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.
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 75th, 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.
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.
Spirited efforts from Kavem Hodge and Alick Athanaze led an excellent West Indian batting performance on day two of the second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Friday.
Replying to England’s 416 all out on day one, the West Indians reached 351-5 off 84 overs at stumps on day two, trailing their English counterparts by just 65 runs.
Openers Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis got proceedings off to a good start for the West Indies with a 53-run opening partnership despite a testing spell of bowling from Mark Wood which saw him record a delivery at 97.1 miles per hour.
That partnership ended in the 15th over when Louis went caught off the bowling of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir for 21.
The skipper and new batsman Kirk McKenzie put on a further 25 before Brathwaite was next to go in the 22nd over, caught at short leg by Ollie Pope off the bowling of first Test hero Gus Atkinson for a well-played 48, his highest score since a 75 in July 2023 against India in Port-of-Spain.
Then, on the stroke of lunch, McKenzie played an ill-advised shot off the bowling of Bashir to fall for 11 and leave the tourists 84-3 in the 25th over.
The post-lunch session then saw the Dominican pair of Hodge and Athanaze brilliantly navigating some probing bowling from the hosts.
Hodge did have one reprieve when he was dropped by Joe Root off the bowling of Wood in the 42nd over.
The pair carried on to put on 175 for the fourth wicket before Athanaze unfortunately fell 18 runs shy of a well-deserved maiden Test hundred off the bowling of England captain Ben Stokes in the 62nd over.
Hodge went on to bring up an excellent maiden Test ton of his own with a brilliant straight drive for four off Wood.
His hundred came off 143 balls and included 17 fours. He was eventually dismissed by Chris Woakes in the 75th over for 120 off 171 balls.
"It was important we put our heads down and took some info from the England first innings," Hodge told Sky Sports at the end of the day.
"We made use of a good batting track. It feels amazing [to make a century], it is always good to contribute to the team, especially coming off the first Test when we didn't do so well as a batting unit.
On the partnership with Athanaze, he added: "Facing [Mark] Wood, it is not every day you face a guy who bowls every single ball over 90 miles per hour. It was really important we got through that period as it would have been really difficult for a new batter to start against that."
The not out batsmen at the crease at stumps were Joshua Da Silva on 32* and Jason Holder on 23*. The pair have, so far, put on 46 for the sixth wicket.
Shoaib Bashir was England’s most successful bowler on the day with 2-100 from 23 overs.
Full Scores:
England 416 all out off 88.3 overs (Ollie Pope 121, Ben Duckett 71, Ben Stokes 69, Alzarri Joseph 3-98, Kavem Hodge 2-44, Kevin Sinclair 2-73, Jayden Seales 2-90)
West Indies 351-5 off 84 overs (Kavem Hodge 120, Alick Athanaze 82, Kraigg Brathwaite 48, Shoaib Bashir 2-100)
To say West Indies were put to the sword might sound cliche, but that is exactly what transpired on day one of their second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Much like West Indies batsmen had no response to Gus Atkinson's precision in the first Test at Lord's, the Caribbean side's bowlers did little to slow England's batting onslaught on this occasion, though it was not for a lack of trying. This, as several chances were squandered in the field, and England rode their wave of fortune to post a daunting 416 all out.
Ollie Pope, who was dropped twice on 46 and 54 by Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze, plundered 121 from 165 deliveries. His knock, which had 15 boundaries and a solitary six, was backed by Ben Duckett's 59-ball 71 and captain Ben Stokes, who made 69.
Alzarri Joseph got three for 98, as Kavem Hodge (2-44), Jayden Seales (2-90), and Kevin Sinclair (2-73), a late addition for Gudakesh Motie, who woke up feeling ill, picked up the other wickets.
With the batsmen having done their part, the England bowlers will be basking in the prospects of possibly ending this contest within three days and taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Scores: England 416 all out (88.3 overs)
After winning the toss, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was optimistic of an improved bowling performance, and he would have relished his decision when Alzarri Joseph removed Zak Crawley with the third ball of the innings. However, Pope and Duckett pelted the boundary in a 105-run second wicket stand, but that was eventually broken when Shamar Joseph had the latter caught by Holder, who took four catches in total.
Joe Root (14) and Harry Brook (36) had brief stays in the middle, but Stokes and Pope added a further 80 runs for the fifth wicket to keep West Indies pinned against the proverbial ropes.
