England were facing a crushing defeat in the decisive third Test against West Indies as Joshua Da Silva and Kyle Mayers made day three thoroughly miserable for Joe Root and the tourists.
Da Silva reached a first Test century and Mayers took 5-9 in 13 overs in a career-best bowling performance, with West Indies capitalising on a first-innings lead of 93 runs by reducing England to 103-8 at stumps.
Leading by 10 runs with just two second-innings wickets standing, the last sliver of hope for England was that they converted 90-8 in their first innings to 204 all out, but this time around they looked floored.
The England tail must wag spectacularly on Sunday at the Grenada National Stadium for this to become a contest again, with signs pointing to West Indies landing the series win after the first two Tests ended in draws.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan speculated this could prove to be Root's final match as captain, with the team, crushed in the Ashes before this series, looking increasingly rudderless.
West Indies had a strong morning as Da Silva went from 54 not out to finish unbeaten on 100, sharing in a 52-run partnership for the 10th wicket with Jayden Seales, who managed a gritty 13 and saw off 58 deliveries before Root removed him, caught and bowled.
From 232-8 at the start of play, having been 128-7 at one point on Friday, West Indies amassed 297 and England's jaws were already on the floor.
It got no better for the tourists after lunch as they plummeted to 39-4, still 54 short of making West Indies bat again. Zak Crawley flashed a catch to Jason Holder to give Seales an early wicket, before Mayers removed Root for the second time in the match.
Reaching for the ball outside off stump, Root got a hefty edge and gave John Campbell a comfortable take at first slip. After a duck in the first innings, to fall for five this time was a grim blow.
Mayers went on to bowl Dan Lawrence for a duck and prise out Ben Stokes for four. Opener Alex Lees had avoided being part of the early churn, obdurately defying the home attack in a go-slow innings, and began to lead a recovery alongside Jonny Bairstow. They put on 41 for the fifth wicket before Bairstow got a thin edge to give Alzarri Joseph a wicket.
Ben Foakes fell to a lamentable run out at the end of the same over, and Lees, who faced 132 balls, perished for 31 when Mayers tore out the left-hander's off stump. Mayers had his fifth wicket when Craig Overton edged to Holder, who juggled at third slip before clinging on. West Indies could not quite get over the line before the close, but victory is in sight.
Vaughan senses end of Root era
Taking into account all Tests where he has batted twice, this was Root's worst performance with the bat since making one and a duck against New Zealand in 2015 at Headingley. He has been terrific with the bat for England in recent times, but even he fell flat in this game.
Vaughan said on BT Sport: "I just feel that this could be his last Test match as captain. I can see in his face, I've been in that position. When it goes, and he's been captain for such a long period of time, it might be starting to come to an end for him."
Marvellous Mayers tortures tourists
Mayers, who in 10 previous Tests had achieved innings-best figures of 3-24, found himself with figures of 5-9 here, with England finding his medium-fast pace surprisingly too hot to handle.
Chris Woakes, Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood delivered with the bat in England's first innings, scoring 115 runs between them, and they are the three batters remaining this time. Yet snowfall in Grenada on Sunday seems about as likely as another England rescue act. This team looks ready for home.
Matthews takes 2-21, hits 41 as Melbourne Renegades get first win of the season in WBBL
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews produced a strong all-round performance to help the Melbourne Renegades get their first win of the season on the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia, a six-wicket win over the Perth Scorchers at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Scorchers were bowled out for 140 in 19.4 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Opener Beth Mooney led the way with 36 while Alana King (26) and captain Sophie Devine (22) also made valuable contributions.
Sophie Molineux was the outstanding bowler on the day for the Renegades with 4-17 from her four overs and was well supported by Alice Capsey (2-15 from three overs), Matthews (2-21 from 2.4 overs) and Georgia Wareham (2-35 from four overs).
The Renegades then needed just 17.4 overs to reach 145-4 and secure their first win in three tries this season.
A 102-run opening partnership between Matthews and Courtney Webb set up the chase beautifully.
Webb led the way with 61 off 40 balls including nine fours and a six while Matthews made 41 off 27 balls including seven fours and a six.
Deandra Dottin hit a six to seal the win off Alana King who took 2-35 from 3.4 overs.
Jadeja and Ashwin boost India hopes of avoiding series whitewash
India boosted their hopes of avoiding a series whitewash by taking control on day two of the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-63) led the hosts' charge, as they reduced the tourists to 171-9 at the close.
Following their late 10-minute collapse on Friday, which left them at 84-4, Rishabh Pant (60 off 59 balls) and Shubnam Gill (90 from 146 deliveries) ensured India made a progressive start to the second day.
Washington Sundar also chipped in with 38 from 36 balls, but Jadeja and Sarfaraz Khan went in quick succession as New Zealand claimed three wickets in the space of 10 overs after lunch.
The Black Caps trailed by 28 after bowling their opponents out for 263, but lost Tom Latham in the opening over, with Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra following soon after to leave them at 44-3.
Will Young (51 off 100) chalked up his second 50 of the Test, though it proved a false down for the tourists, as Jadeja and Ashwin took a combined seven wickets to keep their side's deficit down to just 143 with one wicket remaining.
Data Debrief:
India are desperately trying to prevent New Zealand from inflicting their first-ever home whitewash in a series of three or more Tests.
Pant certainly did his bit by taking just 36 balls to notch up India's fastest Test 50 against the Black Caps, for whom Patel (5-103) took his second five-wicket haul in the city of his birth, as well as his sixth overall in Test cricket.
Jadeja was also inspired in the field, though, as he took his wicket tally for the Test to nine.
Webster hits 95* as defending champions Red Force move to two wins from two with seven-wicket victory over Volcanoes at Brian Lara Cricket Academy
Hosts and defending champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force comfortably defeated the Windward Islands Volcanoes by seven wickets at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy on Friday to move to two wins out of two this season.
The Red Force first restricted the Volcanoes to 182 all out off 45 overs after winning the toss and bowling first.
Joshua James, Yannic Cariah and Anderson Phillip all took two-wicket hauls for the Red Force while Jeremy Solozano and Sunil Ambris each made 47 for the Volcanoes.
The Red Force then needed only 38 overs to reach 186-3 and secure their second win in as many games this season.
Tion Webster led the way with the bat with 95* off 115 balls including 14 fours and one six while Amir Jangoo hit 31.
Captain Joshua Da Silva finished 21* alongside Webster.
Full Scores:
Windward Islands Volcanoes 182 off 45 overs (Sunil Ambris 47, Jeremy Solozano 47, Joshua James 2-15, Anderson Phillip 2-21, Yannic Cariah 2-35)
Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 186-3 off 38 overs (Tion Webster 95*, Amir Jangoo 31)
The Red Force will next play the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the same venue on Sunday while the Volcanoes will next play the Jamaica Scorpions at the Queen’s Park Oval on Tuesday.
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