The first Ashes Test was balanced on a knife-edge heading into the final session at Edgbaston, with England needing five more wickets and Australia 98 runs short of the winning line.
Australia – chasing 281 – reached the tea break at 183 for five, with first-innings centurion Usman Khawaja not out for an obdurate 56 and Cameron Green in support on 22no.
The start of play was delayed for more than three hours by rain but there was plenty of time for both teams to push for victory when things did get under way at 2.15pm.
Stuart Broad removed nightwatchman Scott Boland to raise the volume in the sold out stands and Moeen Ali defied a painful open blister to conjure the wicket of Travis Head for 16.
The wind was with the hosts at that stage, but they could not find a way to disrupt Khawaja’s concentration as he led Green in an unbroken stand worth 40.
Australia began in deliberately pedestrian fashion, more intent on soaking up balls than applying any pressure of their own.
Their caution kept England at bay for half-an-hour, but while Khawaja looked secure there was always a limit on how long his partner would linger. Boland gave an expectant crowd the release it was looking for when he drove at an inswinger from Broad and sent a thick edge through to Jonny Bairstow.
Broad raced away as the stands erupted, once again revelling in his role as the Barmy Army’s ringmaster.
Australia’s most free-flowing batter, Head, was next up but he was unable to raise the tempo as he took 13 balls to get off the mark. After an hour’s play there had been just 21 runs, Australia making only the slightest dent in their target.
Ben Stokes tossed the ball to Moeen in an attempt to mix things up and the plan paid off almost immediately. Moeen’s first three deliveries cost 10, with two drag downs and a thick edge, but the fourth was a charm. Dipping and turning away from the left-handed Head, it flicked the bat and rested safely with Joe Root at slip.
Moeen’s ongoing discomfort was obvious but he allowed himself a broad smile as Head trudged towards the pavilion.
England were briefly right on top but the trail quickly went cold. Green got off the mark with an edge for four, Khawaja punished a loopy full toss from Moeen and an air of calm settled over the Australian pair.
By the time the interval arrived the home side were happiest to regroup, knowing something needed to change to halt the Australian push.
“We have the manpower within the dressing room”- Sammy confident Windies can overcome 0-2 deficit against England
West Indies white ball head coach Daren Sammy says there’s still optimism in his camp that they can overcome the 0-2 deficit they currently face in their five-game T20I series against England.
The hosts lost the first two game of the series at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday and Sunday, with the rest of the series now shifting to the Daren Sammy Stadium in St. Lucia beginning with the third T20I on Thursday.
“Most definitely, especially here in St. Lucia,” Sammy said in a pre-match interview on Tuesday regarding his team’s optimism ahead of Thursday’s must-win game and the rest of the series.
“Yes, England have played better cricket than us in these first two games but I’ve rallied St. Lucia to come out and be the 12th man that we need here. We just haven’t played the brand of cricket that has allowed us to win and it’s something that we’re going to address but we have the manpower within that dressing room to win on Thursday and take it one game at a time,” he added.
The West Indies will be without two key players for the rest of the series in Andre Russell and Shamar Joseph.
Russell suffered an ankle injury in the first T20I on Saturday and has been ruled out for the rest of the series while Joseph has left the squad to prepare for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh starting on November 22 in Antigua.
Replacing the pair are all-rounder Shamar Springer and spearhead Alzarri Joseph, returning to the squad after serving a two-game suspension.
“It’s always a blow to replace somebody like Andre Russell. We have young Shamar Springer who made his debut in Sri Lanka to replace him. He’s a really exciting prospect,” Sammy said.
“Shamar will go in and get ready for the Test series and Alzarri is back from his suspension. We’re looking forward to welcoming him and the experience he brings to the squad. Yes, we lose two key guys but we get two guys who are capable of doing the job for the team as well,” he added.
Springer replaces injured Russell in Windies squad for final leg of England T20Is in Saint Lucia; returning Alzarri Joseph replaces Shamar Joseph
All-rounder Shamar Springer and pacer Alzarri Joseph have been drafted into the West Indies T20I squad ahead of the crucial St. Lucia leg of their “Rivalry” series against England, CWI announced on Tuesday.
Springer replaces Andre Russell who has been ruled out due to a left ankle sprain sustained during the opening T20I at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
The 26-year-old Bajan recently made his international debut during the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka in October.
The other change sees Alzarri Joseph, having completed his two-match suspension, rejoin the squad in Saint Lucia, replacing Shamar Joseph.
The West Indies currently trail the five-match series 0-2.
The squad for the final three games is as follows:
Remaining Schedule of West Indies vs England T20I Series:
3rd T20 International: 14 November 2024- Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia
4th T20 International: 16 November 2024- Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia
5th T20 International: 17 November 2024- Daren Sammy Stadium, Saint Lucia
Pride get back on track with tense eight-run DLS method win over Volcanoes
The Barbados Pride rebounded from their defeat at the hands of the CCC in their last game with an eight-run DLS method win over the Windward Islands Volcanoes at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Monday.
In the rain-reduced 46 overs-per-side affair, the Pride, after winning the toss and choosing to bat, posted 239-9 from their 46 overs.
In form batsmen Kevin Wickham and Leniko Boucher led the way for the Pride with 47 and 43, respectively while Kemar Smith (34*) and captain Kyle Mayers (33) also made valuable contributions.
Kenneth Dember was excellent in his 10 overs of off-spin, finishing with figured of 3-33.
Set a revised target of 245 from 46 overs, the Volcanoes fell agonizingly short of a win, being bowled out for 237 in the end.
Jeremy Solozano tried his best with an 88-ball 85 while West Indies batsman Kavem Hodge made 37.
Mayers led from the front with the ball with 3-50 from seven overs of medium pace while Dominic Drakes and Javed Leacock each took a pair of wickets.
Full Scores:
Barbados Pride 239-9 off 46 overs (Kevin Wickham 47, Leniko Boucher 43, Kemar Smith 34*, Kyle Mayers 33, Kenneth Dember 3-33)
Windward Islands Volcanoes 237 off 46 overs (Jeremy Solozano 85, Kavem Hodge 37, Kyle Mayers 3-50, Javed Leacock 2-37, Dominic Drakes 2-42).
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