Pope was inevitably removed by Alzarri Joseph with England at 281-5, while Stokes' entertaining knock was ended by Kavem Hodge.
Jamie Smith (36) and Chris Woakes (37) chipped in with quickfire scores too, with Shoaib Bashir's dismissal in the final over of play bookending a fantastic first day for England.
Data Debrief: Speedy Duckett into the history books
Duckett needed just 32 deliveries to reach a half-century, as he kept up a pace mostly seen in T20Is.
It is the third-quickest 50 for England in their Test history, with Duckett drawing level with Ian Botham's effort against New Zealand in 1986.
Jonny Bairstow is second on that list (30 v New Zealand in 2022), with the legendary Botham leading the way (28 v India in 1981).
“The guys are ready to go.”
That is the declaration from West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, as his team targets a significantly improved batting performance in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
After being hammered by an innings and 114 runs in the opening contest at Lord’s last week, West Indies require a win to not only level the three-match series but, more importantly, to lift their spirits and hopes of pulling off a series win in England for the first time since 1988. Whether they will produce an efficient enough performance to achieve the feat is left to be seen.
The Caribbean side only managed scores of 121 and 136 across both innings, while England only required one innings for their match-winning 371.
Despite that, Brathwaite backed his inexperienced batting line-up to bounce back, as the past few days have harboured much talk about their famous comeback against Australia in Gabba earlier this year.
"Obviously, it is a young team, and playing any Test match would always be a challenge for anyone that’s young. We’ve been here for a number of weeks now, and what is gone is gone. The first defeat is gone, the preparation period is gone, and I think the guys are in very good spirits, and mentally, it’s very important to believe in yourself,” Brathwaite said during a pre-game conference.
“The guys are ready to go. It’s pretty simple what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to bat a lot better. Obviously, we’ve got to find a way, which we’ve had some discussions around different things we can do better as a team. We’ve just got to put runs on the board. It’s simple,” he added.
Brathwaite takes a break after a training session. (Getty Images)
With only debutant Mikyle Louis (27), Kavem Hodge (24) and Alick Athanaze (23), Jason Holder, and Gudakesh Motie (31) offering very little resistance in the first Test, Brathwaite believes the disappointment should serve as motivation for his team heading into the second encounter.
“We have a motivation – we’ve got to be better than the first Test. The batsmen have to obviously put runs on the board and that’s our focus. I think once we remain disciplined, session by session, build partnerships that will put us in a good position in the overall result of the game. A few guys did get in but didn’t go on,” Brathwaite reasoned.
He continued: “It’s just important that you go on for longer because the longer you bat, the easier it becomes, and it’s important to stay in that plan for as long as possible. Obviously, you want to put away bad balls – that’s what every batsman wants to do – but it’s that hard work you do for 40 minutes, being able to take that to an hour and two hours.
“It’s a mixture of putting away the bad balls because when you put away the bad balls, it gives you confidence, so we just have to keep learning. I think a lot of learning would’ve taken place in the first Test, and we just have to believe in our ability and do it for longer periods.”
While he has been scrutinised for failing to lead from the front at the top of the order, Brathwaite argued that his lean spell has little to do with his captaincy.
The Barbadian, who is the most experienced player in the team with 90 Tests under his belt, has only tallied a paltry 44 runs in his last six innings.
“I enjoy captaining, I enjoy leading. I’ve been opening my whole life, so when I go out there to bat, it’s always to see off that new ball and be there as long as I can—that’s always my focus. I don’t see it as any added pressure. Yes, at times you don’t get runs, and it can be a little bit tough, but it is important to stay mentally tough and keep believing,” Brathwaite ended.
The West Indies are on the brink of a quick defeat at stumps on day two of the first of three Tests against England at Lord’s.
The tourists ended Thursday 79-6 off 34.5 overs, needing a further 171 runs to force England to bat again.
Similar to the first innings, the West Indian top order failed to impress as Kraigg Brathwaite (4), Kirk McKenzie (0), Mikyle Louis (14) and Kavem Hodge (4) all fell within the first 20 overs of the innings with the West Indies teetering at just 37.
Alick Athanaze was next to go after battling hard for 22 to leave the West Indies 55-5 in the 29th over before Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva looked set to see out the English bowling for the rest of the day.
This proved not to be the case as Holder became Gus Atkinson’s ninth wicket of his magical debut in the day’s last over for 20 to leave the West Indies 79-6 off 34.5 overs at stumps.
Joshua Da Silva was 8* at the close of play.
