Though pleased with aspects of their performance in the first Test against South Africa, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite stressed the need for his team to step up their performance in the second Test as the two-match series hangs in the balance.

After securing a hard-fought draw in the first encounter in Trinidad and Tobago, Brathwaite is confident that his side can deliver a stronger showing in the decisive contest to clinch a 1-0 series win in Guyana and, more importantly, get points on the board to move up the ICC Test Championships standings. They are currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with a solitary win.

“I think it's important to get a good first-inning total; that is one thing we discussed as a batting group, and bowling, we just have to be disciplined. I think we were decent in the first game, and we just have to aim to be better,” Brathwaite said in a pre-game press conference.

Reflecting on the series opener, which was severely affected by rain, Brathwaite expressed a mixture of relief and determination, as his team was possibly staring down defeat before Alick Athanaze’s well-played knock of 92 and bad light intervened on the final day.

Alick Athanaze produced a tidy second-inning knock in the first Test. (AFP)

A number of West Indies batsmen had starts across both innings but failed to push on. The scores in that game were South Africa 357 and 173-3 declared, while the Caribbean side mustered 233 and 201-5.

"Obviously, we can’t control the weather. I think batting-wise, the first thing is the total. I think we could have put more runs on the board. So, as I said, I think that was a big focus of ours in terms of a good first innings total. And, you know, bowling wise, obviously pitch didn't offer much, especially for the fast boys. They didn't get much spin in the first innings as well,” Brathwaite shared.

“But I think we were quite disciplined. I was happy the guys scored out pretty much two runs on over for the innings, so I was happy with that. But I just think it's important, you know, to get a good all-round game. Batting wise, obviously we got to come to the party; first innings will be very crucial on this pitch, and then bowling wise, I think dot balls are very important,” he added.

The Barbadian also stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on South Africa, especially with the Providence pitch expected to be low and slow, similar to the one they encountered at Queens Park Oval last week. Should that be the case, Brathwaite believes a more resilient and focused effort will be crucial on this occasion.

In fact, the addition of Guyanese Shamar Joseph is an indication of West Indies’ aim to exploit the conditions as best as they can.

“It’s a similar type of surface to Trinidad, to be honest, in terms of slowness. Obviously, some of the Guyanese players on the team would know it better than most of the other players. So I think the communication between the guys has been good. We all know that it's the slowest pitch, so it's just to work out how, as individual players, we want to go about scoring runs and, obviously, bowling some good spells,” Brathwaite reasoned.

He continued: “From England, we have been discussing those matches that didn’t go as planned. We have one more test match until we get a little break before the next Test series, so it's important that we finish strong and we believe it.

“Obviously, in Trinidad, I was proud of the guys and how we went about the second inning; the guys were positive, and that was good to see. They had it in that, and so we are really pushing and aiming for victory in this last match.” 

Finally, Brathwaite had a few words of encouragement for Athanaze, as he believes this decisive game presents an opportunity for West Indies bastmen to demonstrate their growth and capability on the international stage.

“I would encourage him just to be himself. I think in the last game, you can see him sweeping a lot, and I know he's a very good sweeper of the ball, so it's a bit of the same. It's not for him to stop the shot, but just for him to execute better. He has the full support of all the guys, and it is just encouragement because we know he could get the job done,” the skipper ended.

Temba Bavuma lamented a lack of time after South Africa were held to a draw by West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series.

A match heavily impacted by rain concluded on Sunday, with South Africa declaring early on 173-5, but subsequently failing to bowl West Indies out in a little over two sessions.

The Windies reached 201-5 at stumps, chasing a target of 298, with Alick Athanaze (98) superbly marshalling the innings.

It left a Proteas bowling group that were already one player short - South Africa having gone with an extra batter for the first Test - frustrated.

"From our side, we tried our best to get a result in our favour," said Bavuma.

"But the wicket didn't break up as much as we expected. In the end, it was a good, competitive game of cricket.

"We went in with an extra batter as a cushion. As batters, we would like to be a bit more ruthless and convert those fifties into hundreds.

"We lost time because of the weather. With the bowling resources we had, we tried our best.

