wait till the last ball of the over for a boundary. Powell tried to take on Cornwall but found only deep midwicket, and at the Angostura LLB drinks break, the Tallawahs were 78/3 needing a further 83, and the game was finely balanced.

But Asif Ali blasted his third ball over the ropes and was unfazed by the loss of Phillips. A four off Nabi kept things ticking, and a free hit and a brutal Russell cut shot meant the 13th over went for double figures. Russell pulled the last ball of the fourth for four and the Tallwahs entered the last six overs needing 50.

The 15th over went boundary-less and Russell and Asif had to take a chance off Zahir’s last. They responded in style, with Asif dancing down the track for a Hero Maximum and Russell easing a short ball for four.

The Zouks had a chance when a Williams slower ball drew a thin edge from Russell, and thus Brathwaite joined Asif with the required run rate above 9. But an Asif dink and two Brathwaite bludgeons, plus a dropped catch by Sammy, meant Kuggeleijn’s last over went for 16 and the game was as good as won.

The Zouks will feel they left a few runs out there, and Sammy underused himself and Nabi, but today belonged to the Tallawahs’ power-hitters.  A good measure of how comfortable they were, in the end, was, despite Andre Russell scoring at under a run a ball, the game was won with an over to spare. 

Summary: Jamaica Tallawahs 160/5 (Asif Ali 47*, Phillips 44, Powell 26, Brathwaite 18*; Williams 2/32, Cornwall 1/9, McCoy 1/28, Nabi 0/13) beat St Lucia Zouks 158/7 (Chase 52, Najibullah 25, Fletcher 22, Deyal 17; Mujeeb 2/25, Permaul 2/34, Lamichhane 1/23, Russell 1/32) by 5 wickets

 Coming up later today: Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (5:30 pm), Brian Lara Cricket Academy

Athanaze, the left-handed batter, is the captain of Windward Islands Volcanoes while Jordan, the right-arm seam bowler, plays for Barbados Pride.

Both have demonstrated good form in the first two rounds of the current four-day West Indies Championship.

Athanaze had scores of 41 and 51 against Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in Round 1 and followed up with a career-best 141 against Guyana Harpy Eagles in Round 2. He is a product of the West Indies Under 19s Rising Stars where he was one of the stand-out players at the 2018 ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup.

Jordan had match figures of 5-86 against Guyana and followed up with 7-113 against Jamaica Scorpions to be one of the leading wicket-takers in the West Indies Championship after two rounds of matches.

Athanaze and Jordan replace left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican and batter Nkrumah Bonner who are part of the squad for the just-concluded series in Zimbabwe.

Jayden Seales is unavailable for selection following a knee injury and subsequent surgery, while Anderson Philiip has returned to training but is not yet match-fit.

Lead Selector, The Most Hon. Dr Desmond Haynes said: “Athanaze is one of the young players who we have invested in, and he played well in the ‘A Team’ and CWI President’s XI. He showed great promise in the CG United Super50 last year and then got his first hundred in the West Indies Championship last week. We believe he should be given an opportunity at this level. He has also showed leadership, as captain of the Windwards at the start of this season.”

Haynes added: “Jordan has been very impressive from last year, he has continued to bowl well, and has been excellent in the first two matches so far this year. He is very skilful, can bowl the new ball, and looks to put the ball in the right areas. He is also a sharp fielder and good catcher close to the wicket. This will be a challenging tour. There is no easy away tour in Test cricket. South Africa have a good team, but I am sure we will be up for the task and will do well in these two Test matches.”

The upcoming Series is the final Test fixture for both teams in the ICC World Test Championship. West Indies are currently in sixth place and have the opportunity, with a Series win to move above South Africa, currently in fourth place, in the final table.

West Indies are due to arrive in South Africa on 17 February. They will face South Africa in two Test matches at SuperSport Park in Centurion (28 February to 4 March) and the Wanderers in Johannesburg (8 to 12 March). Following the Tests, West Indies will then play a white ball series. The squads for these will named at a later date.