James Anderson, Atkinson and skipper Ben Stokes have taken two wickets, each, so far.
Earlier, the hosts progressed to 371 all out off 90 overs after beginning day two 189-3.
Both overnight batsmen, Joe Root and Harry Brook, went on to bring up their fifties.
Root eventually fell for a 114-ball 68 including seven fours while Brook made an even 50 off 64 balls including five fours and a six.
The top scorer on the day, however, was debutant Jamie Smith who hit eight fours and two sixes on his way to a 119-ball 70.
On his return to the Test arena, Jayden Seales was the pick of the West Indian bowlers with 4-77 from 20 overs.
Gudakesh Motie and Jason Holder provided good support for Seales with 2-41 off 16 overs and 2-58 off 18 overs, respectively.
Full Scores:
West Indies 121 all out off 41.4 overs (Mikyle Louis 27, Gus Atkinson 7-45) & 79-6 off 34.5 overs (Alick Athanaze 22, James Anderson 2-11, Ben Stokes 2-25, Gus Atkinson 2-27)
England 371 all out off 90 overs (Zak Crawley 76, Jamie Smith 70, Joe Root 68, Ollie Pope 57, Harry Brook 50, Jayden Seales 4-77, Gudakesh Motie 2-41, Jason Holder 2-58)
The chances of West Indies bettering England in their three-match Test series were always slim, and Wednesday’s opening day of the first encounter at Lord’s again justified why the host are overwhelmingly favoured.
No doubt the Caribbean side went into the contest confident that they can secure a Test series win in England for the first time since 1988, but their batting display was a far cry from a team hoping to achieve that feat.
They collapsed from 88-3 to 121 all out, as England’s attack, led by debutant Gus Atkinson, was quick, vicious and left West Indies in a tailspin with no response to the onslaught.
Debutant Mikyle Louis (27), Alick Athanaze (23), Kavem Hodge (24), Alzarri Joseph (17), and Gudakesh Motie, with an unbeaten 14, were the only scores in double figures. Atkinson bagged 7-45, the second best by an England bowler on Test debut behind Dominic Cork.
England in response were 189-3 at close, as they opened up a 68-run lead courtesy of half-centuries from Zak Crawley (76) and Ollie Pope (57). Joe Root, on 15, and Harry Brook, on 25, will resume batting on Thursday’s second day.
Scores: West Indies 121 all out (41.4 overs); England 189-3 (40 overs)
Gus Atkinson bask in the admiration of his teammates.
West Indies assistant coach Jimmy Adams narrowed their opening day performance to England’s quality bowling and inexperience batting from his team.
“I think it was fairly bowling friendly conditions, and added to that England exploited the conditions really well. They had quality swing and they didn’t give us much freedom, and maybe a little bit of experience on our part as well. So I think a combination of those issues,” Adams said in a post-day conference.
Despite their current position, Adams remains optimistic his men can get back into the contest, provided they apply themselves accordingly.
“All of England’s bowlers are world class, so we can try (to comeback), but it is going to be difficult. But this is what Test cricket is all about, you have a bad day, you think about it, roll your sleeves up and come back on day two and try and work your way back into the match. We have seven wickets to get first of all and then hopefully we can bat for a day or two and see where we go from there,” he added.
After losing their top order in the opening session with just 44 runs on the board, Hodge and Athanaze attempted to rebuild the West Indies inning from 61-3 at lunch, but having already inflicted the wound, Atkinson duly obliged and finished what he started.
Louis, the first player to represent West Indies from St Kitts and Nevis, showed promise in a 34-run opening stand with captain Kraigg Brathwaite. Both seemed set for a positive knock before Brathwaite (six) dragged a wide delivery from Atkinson onto the stumps, while Jamaican Kirk McKenzie lasted only 14 deliveries, as he too was sent back by Atkinson for a solitary run.
Mikyle Louis receives his cap from West Indies legend Sir Viv Richards.
Louis then followed, as he edged one from England’s captain Ben Stokes, which Harry Brook collected low down at third slip.
When Athanaze edged to Joe Root, it sparked a typical West Indies collapse, as Jason Holder and Joshua da Silva came and went without scoring, while Hodge served up a catch off Chris Woakes to Ollie Pope, who took it in dazzling fashion.
Alzarri Joseph attempted a counter as he slashed four boundaries in a nine-ball cameo, before he became Atkinson’s sixth victim, and Shamar Joseph (zero), the seamer’s seventh. Motie then contributed 14 runs to push the visitors past the 120-run mark, as James Anderson, playing in his final Test series, accounted for Jayden Seales.