"A little bit more time and things could have been different."

Keshav Maharaj took 4-88 for South Africa, with Kagiso Rabada (1-38) the only other Proteas bowler to do any damage to the Windies during their second innings.

"I pride myself on playing Test cricket," said Maharaj. "I always relish a chance to bowl and the conditions suited me.

"I tried to keep repeating the process and keep things simple."

Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, meanwhile, was delighted with the grit his team displayed with the bat.

"Happy with our batting group," he said.

"The guys were quite positive, so [I'm] proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs.

"It wasn't going to be easy. We need to keep going from strength to strength."

The second and final Test starts on Thursday.

Alick Athanaze played a vital innings of 92 to help the West Indies secure a hard-fought draw against South Africa in the rain-affected first Test at Queen's Park Oval on Sunday. Chasing an imposing target of 298 runs for victory, the West Indies were in early trouble but managed to salvage the match thanks to Athanaze's resilience and key contributions from his teammates.

South Africa, resuming their second innings at 30 without loss, quickly raced to 173 for 3 in just 29 overs before declaring, setting the West Indies a challenging target. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram gave the visitors a solid start, scoring 45 and 38, respectively, before Tristan Stubbs injected urgency into the innings with a blistering 68 off 50 balls. His dismissal by Kemar Roach in the 29th over prompted South African captain Temba Bavuma to declare, leaving himself unbeaten on 15.

The West Indies' chase got off to a disastrous start, losing captain Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck in the first over. Mikyle Louis followed for nine, leaving the hosts reeling at 18 for 2. However, Alick Athanaze and Kaecy Carty began the process of rebuilding, putting together a valuable 46-run partnership before Carty was dismissed for 31 by Maharaj.

Athanaze continued to anchor the innings, forging another crucial stand of 63 runs with Kavem Hodge, who was also dismissed by Maharaj for 29. Athanaze's innings was a masterclass in patience and shot selection, as he found another steady partner in Jason Holder. The duo added 65 runs for the fourth wicket, with Athanaze inching closer to a well-deserved century.

Hodge made 29

Unfortunately, he fell just eight runs short of his maiden Test century, sweeping Maharaj to fine leg where he was caught. His innings, however, ensured that the West Indies could stave off defeat, with Jason Holder remaining unbeaten on 31 and Joshua da Silva not out on two when Bavuma decided to end proceedings, declaring the match a draw.

Maharaj was the pick of the South African bowlers once again, adding another four-wicket haul to his match tally, finishing with figures of 4 for 88 in the West Indies' second innings. His performance followed an equally impressive first-innings effort of 4 for 76.

Speaking after the match, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite expressed satisfaction with his team's batting display in the second innings. "I'm happy with our batting group. The guys were quite positive, and I'm so proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs, and although it wasn't going to be easy, the fight and resilience shown were commendable," Brathwaite said.

He continued, "The pitch here in the Caribbean can be a bit slower, so it's about adjusting when to go slow and when to accelerate. Alick showed us that today with his approach. His plan was to sweep, and even though he got out to a sweep, he stuck to it and nearly got his century. Hodge was also good in England, and it's about continuing to build on these performances."

The first Test ended in a draw, but it was a match that saw both teams show their strengths. The West Indies will take confidence from their batting performance as they prepare for the second Test, knowing that they have the ability to challenge South Africa in the upcoming encounters.

The second Test gets underway at Providence in Guyana on August 15.

West Indies seamer Jayden Seales and batsman Kavem Hodge have been rewarded for their standout performances in the recently-concluded Test series against England, as both achieved career-best moves up the latest ICC Men’s Test bowling and batting rankings on Wednesday.

Though West Indies suffered a 3-0 whitewash in that ICC World Test Championship series, Seales emerged as a standout performer, as he earned the player of the series award for his 13 wickets snared across all three games.

That performance saw the 22-year-old Trinidadian move seven places up to a career-best 26th position, joining teammate Jason Holder, who held firm in that position.