FULL SQUAD

Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)

Jermaine Blackwood (Vice Captain)

Alick Athanaze

Tagenarine Chanderpaul

Roston Chase

Joshua Da Silva

Shannon Gabriel

Jason Holder

Akeem Jordan

Alzarri Joseph

Kyle Mayers

Gudakesh Motie

Raymon Reifer

Kemar Roach

Devon Thomas

The Red Force started the day 51-3, needing 110 more runs to make the Pride bat again, and they got off to the worst possible start after Chase removed Jason Mohammed for 10 to leave the score at 55-4.

55-4 became 64-5 as opener Keagan Simmons was next to go for 31, caught off the bowling of Chase.

Yannic Cariah was the only other batsman to put up any resistance, finishing 35 not out as Joshua Da Silva (14), Imran Khan (2), Terrance Hinds (1), Uthman Muhammad (7), and Shannon Gabriel (8) all fell in quick succession to restrict the Red Force to 139 all out, condemning them to their second straight outright loss.

Chase took 3-26 from 12 overs while Akeem Jordan and Justin Greaves were also instrumental with 3-31 off 11.1 overs and 2-27 from nine overs, respectively.

Final scores: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 133 and 139, Barbados Pride 294.

At lunch on the final day, the West Indies have already lost their openers and Shai Hope with just 25 runs on the board but more importantly, still with 74 overs to face and 287 runs to get.

England only batted for 11 overs of the morning session as Ben Stokes went into limited-overs mode to help them push their lead to 311 before a declaration 11 overs into the day.

Stokes was unbeaten on 78 off 57 balls as England declared on 129-3, giving the hosts 85 overs to bowl out the West Indies and tie the three-match series at 1-1. They will have two new balls to get the victory.

Any result looks possible on the final day — as was the case in the first Test in Southampton last week, when the Windies won by four wickets after chasing down 200 for victory.

West Indies' aim will likely be survival, though, with the victory target of 312 unlikely.

Stokes smashed two sixes over long-off as the big-hitting allrounder and England captain Joe Root put on 53 runs in the first 43 balls of the morning before Root was run out for 22 — effectively sacrificing his own wicket to get Stokes back on strike.

Now alongside Ollie Pope (12 not out), Stokes still had time to slog Jason Holder down the ground for another six, pushing the lead past 300, before Root called them back in.

By then, England had made 92 runs off 66 balls.

The second new ball will be available for England after 80 overs.

John Campbell, 4, was the first to go, going caught behind off the bowling of Stuart Broad, while his opening partner Kraigg Brathwaite was trapped on the crease off the bowling of Chris Woakes for 12.

Shai Hope’s struggles with the bat have also continued as Broad got a delivery to nip back at him, taking the top of off stump, with the batsman hapless after his decision to play back to a fullish delivery.

Roston Chase, yest to score, and Shamarh Brooks, 2, are the batsmen at the crease.

King was set to lead the West Indies A-Team on the recently concluded T20 tour to Nepal before he was withdrawn due to injury. Chase, appointed instead, went on to lead the A-Team to a series win against Nepal.

The West Indies Men’s squad for the series is as follows: Brandon King (Captain), Roston Chase (Vice-Captain), Fabian Allen, Alick Athanaze, Johnson Charles, Andre Fletcher, Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Obed McCoy, Gudakesh Motie, Romario Shepherd and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Alzarri Joseph and Sherfane Rutherford will be added to the squad if their respective franchises do not reach the Indian Premier League (IPL) Final. Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran are both rested for the series and will join the squad in Trinidad on Monday, 27 May.

“These are among the last competitive T20 International matches before the start of the World Cup,” said lead selector Desmond Haynes. “Players have the opportunity to fine-tune their skills and ensure they are as prepared as they can be for the World Cup, whether they are in the final squad or reserve pool.”