England in their turn at bat, lost Ben Duckett (three), who knicked a Jayden Seales delivery to da Silva. However, Crawley, who rode his luck, and Pope quickly steadied things as both scored at a decent tempo, before the latter was trapped in front by Holder.
Crawley’s luck ran out soon after and he was removed by an inswinging yorker from Seales, as West Indies briefly harboured hopes of clawing their way back into the contest, but Root and Brook kept them at bay for the remainder of the day.
Seales has 2-31 so far.
James Anderson took a wicket on the first day of his final Test but England debutant Gus Atkinson was the star of the show at Lord's.
Paceman Atkinson took seven wickets and went for just 45 runs as England dominated the opening day against West Indies, finishing with a lead of 68.
The tourists collapsed from 88-3 to 121 all out on Wednesday, with Atkinson taking three of his seven wickets during a phenomenal 35th over.
Alick Athanaze, Jason Holder and Joshua Da Silva could not cope with the England new boy, who had previously dismissed Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk McKenzie, with Atkinson following up with two more wickets before Anderson sent Jayden Seales packing.
England subsequently took control with the bat, recovering from the early loss of Ben Duckett, with Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope taking Ben Stokes' team to 123 before the latter succumbed to an edge on 57.
Crawley (76) followed when he was done leg before wicket by Holder, but Joe Root (15 not out) and Harry Brook (25 n.o) ensured there was no further loss before the close, which England reached at 189-3.
Data Debrief: Anderson bowing out, but the future's bright
It is truly the end of an era at Lord's over the coming days, and Anderson at least has the guarantee of one wicket from his farewell Test.
He is now on 701 wickets in the longest format, and 120 of those have come at Lord's.
But Atkinson proved there is life after Anderson. His figures of 7-45 are the second best any bowler has managed on men's Test debut for England, after Dominic Cork's 7-43 at Lord's in 1995.
Mikyle Louis will open alongside Captain Kraigg Brathwaite for the West Indies in the first Test against England set to start on Wednesday at Lord’s.
Louis, the 23-year-old, comes into the team on the back of a brilliant season for the Leeward Islands in the 2024 West Indies Championship where he scored 682 runs in 14 innings at an average of 49.
He is coming off a first innings half-century in their warm-up game against the County Select XI last week.
Retaining their places in the order are Kirk McKenzie at three, Alick Athanaze at four and Kavem Hodge at five.
McKenzie and Athanaze scored three half-centuries between them in the warm-up fixture last week while Hodge scored a brilliant hundred so all three are coming into the first Test in some good form.
Also making their return to the West Indies test team after missing the Australia series in December are former Captain Jason Holder and young pacer Jayden Seales.
Both Holder and Seales recently enjoyed successful County Championship stints for Worcestershire and Sussex, respectively.
Gudakesh Motie will be the lone spinner in the XI while Holder and Seales will be joined in the pace attack by Alzarri and Shamar Joseph.
Josh a Da Silva also retains his place behind the stumps.
The full XI is as follows: Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Mikyle Louis, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph
The West Indies began their tour of England with a resolute batting performance in their warm-up match against an FCC XI at Beckenhem, finishing the opening day on a high note. Led by Kavem Hodge's commanding century, they posted a formidable total of 339 in their first innings.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, the visitors faced early adversity with Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Zachary McCaskie departing cheaply, leaving them struggling at 10 for two. However, debutant Mikyle Louis and Kirk McKenzie steered the innings back on track with a crucial 106-run partnership for the third wicket. Louis impressed with a composed half-century, scoring 50 before he was dismissed.
McKenzie continued to build on the foundation laid by Louis, playing fluently to score 73 valuable runs. His partnership with Hodge, who anchored the innings superbly, proved pivotal as they added 138 runs together. Hodge, displaying both patience and aggression, reached his century with a confident six off Farhan Ahmed, setting a strong platform for his team.
Following a rain interruption, the West Indies' middle and lower order faced a testing period, losing wickets in quick succession. Despite the lower-order collapse, Hodge stood tall, guiding his team past the 300-run mark. His innings finally came to an end when he was dismissed for a well-made 112, the last wicket to fall as the West Indies were bowled out for 339 from 72.1 overs.
John Turner was the pick of the bowlers for FCC XI, claiming four wickets for 60 runs, while Ahmed also made significant contributions with his four-wicket haul costing 48 runs.