Veteran seamer Kemar Roach remains the top-ranked West Indies bowler at 17th, with Alzarri following Seales and Holder as the next best-ranked player at 31st. Kyle Mayers (37th), Shannon Gabriel (43rd), Gudakesh Motie (52^nd), Roston Chase (59^th), Shamar Joseph (64^th), Jomel Warrican (66^th), and Rahkeem Cornwall (82^nd) are the other Caribbean bowlers in the top 100.

On the batting chart, Hodge inched up three places to 72nd, following a credible display in the three-match series. The 31-year-old Dominican tallied 216 runs, including a maiden Test century.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite remains the highest-ranked West Indies batsman at 41st, with out-of-favor Jermaine Blackwood slipping to 52^nd. Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua da Silva (62^nd), Holder (70^th), Mayer (76^th), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (86^th), and Roston Chase (92^nd) are also in the top 100.

Meanwhile, England batter Joe Root reclaimed the number one Test batting position after scoring 87 in the first innings of the third and final match against West Indies in Birmingham, which his side won by 10 wickets.

This is Root’s ninth stint as number one. His first tenure at the top of the rankings commenced in August 2015, and he was last at the top in June last year after a fine performance in the opening match of the Ashes series, also in Birmingham.

While Root overtook Kane Williamson to take the top spot, Babar Azam, Daryl Mitchell, Steve Smith, and Rohit Sharma have all gained a spot each as Harry Brook slipped to seventh position after attaining a career-best third position last week.

In the weekly update to the rankings that also takes into consideration performances in the Ireland versus Zimbabwe Test in Belfast, England captain Ben Stokes, who struck 54 in the first innings in Birmingham and a quickfire 57 not out off 28 balls in the second, has moved up four positions to 30^th in the batting rankings.

Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams has re-entered the rankings in 33^rd position after scores of 35 and 40, while England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith’s knock of 95 has lifted him 31 places to 64^th position.

England fast bowler Mark Wood’s Player of the Match performance of two for 52 and five for 40 has lifted him into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time in his career.

Gus Atkinson of England (up four places to 46^th), Blessing Muzarabani of Zimbabwe (re-entered in 50th position), and Mark Adair of Ireland (up three places to 63^rd) are other notable gainers in the bowling rankings.

Despite the West Indies' 3-0 series defeat to England, fast bowler Jayden Seales emerged as a standout performer, earning the Player of the Series award for his team. Seales, who recently returned to international cricket after a long injury layoff, expressed his pride in representing the West Indies once more and highlighted the role playing for Sussex played in his successful return.

Seales, who took 13 wickets in the three-match Test series at an average of 27.23, spoke about the significance of his comeback. "I'm proud of being able to represent the West Indies again. Coming back and doing well for the team is rewarding. I'm just looking to improve going forward," he said.

Reflecting on his time with Sussex, Seales noted that it was instrumental in preparing him for the series against England. "Playing for Sussex was great. It allowed me to understand the conditions and how they can help me. The experience was invaluable," he added.

Seales joined Sussex in early April and impressed with his performance, taking 24 wickets in six matches, including two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 24.25. His stint in English county cricket undoubtedly played a role in his readiness for the West Indies tour of England.

"England's attacking approach was tough at times. They take opportunities to score if you give them a chance, so you have to be on it all the time," Seales remarked about the challenges he faced against England's aggressive batting lineup.

Despite the series loss, Seales remains optimistic about the future of the West Indies bowling attack. "I think once we grow and learn, we can be a force to be reckoned with," he said. "The body is not too bad, just trying to get some recovery in and looking forward to the series against South Africa at home."

Seales' journey back to the West Indies squad began after he was sidelined with a knee injury in December 2022. His impressive performance for Sussex earned him a recall, and during the series against England, he reached a personal milestone by picking up his 50th Test wicket.

While the series result was disappointing for the West Indies, Seales' performance provided a bright spot and a glimpse of the potential within the team. His contributions will be crucial as the West Indies prepare for their upcoming series against South Africa, where Seales hopes to continue his upward trajectory and help his team achieve success.

Ben Stokes would much rather play alongside Mark Wood than face his England team-mate as he backed the fast bowler to break 100mph soon.

The Durham quick clocked 97.1mph – the fastest delivery of his Test career – on the speed gun in the second red-ball encounter against the West Indies at Trent Bridge.