White Ball Head Coach Daren Sammy also commented on his objectives for this series stating, “We have not played together as a team since the Australia series, but we just completed a very high-intensity training camp in Antigua. Now we have the chance to integrate some of our players returning from the IPL and build some momentum as a group going into the World Cup.”

Tickets for the T20I Series against South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica are available now to buy online from the Windies Tickets service, at WINDIES TICKET PORTAL. Fans who purchase online will benefit from a 20 per cent discount compared to the box office prices, with tickets ranging from the most premium seats with the best-shaded views in the stadium through to affordable standard seats or mounds/grounds entry.

Match schedule:

- 23 May 1st T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

- 25 May 2nd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

- 26 May 3rd T20I West Indies v South Africa at Sabina Park, Jamaica 2:00 pm JT/3:00 pm ECT

West Indies won the last T20 International played at Sabina Park against New Zealand in August 2022, which was the last time international cricket was played at this historic venue.

King, the Player of the Match, scored a match-high 81 from 53 balls to lead the Tallawahs to 187 from their 20 overs. Roston Chase scored a quick-fire 50 but the Kings came up short scoring 176-8.

King and Kirk McKenzie opened with a stand of 44 that was broken when Chase removed McKenzie for 20. It would be the first of three wickets that the Tallawahs would lose in quick succession as Chase also dismissed Shamarh Brooks for 12 and Alzarri Joseph removed Amir Jangoo for a duck to leave the defending champions tottering at 62-3, having lost three wickets for 19 runs.

King found a useful partner in Raymon Reifer, who together put on a fourth-wicket stand of 77 that put the Tallawahs on track to a score of over 200 runs. Chase broke the stand when he dismissed Reifer for 16 and triggered a middle-order slide.

Fabian Allen smashed two fours and a six before he was run out for 15 and then King was finally dismissed for 81 that included nine fours and three sixes. Imad Wasim was the last man out for crucial 19 as the Tallawahs lost three wickets off the final three balls of the innings, Mohammad Amir and Nicholson Gordon both run out without scoring.

Chase finished with 3-39 and Joseph 2-21.

Chase also shone with the bat with 53 from 31 balls and got support from Roshon Primus who smashed 37 from just 20 balls as the pair put on a sixth-wicket stand of 61 that threatened to turn the match in favour the Kings.

However, once Primus was run out by Amir for 37, the innings quickly fell away as Chase was then bowled by Salman Irshad who also bowled Matthew Forde for four.

Earlier Johnson Charles rode his luck after being dropped twice to make 24 and Sean Williams contributed 26. Chris Green removed both as the Kings began to fall behind the required run rate. Meanwhile, Imad Wasim dismissed the dangerous Faf de Plessis for nine and then took the wickets of Sikandar Raza for four and Kimani Melius for a duck in consecutive deliveries that had the Kings struggling at 104-5 and needing to score at 14 runs an over in the final six.

Chase and Primus did their best but it proved to be a bridge too far.

Wasim finished with 3-27 while Irshad took 2-39. Chris Green’s two wickets came at a cost of 28 runs.

The West Indies are playing an intra-squad match in preparation for their three-Test series against England starting on July 8.

Brathwaite faced 162 balls for his 84 that included nine fours while Hope scored 83 during a knock that helped keep the middle order together before the team collapsed after he was dismissed at 275 for 6.

The last three batsmen failed to score meaning the Brathwaite XI was unable to push the score past the three-hundred-run mark.

Brathwaite’s XI got off to a shaky start when John Campbell was caught by Alzarri Joseph off the bowling of Shannon Gabriel for 0 with the score at 9. Sharmarh Brooks and Brathwaite added 40 for the second wicket before the former was caught behind off Gabriel for 17.

Hope joined Brathwaite at the crease and together they mounted a third-wicket stand of 102. However, with the score at 152, Kemar Roach breached Brathwaite’s defences and ended his 220-minute stay at the crease.