The day's play showcased the West Indies' resilience and depth in their batting lineup, with partnerships crucial in steering them towards a competitive total. As they continue their preparations for the upcoming series against England, this performance will serve as a confidence booster and provide valuable insights into the conditions and opposition.
At stumps FCC XI were 15-0. Ben McKinney is 11 not out and with him is Harry Singh.
The Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel has unveiled the 15-member squad set to tour England for the three-Test Richards Botham series, which starts at Lord's on Wednesday, 10 July 2024.
Test matches between these two rivals date back to 1928 when the West Indies made their first trip to England. The Teams now compete for the Richards Botham Trophy, named in honour of West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards and England great Lord Ian Botham.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will continue his leadership role, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph again serving as Vice-Captain. The team is scheduled to arrive in England on 23 June for a training camp at Tonbridge School, ahead of a 4-day warm-up match at Beckingham commencing on the 4 July.
CWI Lead Selector, the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes, expressed confidence in the squad's composition.
“The squad has been shaped with both experience and emerging talent, ensuring a strong balance as we face the challenge of playing in English conditions. Over the past year, our red-ball program has continued to develop. Following our victory in the last Test in Australia in January, it is evident that we are seeing the fruits of that investment. Each player selected has earned their place through consistent performances and hard work. We are confident that this blend of seasoned players and emerging faces will perform admirably against England.”
Young Fast Bowler Jayden Seales returns to the squad having missed the last Test Series against Australia due to injury and experienced all-rounder Jason Holder has earned a recall having made himself unavailable for the last tour.
There is also a first international selection for 23-year-old opening batsman Mikyle Louis.
Louis, a former West Indies U19 International, scored 682 runs in his debut First Class season for the Leeward Island Hurricanes at an average of 48.71. Should he debut for the West Indies in England, he will become the first Kittitian to wear the famous Maroon test cap.
The West Indies 15-member test squad is as follows:
These players will be supported by the following team management unit:
West Indies' last test match was a resounding victory in Australia earlier this year. Since then, all selected players were involved in the West Indies Championship, which concluded in April and was won by the Guyana Harpy Eagles.
19-year-old fast bowler, Isai Thorne will travel with the squad as a development player, following impressive performances in this debut First Class season taking 31 wickets at average 16.29 in his first eight matches.
The West Indies are the current holders of the Richards Botham Trophy following the 1-0 Home Test Series win in March 2022.
Windward Islands Volcanoes registered their third win on the trot, as they defeated Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners by eight wickets, while Leeward Islands Hurricanes, Barbados Pride and Guyana Harpy Eagles, also secured wins in their respective Round three West Indies Championship encounters on Saturday.
Set 125 for victory at Chedwin Park, Volcanoes cruised to their target with West Indies batsman Alick Athanaze finishing unbeaten on a 58 off 42 balls. He struck six fours and three sixes in an unbroken 83-run third wicket stand with Trinidadian left-hander Jeremy Solozano, who struck an unbeaten 61-ball 42, which included six fours.
Solozano also shared in a 37-run opening stand with Kimani Melius (20) before off-spinner Romario Greaves struck twice to end with two for 64.
Earlier, left-arm spinning all-rounder Kavem Hodge grabbed two of the last four wickets to end with two for 48 as the Marooners, who resumed on 271 for six, were bowled out for 315.
Romario Greaves, unbeaten on 62 at the start, added just one, while Sion Hackett never added to his overnight 24.
Scores: Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners 204 (Demario Richards 46, Damel Evelyn 43, Jonathan Carter 31, Shamarh Brooks 29; Darel Cyrus 25-2-72-6, Gilon Tyson 3-32) and 315 (Jonathan Carter 94, Romario Greaves 63, Damel Evelyn 56, Zishan Motara 33, Sion Hackett 24; Shamar Springer 2-33, Kavem Hodge 2-48).
Windward Islands Volcanoes 395 (Kavem Hodge 158 not out, Sunil Ambris 120, Alick Athanaze 26; Romario Greaves 5-142, Jediah Blades 2-35, Edmond Govasta 2-54) and 128 for two (Alick Athanaze 58 not out, Jeremy Solozano 42 not out)
At Sabina Park, Barbados Pride marched to their second win of the competition with a six-wicket victory over hosts Jamaica Scorpions.
Chasing 173, Pride reached their target courtesy of 43 from Roshon Primus, 29 from Kevin Wickham and 25 from Shayne Moseley, off-spinner Peat Salmon claiming three for 69.