Indeed, none of the 34-year-old's balls registered lower than 90mph during an electrifying opening spell before Wood removed Kevin Sinclair with a vicious delivery on Sunday.

Sinclair could only fend into the air for a simple dismissal, with the Windies' off-spinner ruled out of the third Test at Edgbaston after that blow fractured his left forearm.

England captain Stokes believes there is more to come from Wood, which is a worrying warning to the visitors.

"He's got it in the tank," said Stokes. "He's been close a couple of times. Maybe one day."

Shoaib Akthar and Shaun Tait are the only Test bowlers to register a delivery at 100mph, with Wood's speed expected to be key for The Ashes in Australia across the end of next year and start of 2026.

"He seems to be getting closer and closer to that," Stokes added. "But I'm happy with what he's doing right now to be honest.

"Being able to sustain that pace is quite phenomenal. Look at his average speeds every time he plays a Test match – it's always above 90mph. That says a lot about his fitness.

"It's all fine and well trying to bowl one spell above 90. But every spell he bowls for England, he's clocking over 90mph, and that's a great thing to have as a captain.

"I don't know if he's actually too bothered about it. One day, everything might click, or the speed gun might be wrong.

"We probably wouldn't hear the end of it. Who knows, maybe one day."

Wood will be expected to unleash his pace once more after Stokes named an unchanged XI for the third and final Test at Edgbaston, where play starts on Friday.

Ben Stokes has expressed confidence that opportunities for England's fast bowlers will emerge naturally ahead of their final Test against West Indies on Friday. 

Stokes chose to name an unchanged team that beat West Indies by 241 runs last week ahead of their encounter at Edgbaston. 

Despite having already secured the series with a 2-0 lead, England have chosen not to include both Durham's Matthew Potts or hand a debut to Dillon Pennington. 

"At the moment we have stuck with the same team because we don't feel it's necessary to change," said Stokes.

England's sole adjustment this summer came when James Anderson, who retired after the first Test at Lord's, was replaced by Mark Wood. 

Since Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum assumed leadership of the England team two years ago, they have aimed to minimise the rotation of their bowlers.

Wood took a wicket in each inning of the test at Trent Bridge, as Shoaib Bashir starred with figures of 5-41 to claim his third Test five-wicket haul. 

Stokes emphasised that it is not difficult to continue to play their strongest team to allow bowlers an opportunity to shine. 

"When you look at the guys we've got playing at the moment, with Woody being the standout because of how he bowls, it's very unlikely we'll get the remaining Tests out of him because of how hard it is on his body," said Stokes.

"Even though we've got a decent break to the next series, fast bowling is very hard so naturally we may see a change in the bowling line-up. It's not required yet.

"It's tough to not play, but for Pottsy and Dillon it's great for them to be in the squad."

The West Indies have been forced into one change, with Gudakesh Motie replacing Kevin Sinclair who suffered a fracture after taking a blow from Mark Wood.

Akeem Jordan, uncapped at Test level, has also been added to the squad as a precaution with Shamar Joseph currently suffering with flu. 

"It's all about fighting," said West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite. "If we continue to create that sort of attitude around this team, there will be growth. That's what we're after."

Following the conclusion of the final Test at Edgbaston, England will enjoy an almost month-long break before another three-Test series against Sri Lanka on home soil. 

Despite facing a challenging situation heading into the third Test against England, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite remains resolute that his team can end the failed three-match series on a high note.

After being trounced by an innings and 114 runs and 241 runs in the first two Tests, West Indies are determined to not only salvage pride by avoiding a whitewash but also gain valuable ICC Test Championship points in the Edgbaston contest, which starts on Friday.

Brathwaite, known for his composed demeanor and steadfast leadership, emphasized the importance of efficient application from his team in this final contest.

“We have five Tests remaining for the year and there are ICC Test Championship points still at stake. So we have a lot to play for and that's my thing to the boys. You know, we are still in the Test Championship running and, you know, obviously we're looking for points as well,” Brathwaite declared during a pre-game press conference.

“It's very important that we fight. I mean, this is all about fighting, and I think once we continue to create that kind of attitude around this Test team, there will be growth and that's what we're after,” he added.