Hope, now settled, and Roston Chase began to stage another useful partnership but with the score at 224 Preston McSween induced Chase to nick one to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for 37.

From there it was down to Hope to hold the lower order together but once he got out with the score at 273, Joseph quickly wrapped up the tail as the last four wickets fell with the score at 275.

The lanky Antiguan ended with figures of 4 for 60. Shannon Gabriel who did the early damage returned figures of 3 for 32 while there was a wicket each for Roach and Rakheem Cornwall.

The unexpected return to leadership for the 28-year-old comes after 12 players, including captain Jason Holder and vice-captain Roston Chase declined to take part in the tour, due to concerns over the coronavirus.  Bangladesh is noted as one of the world’s Covid-19 hots with 510,080 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7,479 deaths.  Brathwaite had been previously been replaced as vice-captain by Chase, ahead of the New Zealand tour.

The tour was sanctioned following a report from a health and safety team, which was sent on a pre-series tour of the country but that was not enough to assure the majority of the players.

Former Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies A team captain, Jason Mohammed, will lead the ODI team with Sunil Ambris as vice-captain.

The absence of the A-list players will see Kavem Hodge, the right-handed top-order batsman, called to the Test squad for the first time.  Left-handed opener Shayne Moseley and all-rounder Kyle Mayers will now feature in the first team for the first time, after making trips to England and New Zealand as reserves earlier this year.

Two players have earned their first call-ups for the ODI squad — Akeal Hosein, a left-arm spinner allrounder; and Kjorn Ottley, a left-handed top-order batsman.

West Indies Test Squad

Kraigg Brathwaite (captain)

Jermaine Blackwood (vice-captain)

Nkrumah Bonner

John Campbell

Rahkeem Cornwall

Joshua Da Silva

Shannon Gabriel

Kavem Hodge

Alzarri Joseph

Kyle Mayers

Shayne Moseley

Veerasammy Permaul

Kemar Roach

Raymon Reifer

Jomel Warrican

West Indies ODI Squad

Jason Mohammed (captain)

Sunil Ambris (vice-captain)

Nkrumah Bonner

Joshua Da Silva

Jahmar Hamilton

Chemar Holder

Akeal Hosein

Alzarri Joseph

Kyle Mayers

Andre McCarthy

Kjorn Ottley

Rovman Powell

Raymon Reifer

Romario Shepherd

Hayden Walsh jr

Chasing 294 for victory, Barbados were bowled out for 215 in 47.2 overs.

Bravo’s 139 not out that included nine fours and seven majestic sixes, was the foundation on which Trinidad and Tobago built their score of 293 for 6 from their 50 overs. Opener Kjorn Ottley and Tion Webster made invaluable contributions with scores of 36 and 28, respectively, but the bulk of the runs came from Bravo’s bat as no other batter got past 20 runs against the Barbados bowling attack.

Roston Chase was the best of the Barbados bowlers taking 3-50 from his 10 overs while Kemar Smith took 2-46.

Needing 294 for victory, Barbados never really got going. Their batters were beguiled at first by Hosein who dismissed Kyle Mayers for 12 and Zachary McCaskie for 19.  He also dismissed the dangerous Shai Hope for just 18 to finish with figures of 3-31.

Shannon Gabriel had Shamarh Brooks out caught for 33 before Narine took over snaring the wickets of Chase for 48, Roshon Primus for one, Kemar Smith without scoring and Dominic Drakes for nine to return the impressive figures of 4-13 from his 10 overs.

Akeem Jordan in partnership with Jomel Warrican played an entertaining cameo bludgeoning Trinidad’s bowlers for four fours and three sixes before he was bowled by Khary Pierre for a well-played 40 from 47 balls.

Yanic Cariah put the cap on the proceedings when he dismissed Jair McAllister for one, leaving Warrican not out on 19 in the end.

England are in a good position, having ended the day on 258-4, a far cry from the 122-4 they were in when Buttler came to the crease.