Salmon struck twice early to leave Pride in a spot of bother on 52 for three, but Moseley posted 45 for the fourth wicket with Wickham before adding a further 44 for the fifth wicket with Primus, who slammed seven fours in a robust 34-ball knock, as Pride recovered well.
Scorpions were earlier dismissed for 292 after resuming on 220 for eight. Pacer Shaquille Cumberbatch finished with five for 46, as Scorpions Derval Green resisted with an unbeaten 78-ball 48, which include seven fours and a six. Green was the aggressor in a 40-run ninth-wicket stand with Gordon Bryan (26) and 37 for the last wicket with Ojay Shields (4).
Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 269 (Romaine Morrison 97 not out, Carlos Brown 40, Kirk McKenzie 40, Peat Salmon 24; Jomel Warrican 27.4-6-62-5, Jair McAllister 3-69) and 292 (Abhijai Mansingh 54, Derval Green 48 not out, Leroy Lugg 43, Kirk McKenzie 39, Carlos Brown 35; Shaquille Cumberbatch 5-46, Kevin Wickham 2-26)
Barbados Pride 389 (Kraigg Brathwaite 142, Kevin Wickham 63, Shane Dowrich 44, Jonathan Drakes 31, Roshon Primus 22; Derval Green 4-78, Peat Salmon 3-94) and 176 for six (Roshon Primus 43, Kevin Wickham 29, Shayne Moseley 25; Peat Salmon 3-69)
Reigning champions Guyana Harpy Eagles completed an emphatic, record win at Coolidge Cricket Ground.
Harpy Eagles wasted little time in picking up the last four CWI Academy wickets cheaply, to storm to a 221-run win – the fifth largest margin of victory by runs for Harpy Eagles in the modern era of the championship.
For Harpy Eagles, it was also their first win of the campaign following a draw in their first game against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force and a heavy 273-run defeat to Leeward Islands Hurricanes in their second game.
Resuming the morning on 161 for seven in pursuit of 429 for victory, CWI Academy were dismissed for 207 all out, with veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul (2-48) claiming two of the three wickets to fall.
Carlon Bowen-Tuckett, unbeaten on 34 overnight, top-scored with 43 while Ashmead Nedd, on two at the start, struck a breezy 30 off 28 balls. Together, they stretched their eighth wicket stand to 32 before the final three wickets went down for 16 runs.
Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 175 (Ronaldo Alimohamed 30, Matthew Nandu 28, Tevin Imlach 24, Kevin Sinclair 24; Joshua James 4-43, Johann Layne 2-27, Joshua Bishop 2-31) and 415 for seven decl. (Kevin Sinclair 165 not out, Kemol Savory 58, Kevlon Anderson 49, Ronaldo Alimohamed 31, Veerasammy Permaul 29 not out, Tevin Imlach 29, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 22; Ashmead Nedd 5-97).
Cricket West Indies Academy 162 (Rashawn Worrell 58, Joshua Bishop 51; Kevin Sinclair 4-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-15, Gudakesh Motie 3-31) and 207 (Jordan Johnson 54, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 34, Joshua James 26; Isai Thorne 4-49, Kevin Sinclair 2-30)
At Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts, Hurricanes too helped themselves to their second win of the campaign when they beat Red Force by four wickets.
Set 162 for victory after bowling Red Force out in their second innings for 342, Hurricanes got a top score of 53 from West Indies white-ball stroke-maker Keacy Carty while 17-year-old Jewel Andrew missed out on his second fifty of the game with 48.
With the hosts in trouble at 26 for two, Carty put on 45 for the third wicket with Jahmar Hamilton who made 29 from 38 balls, and a further 70 with Andrew for the fourth wicket, to put Hurricanes in touching distance of victory.
While Carty faced 136 deliveries and struck half-dozen fours, the Under-19 World Cup star Andrew belted three fours and two sixes in an entertaining 53-ball knock.
Left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed four for 69.
Resuming earlier from 285 for six, Red Force were undermined by left-arm spinner Daniel Doram (3-80) who snatched three of the last four wickets to tumble.