Reflecting on the first two Tests, Brathwaite pointed to the positives that West Indies had some standout performances, particularly in the first innings of the second encounter in Trent Bridge, but in the same breath, he also highlighted the fact that his team has struggled to find consistency in all departments.

In the first Test at Lord's, the Caribbean side was punished for a slew of dropped chances, while the first innings of the second Test saw Kavem Hodge score a maiden Test century, as Alick Athanaze and Joshua da Silva posted half-centuries in a total of 457. They were then bowled out for 143 in the second innings, against England’s scores of 416 and 425.

“I think all around we haven’t put it (a decent performance) together as yet. Obviously, we batted well at Trent Bridge; we didn’t bat well in the second inning, and we bowled well in pieces. Obviously, drop chances would happen, but I think collectively, as a bowling unit, we didn’t perform as we should. I think once we get that percentage up, we'll be able to create more chances and at least be able to, you know, stop the flow of runs on both sides of the wicket,” Brathwaite reasoned.

In order to achieve that, the Barbadian is well aware that they will have to learn from their mistakes and, by extension, improve significantly.

“It was almost clear to see we had a 50-run opening stand in the second innings, and then from there, we lost ten wickets quite quickly, and we knew we were in the game, so it goes to show, I think we always have to be switched on. Not just for the first three days, because as soon as you lose that focus for an hour, you could be behind the test match and lose it,” Brathwaite said.

“And it could be as a bowling unit or a batting unit, so we should learn from that. Obviously, the lesson is to never take anything for granted and always have the same attitude in both the first and second innings, batting and bowling. Once we keep that attitude of fighting every session, I think that will serve as well,” he noted.

That said, Brathwaite explained that they are still yet to confirm the starting team, as Akeem Jordan was called up to replace Jeremiah Louis, while Gudakesh Motie is fit enough to retake his place in the team at the expense of Kevin Sinclair, who was injured after being hit by a Mark Wood delivery.

“Sinclair is out with a fracture and Motie is back in. But we named a twelve because Shamar Joseph has a bit of a flu, so we are waiting until tomorrow morning to make the decision on the 11,” he shared.

Harry Brook has stated that while Test cricket is his main priority, gaining leadership experience in the Hundred could see him throw his hat in the ring for England’s white-ball captaincy one day.

The futures of skipper Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott are up in the air after England's failure to successfully defend their 50-over and T20 World Cup titles.

Brook, who has risen to third in the ICC Test batting rankings, a place behind his team-mate Joe Root, is a possible candidate to take on the captaincy.

The 25-year-old starred in England's win over the West Indies last week, scoring a fifth Test century at Trent Bridge from 139 balls in their 241-run triumph. 

Brook is due to lead Northern Superchargers in the 100-ball tournament under coach Andrew Flintoff, who was England’s assistant coach at the T20 World Cup in June.

"This is my first captaincy role with the Superchargers," Brook said. "We'll see how that goes and then maybe I'll have a different answer in a couple of months.

"I don't see anything happening any time soon, so I'll just stay in the moment and focus on Test cricket."

Brook will join up with the Superchargers following England's third and final Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, which begins on Friday. 

England’s schedule makes it difficult for Brook or any other Test regular to captain the white-ball team. The first T20 against Australia is the day after the Test series against Sri Lanka finishes.

The ODI series later that month ends a couple of days before England fly to Pakistan to play Tests. That series finishes on October 28, with an ODI series in the Caribbean beginning three days later.

"I want to play every Test match I can for England," said Brook. 

"Test cricket is my priority. I don't want to think too far ahead. The Ashes is a long way away and we have a lot of Test cricket before then. My main focus is to stay in the moment and not get ahead of myself."

Despite two crushing defeats to England so far in their ongoing ICC Test Championship three-match series, West Indies players remain on the up, at least where the ICC Men’s Test rankings are concerned.