Before that, Kemar Roach had removed second-Test century-maker, Dom Sibley, for a duck, trapping him leg before wicket in the first over of the day.

Then came the run out of Joe Root for 17, Roston Chase clipping the bales.

Ben Stokes and opener Rory Burns tried to fashion a recovery before the latter was pushed back with some short deliveries before being bowled by Roach for 20.

The West Indies were looking good with England at 92-3, and when Burns was caught brilliantly at slip by Rahkeem Cornwall off the bowling of Roston Chase for 57, the West Indies were in great shape with two new batsmen and England teetering at 122-4.

But that’s where it ended as Pope, 91, and Buttler, 56, saw out the day in relative comfort, their partnership now worth 136.  

“I thought we started very well. Obviously Buttler and Pope had a good partnership, they batted well and so we know we have some hard work come tomorrow,” said Brathwaite in a press conference following stumps.

While Pope and Buttler have rescued England from a precarious position, Brathwaite does not believe the game has gotten away from the West Indies and tomorrow brings a fresh opportunity.

“We had a plan and obviously to bowl first but it’s been a pretty even day and obviously good from the two at the crease but I think tomorrow we have to start well and look to limit them to as few as possible,” said Brathwaite.

While tomorrow’s morning session is important, Brathwaite says the West Indies won’t panic and will stick to their plans and be patient.

“We have to start well and by that I mean we don’t have to rush wickets. I think if we build pressure by bowling a lot of dot balls and no boundary balls, that will create pressure to bring wickets. We don’t have to rush it in the morning session, I believe once we keep it tight, the tightness will bring wickets,” he said.

The Saint Lucia Kings reclaimed top spot in the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a dominant 90-run victory over the Barbados Royals at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

The Royals won the toss and opted to field first, but they were to run into Johnson Charles in imperious form. The opener blasted 78 and contributions at the back end saw the Kings post a healthy 195-6.

In reply, the Royals chase was over before it began as they lost the top five batters inside the PowerPlay. They never recovered from that huge setback and were eventually all out for 105.

Scores: St Lucia Kings 195-6 (20 overs); Barbados Royals 105 all out (17.3 overs)

The Kings got their innings off to a tremendous start led by the power of Johnson Charles.

Having reached 69/0 at the end of the PowerPlay the foundation was set for a huge total, and they were able to reach 97 before the loss of their first wicket, Colin Munro holing out to the deep square boundary for 33.

Sean Williams stay at the crease was a brief one but at the other end Charles continued to make hay. Only when Jason Holder returned in the 16^th over did the Kings momentum get momentarily halted. Two wickets in the over saw the departure of Shadrack Descarte and Charles himself for 78.

However, quick-fire contributions at the death from Roshon Primus, Sikander Raza and Roston Chase ensured the Kings set an imposing total. 

The Royals never got to grips with the chase and were effectively out of the contest by the end of the PowerPlay.

Alzarri Joseph, Matthew Forde and Roshon Primus were destroyers in chief as they ran through the top five batters to leave the Royals 40/5 at the end of the first six overs.

Despite a few big hits from the lower middle order the Royals suffered without a firm base to build from and eventually folded for 105 all out.

The victory for the Kings sent them back to the top of the table, while Barbados Royals will look to bounce back against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the last game of their home leg on Sunday at 6:00pm Jamaica time. Prior to that, Jamaica Tallawahs will battle Trinbago Knight Riders at 8:00am, while Barbados Royals women will lock horns with Guyana Amazon Warriors women at 1:30pm.

 With all three previous games on this track won by the team batting first, Daren Sammy chose to set a target. Kimani Melius announced himself on Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) debut with a glorious Hero Maximum off Chandrapaul Hemraj but was caught at mid-off trying to repeat the trick off Imran Tahir.

 Tahir didn’t stop there, as he had Mark Deyal dropped first ball and caught second, both by Ashmead Nedd. Nedd started solidly with the ball, but Chase clubbed Keemo Paul for six to add some gloss to the Zouks’ Powerplay score of 37/2.