Scores: Trinidad and Tobago Red Force 137 (Jyd Goolie 30; Colin Archibald 3-28, Jeremiah Louis 3-38) and 342 (Jyd Goolie 64, Jason Mohammed 49, Tion Webster 38, Cephas Cooper 36, Terrance Hinds 34, Joshua Da Silva 34, Vikash Mohan 25, Bryan Charles 24; Rahkeem Cornwall 3-68, Daniel Doram 3-80, Jeremiah Louis 2-70)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 318 (Jewel Andrew 87, Kieran Powell 65, Jeremiah Louis 41, Mikyle Louis 34; Anderson Phillip 4-62, Bryan Charles 3-81) and 165 for six (Keacy Carty 53, Jewel Andrew 48, Jahmar Hamilton 29; Khary Pierre 4-69)
The Barbados Pride, defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles and the Windward Islands Volcanoes all look set to close out round three of the 2024 West Indies Championship with outright wins while the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force are locked in an interesting battle with the Leeward Islands Hurricanes ahead of Saturday’s fourth and final day.
First at Sabina Park where the Pride had the Jamaica Scorpions reeling in their second innings at 220-8 off 63 overs at stumps, a lead of just 100 runs.
The Pride had earlier amassed 389 all out off 120 overs after starting the day 315-6. Kraigg Brathwaite, who entered Friday 129* wound up making 142 while Shane Dowrich finished with 44 after entering the day 19*.
Derval Green ended up with 4-78 off 31 overs while Peat Salmon picked up 3-94 from 34 overs for the hosts.
Jamaica’s second innings saw a number of batsmen get off to good starts but none were able to get a big score. Abhijai Mansingh has led the way with 54, his fourth first-class fifty, while Leroy Lugg (43), Kirk McKenzie (39) and Carlos Brown (35) also chipped in.
Debutant Shaquille Cumberbatch has led the charge with the ball for the Pride with 4-22 off nine overs while Kevin Wickham has picked up 2-26 from seven overs.
Full Scores: Jamaica Scorpions 269 all out off 78.4 overs (Romaine Morris 97*, Carlos Brown 40, Kirk McKenzie 40, Jomel Warrican 5-62, Jair McAllister 3-69) & 220-8 off 63 overs (Abhijai Mansingh 54, Leroy Lugg 43, Kirk McKenzie 39, Carlos Brown 35, Shaquille Cumberbatch 4-22, Kevin Wickham 2-26)
Barbados Pride 389 all out off 120 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 142, Kevin Wickham 63, Shane Dowrich 44, Jonathan Drakes 31, Derval Green 4-78, Peat Salmon 3-94)
Elsewhere in Jamaica, at Chedwin Park in St. Catherine to be exact, the Combined Campuses and Colleges ended day three 271-6 in their second innings, leading the Windward Islands Volcanoes by just 80 runs.
The Windwards, after entering Friday 359-8 off 100 overs, went on to post an imposing 395 all out off 105.4 overs in their first innings.
Kavem Hodge, who entered the day 131*, carried his bat through the innings on his way to a career best 158* off 251 balls including 16 fours and a six.
Romario Greaves ended up with 5-142 off 38 overs for the CCC.
With the bat, Jonathan Carter almost got his second century of the season, being dismissed for 94 to lead the CCC second innings scoring, so far.
Greaves, who is having a fine all-round showing, ended day three on 62* off 117 balls including five fours and two sixes.
Earlier, opener Damel Evelyn followed up his 43 in the first innings with 56 in the second.
Shamar Springer has taken 2-33 in 13 overs for the Volcanoes.
Full Scores: Combined Campuses & Colleges 204 all out off 71.3 overs (Demario Richards 46, Damel Evelyn 43, Darel Cyrus 6-72, Gilon Tyson 3-32) & 271-6 off 81 overs (Jonathan Carter 94, Romario Greaves 62*, Damel Evelyn 56, Shamar Springer 2-33)
Windward Islands Volcanoes 395 all out off 105.4 overs (Kavem Hodge 158*, Sunil Ambris 120, Romario Greaves 5-142, Jediah Blades 2-35, Govasta Edmond 2-54)
Moving to the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua where the defending champions, Guyana Harpy Eagles, are on the brink of a dominant victory over the West Indies Academy.
The Harpy Eagles entered Friday 165-5 off 65 overs, leading the Academy by 178 runs. They went on to pile up a massive 415-7 declared leaving the Academy needing a massive 429 to win.
Kevin Sinclair, the hero with the ball in the first innings, led the way with a magnificent 165* off 182 balls, his first century in first-class cricket, including 26 fours. Kemol Savory also batted well for a 68-ball 58 including eight fours and a six.