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite leads the charge on the batting ranking, as he moved up two slots to 40th position, following scores of 48 and 47 in the second Test, which West Indies lost by 241 runs. They lost the first Test by an innings and 114 runs and will try to avoid a whitewash in the final Test in Edgbaston starting on Friday.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Joshua de Silva was rewarded for his first innings score of 82 in that match, as he jumped seven places to 61st, while Jason Holder’s 27 and 37 saw him inched up two places to 70th. Kavem Hodge’s 120, which was his maiden Test century, pushed him into the top 80.

The Dominican batsman moved 21 places up to 75^th, one spot behind Kyle Mayers, who, despite being out of action, remains in 74th. Alick Athanaze held firm in 77th, while discarded Jermaine Blackwood (50th), Tagenarine Chanderpaul (83rd), Roston Chase (86th), and Kirk McKenzie (100) are the other Caribbean batsmen in the top 100.

On the bowling chart, new-ball bowlers Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales made the only notable improvements to their rankings. Joseph moved up two places to 33rd after finishing with five wickets in the match, and Seales moved up 10 places from 44th to 34th with six wickets.

Meanwhile, England batter Harry Brook has achieved a career-best third position after notching a century in the second Test.

Brook, who scored 36 and 109 in Nottingham, advanced four places, while his teammates Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope have also made significant gains in the latest weekly update to the men’s rankings, which are carried out on Wednesdays across formats.

Left-handed opener Duckett has progressed six places to 16th position after notching scores of 71 and 76, while Player of the Match Pope has advanced from 29th to 21st with scores of 121 and 51.

Chris Woakes is back into the top 20 of the bowling rankings for the first time since September 2021, after he finished with four for 84 and two for 28 in the match, while spinner Shoaib Bashir has advanced 18 slots to 53rd position after he took his third five-wicket haul in just his fifth Test.

In the ICC World Test Championship standings, England are placed in sixth place, while West Indies are ninth, as per the percentage points that determine qualification.

Fast bowler Jeremiah Louis has been ruled out of the final Test between West Indies and England due to a hamstring injury, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced in a statement. In response, the visitors have opted for a like-for-like replacement, bringing Akeem Jordan into the squad.

Louis, who did not feature in the first two Tests, sustained the injury during the second Test at Trent Bridge. He will stay with the squad to receive further treatment. Meanwhile, Jordan, who was playing cricket in the UK at the time of his call-up, has already joined the squad and will participate in Wednesday's training session at Edgbaston.

Jordan is yet to make his Test debut but has made a mark in 19 first-class games, taking 67 wickets since 2022 at an average of 24.10. His impressive performances include two five-wicket hauls, with a best innings haul of 5 for 44.

The West Indies squad already includes seam-bowling options like Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Jayden Seales, and allrounder Jason Holder. Despite their efforts, the visitors are currently 2-0 down in the series, having lost the Richards-Botham Trophy with one game still to go. The West Indies faced heavy defeats at Lord's by an innings and 114 runs, and at Trent Bridge by 241 runs last week.

The third Test is set to commence on Friday, July 26, at Edgbaston, where the West Indies will be hoping to salvage some pride and end the series on a positive note.

Ollie Pope believes England could shatter records by making 600 runs in a single day as they target a series whitewash over West Indies at Edgbaston.

England sealed a series victory over the Windies in last week's second Test at Trent Bridge, scoring over 400 in both innings of a Test match for the first time as they made totals of 416 and 425.

Vice-captain Pope managed a superb first-innings knock of 121 before Joe Root (122) and Harry Brook (109) brought up their centuries in the second innings.

England have become renowned for their all-out batting style – dubbed 'Bazball' – under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.

Pope believes that approach suits England's batters and feels they could make history by breaking the record for most runs made by a team in a single day of Test cricket – Sri Lanka's 509-9 versus Bangladesh in July 2002.

"I got asked on day one, 'do you get told to play like that?' No, we don't. It's just our natural game and the way we go about it," Pope said.

"Sometimes we might score 280 to 300 in a day, but that's okay and probably because we're reading situations.

"There might also be a day where we go and get 500 to 600 at some point in the future as well, and that's a cool thing to have."

England came within three runs of that record Sri Lanka total on their 2022 tour of Pakistan, and Pope believes their success is down to the ruthlessness of the batting order.