 Amazon Warriors captain Chris Green used fve bowlers in the first seven overs including two overs from himself, culminating in him yorking Andre Fletcher. Nedd got the deserved wicket of Najibullah Zadran, whose mishit saw him caught on the boundary for a duck.

 A lot now rested on Chase and Mohammad Nabi, and the Bajan took three boundaries off Odean Smith’s first over. The two were cautious initially against the spinners, and the Zouks were a middling 67/4 at halfway.

 Paul and Smith conceded just one boundary each, and Nedd finished his spell beautifully. Nabi briefly broke free with an enormous Hero Maximum and a powerful four off Green, but he was beaten in the flight by Tahir and gave the skipper a straightforward catch.

 Chase brought up his second T20 fifty off 40 balls, and in his first game for the Zouks, Javelle Glenn got off the mark with a lovely cover-drive. But Paul was dismissed for just two, and with four overs to go, the Zouks needed an acceleration. Chase provided it, launching Tahir straight and swinging Paul through square leg, and Glenn settled himself with a boundary of his own.

 Green gave Smith the last over, and his pace proved effective as Glenn and Chase fell in consecutive balls. There was to be no hat-trick, but the over was reward for the bowler and captain’s persistence, and the Zouks’ total seemed below-par.

 Their bowling however was anything but. Nabi bowled a superb first over, and two Scott Kuggeleijn short balls saw King caught behind for 1 and Shimron Hetmyer top-edging to square leg for 4 to leave the Amazon Warriors two down in the second over.

 The Amazon Warriors predicament got even worse when Ross Taylor top-edged a reverse paddle-sweep off the back of the bat into his own helmet and was caught, giving Nabi a first wicket. Even a Hemraj six off Chase couldn’t put much gloss on a Powerplay of 19/3.

 Pooran was lucky to pick up four off a Kesrick Williams short ball, but there was nothing lucky about the authoritative pull for six that followed. Holder was wayward, with wides, a no-ball, and a deft steer through third man, and a 15 run overtook the Amazon Warriors to 59/3 at halfway.

 Hemraj struggled for timing throughout, and eventually spooned a leading-edge off Williams, which was well caught by Chase. Sammy showed faith in Holder, who recovered after being crashed for four by the promoted Paul, but two boundaries in a 12 run over from Pooran put a slight dent in Nabi’s still excellent figures.

 The Zouks got sloppy in the next over, as an overthrow brought up Pooran’s 50 off 32 balls  and Sammy dropped a very simple catch. Pooran then top-edged over the keeper’s head for four to bring the required rate under nine.

 Chase ensured Pooran couldn’t find a boundary, but the Amazon Warriors’ number five made up for that off Williams to take his team into the last four overs needing 39. Paul clobbered a Hero Maximum off Chase’s last ball and brought up the 50 partnership, but he picked out Nabi at deep midwicket in the next over.

 Sherfane Rutherford blasted his second ball for six to dent Kuggeleijn’s figures. The equation seemed to have swung dramatically in the Zouks favour when Pooran bottom-edged a Williams slower ball onto his stumps, but the Warriors burgled 8 off the last four balls of the 19th including a botched run-out to leave Rutherford on strike and 13 to win off the last over, to be bowled by Holder.

 Holder responded magnificently. He flattened Rutherford’s off-stump with a pinpoint yorker, then he had captain Green caught behind, and a bowler who’d gone for 30 off his first 3 overs sealed the win with 2/2, showing the world why West Indian cricket is so excited about him and giving the Zouks a third straight win ahead of the move to Port-of-Spain.

Chase ended day two with another solid haul against the Englishmen, this time grabbing figures of 5 for 172, as England posted a sizeable 469 for 9 declared.  Chase, who has bowled 44 overs, accounted for the top three batsmen, which included Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, and Zak Crawley before accounting for Ollie Pope and Sam Curran.  The other wickets were claimed by Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph and Jason Holder.