Ronaldo Ali Mohamed and Veerasammy Permaul also provided useful cameos at the end of the innings with 318 and 29*, respectively.
Ashmead Nedd was the pick of the bowlers for the Academy with 5-97 off 45 overs.
At stumps, the Academy reached 161-7 off 40 overs, needing a further 268 runs for victory on Saturday.
West Indies Under-19 representative Jordan Johnson led the way with 54 against 3-32 off eight overs from Isai Thorne, who also represented the West Indies at the recently concluded ICC U-19 World Cup in South Africa. Sinclair has also picked up 2-30 from 11 overs in the second innings.
Full Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 175 all out off 54.3 overs (Ronaldo Ali Mohamed 30, Matthew Nandu 28, Joshua James 4-43, Johann Layne 2-27, Joshua Bishop 2-31) & 415-7 dec. off 112.1 overs (Kevin Sinclair 165*, Kemol Savory 58, Kevlon Anderson 49, Ashmead Nedd 5-97)
West Indies Academy 162 all out off 49 overs (Rashawn Worrell 58, Joshua Bishop 51, Kevin Sinclair 4-45, Veerasammy Permaul 3-15, Gudakesh Motie 3-31) & 161-7 off 40 overs (Jordan Johnson 54, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 34, Isai Thorne 3-32, Kevin Sinclair 2-30)
Finally, we go to Warner Park in St. Kitts where the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force were 285-6 at stumps on day three, leading the Leeward Islands Hurricanes by 104 runs.
The Red Force entered the day 48-0 off 18 overs replying to the Hurricanes first innings total of 318.
Jyd Goolie continued his good form with the bat this season with 64 to lead the Red Force charge so far.
Jason Mohammed (49), Tion Webster (38), Cephas Cooper (36), Terrance Hinds (34) and Captain Joshua Da Silva (32) all got starts but weren’t able to carry on to a big score.
Rakheem Cornwall has led the Hurricanes bowling do far with 3-56 off 29 overs while Jeremiah Louis has picked up 2-70 from 18 overs.
Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 137 all out off 60.2 overs (Jyd Goolie 30, Collin Archibald 3-28, Jeremiah Louis 3-38, Rakheem Cornwall 2-5, Daniel Doram 2-32) & 285-6 off 108 overs (Jyd Goolie 64, Jason Mohammed 49, Tion Webster 38, Cephas Cooper 36, Terrance Hinds 34, Joshua Da Silva 32, Rakheem Cornwall 3-56)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 318 all out off 98.2 overs (Jewel Andrew 87, Kieran Powell 65, Jeremiah Louis 41, Mikyle Louis 32, Anderson Phillip 4-62, Brian Charles 3-81)
Well-played centuries by West Indies Test batsman Kavem Hodge and Sunil Ambris gave Windward Islands Volcanoes complete control of their Round three West Indies Championship fixture against Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners at Chedwin Park, in Jamaica, on Thursday.
After bowling down the opponents for 204 on Wednesday’s opening day courtesy of leg spinner Darel Cyrus and seamer Gilon Tyson, who grabbed six wickets for 72 runs and three 32 respectively, Hodge and Ambris continued the Volcanoes rich vein of form on day two, with a solid 192-run fifth-wicket partnership.
Hodge, who made his Test debut against Australia recently, ended the day unbeaten on 130 –his fifth First Class century. He had Tyson, on four, for company, as Volcanoes were 358-8 at stumps, some 154 runs ahead with two wickets in hand.
The 31-year-old Hodge was patient throughout, stroking 13 fours in his 231-ball knock so far, while Ambris, was more aggressive in registering his eighth First Class century, as he smashed 10 fours and four sixes before he went for 120 off 113 balls.
Romario Greaves is the pick of the Marooners bowlers so far with five for 142 from 38 overs.
Scores: Combined Campuses and Colleges 204 (71.3 overs); 358-8 (99 overs)
Having lost their top order –Jeremy Solozano (19), Kimani Melius (13) and Johann Jeremiah (12) –with very little runs on the board, West Indies batsman Alick Athanaze (26) and Hodge started the rebuilding process, before the former was trapped in front by Greaves with the score at 75-4.
However, whatever hope the Marooners had that they would bat again on day two, was dashed, as Hodge and Ambris, literally played them out the game with the breathtaking 192-run stand.
Even after Ambris went to Greaves and three wickets fell for 28 runs, the momentum remained with the Volcanoes, who will be aiming to add a few more runs on Friday’s third day.
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