"There's a real hunger – there always is a hunger – but now there's an extra bit in that batting line-up," Pope added.

"We want to be as ruthless as we can as a batting unit, but still play the way we do because that's our natural game.

"Obviously being ruthless is being part of Test cricket as well."

In a dramatic turn of events on the fourth day of the second Test at Trent Bridge, the West Indies suffered a resounding 241-run defeat to England, sealing a 2-0 series loss with one Test still to play. Despite the crushing defeat, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite remained optimistic, acknowledging the team's effort while highlighting areas for improvement.

England's Shoaib Bashir was the star of the match, claiming his first five-wicket haul on English soil. His 5 for 41 wrapped up the West Indies innings inside 90 minutes of the final session, ensuring England's dominant victory.

Reflecting on the match, Brathwaite said, "I'm reasonably happy with the performance, but it could have been better with the ball. We were good in the first innings but didn't follow through in the second. The effort from the guys was there; the fitness is evident. We need to be much more disciplined. England showed us how to bowl on this pitch, particularly avoiding getting hit square of the wicket. But the guys will learn. Kavem's hundred followed by a duck is just how Test cricket goes."

Brathwaite continued, "We dropped some crucial catches, and that happens. We need to improve our line and length, but catches win matches. I wouldn't have expected that collapse, but it's gone, it's history. Test cricket is never an easy game. We've got to stay tough and keep fighting."

England's comprehensive win was set up by centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook, who propelled the hosts to 425 in their second innings. This marked the first time in England's history that they scored over 400 runs in both innings of a Test. Chasing a daunting target of 385, the West Indies started positively, reaching 61 without loss thanks to Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis. However, a devastating spell from Chris Woakes and Bashir saw the team crumble, losing 5 for 21 in the space of 35 balls and ultimately bowled out for 143.

Brathwaite was the top scorer for the West Indies with 47 runs, but his efforts were overshadowed by Bashir's record-breaking performance. At 20 years and 282 days, Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a men's Test at home, surpassing the previous record held by recently retired seamer James Anderson.

England's first innings score of 416, bolstered by Ollie Pope's 121 and contributions from Ben Duckett and Ben Stokes, set the stage for their commanding position. The West Indies initially responded well with 457, featuring a century from Hodge and notable performances from Da Silva and Athanaze. However, the team faltered in their second innings, leading to a decisive English victory.

England took control of the second Test against West Indies as the hosts established a 207-run lead at the close of play on Saturday's third day at Trent Bridge.

The hosts ended the day on 248-3, aided by two century partnerships from Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett, and Joe Root and Harry Brook. Both Brook, on 71, and Root, on 37, will resume batting on Sunday.

Despite Chris Woakes claiming the wickets of Alzarri Joseph (10) and Jayden Seales (duck) in successive balls, a final-wicket stand of 71 from Shamar Joseph (33) and Joshua da Silva, who was left unbeaten on 82, saw West Indies, who resumed at 351-5, reach 457.

Scores: England 416 & 248-3 (Duckett 76, Brook 71*, Pope 51, A Joseph 2-58) lead West Indies 457 (Hodge 120, Da Silva 82*, Woakes 4-84) by 207 runs

England's second innings, which they began 41 runs adrift, got off to a nervy start as opener Zak Crawley (three) was run out by Jayden Seales at the non-striker's end.

However, much like they did in the first innings, Duckett (76) and Pope (51) settled the hosts down with a 119-run second-wicket stand, before Alzarri Joseph claimed both in the space of eight deliveries.

Still, Brook and Root also produced an important, unbroken 108-run partnership that placed Ben Stokes' side in command heading into day four.

Data Debrief: Successive century partnerships for Duckett and Pope

With a strong finish to their opening innings, the Windies reached 457 - their highest total on English soil since 1995.

England's response was led by Duckett and Pope's impressive stand of 119, their second three-figure partnership of the series.

They became only the ninth pair to make two century stands for England in a men's Test, and first since Joe Root and Alistair Cook achieved the feat against Pakistan eight years ago.

When England posted 416 on the opening day of the second Test at Trent Bridge, many felt West Indies chances of even getting close to that total were dimmed by the host’s formidable bowling attack.