The innings was the second big haul for the spinner, who also rattled the then visitors with an impressive 8 for 60 when the teams played in the Caribbean last year.

“It’s my second five-wicket haul, following up on the eight-wicket haul in Barbados.  I do tend to do well against them, even in 2017, even though England is not normally a place where spin bowlers dominate,” Chase told members of the media via a Zoom press conference.

Chase was used sparingly in the 2017 series in England, when he again managed to pick up a few wickets.  The player, however, hopes for even more success.

“I still think I have to find a way to get more wickets.”

Under overcast skies West Indies captain Jason Holder had chosen to bowl first, only to see his much-vaunted pace-bowling attack repelled by dogged English batting that kept his side in the field for 162 overs and the better part of two days.

Architects of the English first-innings total of 469-9 declared were the side’s vice-captain, Ben Stokes, 176, and opener Dom Dibley, 120.

To help keep the run-scoring in check, Chase bowled a mammoth 44 overs to claim 5-143, while pacers Kemar Roach, 2-58, Alzarri Joseph and Holder, 1-70, offered support with their wickets.

In reply, the West Indies have already lost the services of John Campbell, after Sam Curran trapped him leg before for 12. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, 6, and Joseph, the night watchman, 14, are the batsmen at the crease, with the West Indies 32-1.

Despite the setback, Chase believes the West Indies have the tools to overhaul England’s total.

“I would never say that the 400 and odd is beyond us with the talent of the players that we have,” he said in a post-match conference on Friday.

Chase does recognize though, that batting on the third day may provide different challenges to the ones the English batsmen managed to navigate on the first two days.

“I would say that the wicket is slower than in that first innings when the ball was skidding on, so you have to give yourself time to adjust,” said Chase.

Even with that fact, however, Chase is still optimistic about his side’s chances, even though the odds of an England win stand at 70%.

“But I am backing our players to get the total or even close to it and then put them in a place where they have to decide what they are going to do,” said Chase.

Odds for the game ending in a draw now stand at 28% with a West Indies victory at this stage at a mere 2%.

The West Indies lead the three-Test series 1-0 and only need a draw to secure their hold on the Wisden Trophy.

Playing in their final pre-series contest at Chilaw Marians Cricket Club Ground in Katunayake, the visitors easily chased down their target of 277 for just four wickets with 21 balls to spare, thanks to Chase’s 136 off 113 balls.

Opener Shai Hope hit a typically composed 85 off 102 balls while Sunil Ambris saw West Indies over the line with an unbeaten 34 from 44 balls.

The President’s XI had earlier posted 276-8 off their 50 overs. Wicket-keeper Minod Bhanuka made a top score of 69 from 88 balls and Ramesh Mendis played well with a near run-a-ball unbeaten 64.

The West Indies bowling left a little to be desired, as Chase’s 2-45 was only matched by Keemo Paul, who ended with figures of 2-57.

Fabian Allen was economical in his five overs, taking 1-17, while Hayden Walsh Jr had 1-44 from seven and Jason Holder ended with 1-34 from eight.

Romario Shepherd went wicketless for his 62 runs off nine overs while skipper Kieron Pollard had none for 14 from three overs.

In the second half, West Indies found themselves in early trouble at 35-2 in the eighth over when opener Brandon King and Darren Bravo, who made a century earlier this week, both fell in single figures to catches at the wicket.

However, Chase arrived to turn the game in the visitors’ favour, inspiring two successive century stands, first with Hope and then with Ambris. He put on 133 for the third wicket with Hope who stroked 11 fours in his knock, and then added 108 for the fourth wicket with Ambris who counted a four and a six.

Overall, Chase hit 16 fours and a six before he was dismissed with scores level, bowled by new-ball left-arm seamer Vishwa Fernando (2-56).