But as the sun rose high in the Nottingham sky on Friday’s second day, so did the fortunes of the Caribbean side, thanks to a stunning fightback led by the ever-composed Kavem Hodge.

The Dominican batsman, in only his second Test series, etched his name in the annals of cricketing history, as he scored a maiden Test century, a knock that not only underscored his talent and grit, but more importantly, revived West Indies hopes of securing a positive result on this occasion.

Hodge’s 120 off 171 balls, ensured that West Indies, who were hammered by an innings and 114 runs in the first Test at Lord’s, closed the day at 351-5, 65 runs behind heading into Saturday’s third day.

“It's a dream come true,” Hodge, who made his debut against Australia earlier this year, declared in a post-day press conference.

“Obviously, playing the game from a youngster growing up, that's something that you want to do, especially at the highest level in England against England. I'm really happy and I'm satisfied about it, especially, also given the position that the team is in, it's always good to help to the team, so I'm grateful for that,” he added.

Coming to the crease with the West Indies teetering at 84-3, Hodge faced a daunting task, as the Andre Coley-coached side needed a hero –or in this case, two. This, as Hodge had an able partner in his Dominican compatriot Alick Athanaze, who made a well-played 99-ball 82.

Together, they steadied the innings, with a crucial 175-run fourth-wicket partnership that took the fight to the English bowlers. Hodge played the perfect foil to Athanaze's aggression, rotating the strike and providing the support his teammate needed.

“We always batted well together, we played for the same franchise back home and we've had a lot of partnerships, big partnerships. So it's always good to spend time with him. He's a bit more aggressive than I am. I'm more the accumulator, so I tend to go under the radar and go about my business quietly, but it is always great to spend time with him at the wicket,” Hodge said of 25-year-old Athanaze.

“It's always good to know that the friends, family, and the nation is looking on. That's one of the things you want to do as an ambassador for your country, is put them on the map. Always have a positive light for your country. So I'm really grateful for that,” he added in reference to Dominica celebrating their feat.

Reflecting on his innings, Hodge pointed to the importance of staying focused and taking things in stride. In fact, the 31-year-old even highlights that his current success is a testament to his unflinching desire and resilience, as there were times when being overlooked sparked doubts about his ability to make it to the big stage.

However, after scoring 18 half-centuries, five centuries, and over 3,000 runs at the First Class level, the all-rounder, who also took 2-44 during England's innings, eventually got the big break against Australia in February.

“There were times where I started to doubt myself because I wasn't getting the opportunity. There were times where, you know, to make a test team, obviously because of COVID, we had something called the best invest where they would, like, bring guys in and then they would split the squad into two, and then we would have warm up games and practice games to select the team.

“I think I've taken part in that, like six or seven times, and every time, a selector or the coach would come to me and say, ‘we're not going to select you; we're looking in this direction’. So every time I went to the best invest, it just took a little bit out of me. But I'm just grateful that I stuck with it and things are now working out, so I'm happy for that,” Hodge explained.

He continued: “So it (century) was always a dream, and I always wanted to just give myself the best chance to get there. There were times where I had a little bit of doubt, but I never thought about giving up. I always thought I would just try and try and try. If it didn't happen, it didn't happen.

“But I'm grateful that it happened, and it's happening. So I think for me, it's never settling, never getting too ahead of the game. It's just a matter of staying in the moment, enjoying it, and just keep trying to be a better version of myself, every match, every training, and not get complacent.” 

Having helped West Indies back in contention with his welcome knock, Hodge stressed the need for the Kraigg Brathwaite-captained team to remain positive for the remainder of the series.

“I think it was just a matter of staying positive. You know, we're not the only team who've lost a Test match in two days. Many other teams have had that happen to them, so it's just a matter of learning from it. The condition is new for a lot of us. This is my first time to England, so it's just a matter of learning and learning quickly, adapting to the conditions, and find ways to improve and move forward,” Hodge reasoned.

“And when we get the opportunity to bat, you know, take it deep, as we've seen today (Friday). It was really good batting wicket, so it was very imperative that once we got the opportunity to get in, we stay in and dig deep and put our team in a good position,” he ended.