West Indies will play the first ODI against Sri Lanka on Saturday at the Sinhalese Sports Club. First ball is 9:30am (12 midnight Eastern Caribbean Time/11pm Friday Jamaica Time). The second match will be at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota on February 26 with the third and final ODI on March 1 at the Pallakele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy.

England skipper Joe Root gave the signal to declare the innings on 469-9 just about an hour before close of play but before that, the side’s vice-captain, Ben Stokes, 176, and opener Dom Dibley, 120, made the West Indies toil.

Chase, himself, bowled a mammoth 44 overs to claim 5-143, while pacers Kemar Roach, 2-58, Alzarri Joseph and Holder, 1-70, offered support with their wickets.

In reply, the West Indies have already lost the services of John Campbell, after Sam Curran trapped him leg before for 12. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite, 6, and Joseph, the night watchman, 14, are the batsmen at the crease, with the West Indies 32-1.

“Most teams being out there for 160-odd overs you would begin to see the tiredness and the lines and lengths start to go wrong, but we didn’t let it get away from us. We still kept the run rate to under three and that was our aim from the beginning,” said Chase.

A large part of that were the 32 overs bowled by Roach. The pacer went at a miserly 1.76 runs per over even though he didn’t get among the wickets til late in the day when he had Stokes caught behind attempting a reverse sweep, and Woakes caught at slip with a peach of a delivery with the very next ball.

“We didn’t get wickets in clusters or really fast like we did in the first game but we stuck to the game plan and stuck to the task,” said Chase.

The West Indies were in for a surprise after believing they could get the most out of the wicket on day one under gloomy skies and with some moisture from rainy days still affecting the pitch.

“I thought the conditions played a big role in us deciding to bowl first. Outside was very overcast and dark, the lights were on before play even started, and having the success we had in the first game as well, everyone was down for the decision to bowl first. But as I said, the English batters played tremendously so kudos to them,” said Chase.

There were a few instances when things looked to be falling apart for the West Indies toward the end of the England innings.

Roach dropped a catch, pushing his effort over the ropes for six, Shannon Gabriel missed an easy run out, having caught the return but failed to make contact with the stumps, as well as a couple of other misfields.

Those instances, though, Chase explained are bound to occur after such a long time in the field.

We made a few blunders in the field which is going to happen when you’re out there for that long because your body is under tremendous strain but all in all I think it was a good effort from the guys,” said Chase.

The tourists' pacemen struggled to apply any pressure on England's openers as play began 90 minutes late and under lights at Old Trafford. Chase was handed the final over before the break by captain Jason Holder and trapped Rory Burns lbw for 15 with the second delivery.

Burns chose to review, but replays showed the ball was hitting the top of middle stump.

England went into lunch on 29-1 after 13.2 overs, a disappointing start to a tough morning for the hosts at least off the field.

England was without fast bowler Jofra Archer, who was excluded from the team for breaching isolation protocols by returning to his home in Brighton on Monday as the squad transferred from Southampton to Manchester. With James Anderson and Mark Wood rested for the match, England had a completely new specialist pace attack featuring Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran.

Returning England captain Joe Root then lost a toss that was delayed because of wet weather, and Holder had no hesitation putting the English into bat even though no team has won on the eight occasions it has chosen to field first in a test at Old Trafford.

The radar of West Indies' fast bowlers was off, particularly Shannon Gabriel, who produced a comically bad first over that included five wides when one of his deliveries flew wide of the pitch and all the way to the boundary. Gabriel lost his run-up and had to abort his first delivery, and was wayward through most of his three overs.

Holder gave Gabriel and Kemar Roach only three overs each before removing the strike bowlers, but Burns and Sibley (8 not out) continued to be unflustered until Chase struck.

Chase was at it again just after the lunch interval, as Zak Crawley, fell to leg slip.

The West Indies, which named an unchanged team, won the first Test in Southampton and are looking to seal a first series victory in England in 32 years.