Windies shock for Englishmen

Bridgetown (Barbados): West Indies defied the odds and a wearing pitch to complete a series-levelling five-wicket victory over England on the third day of the third and final Test.

Set a daunting target of 192 after the tourists were dismissed for 123 in their second innings, a 108-run fifth-wicket partnership between Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood tilted the match decisively the Caribbean side’s way on Sunday.

 

That allowed them to celebrate their first victory over England since the opening match of the 2009 series in Kingston, Jamaica. Bravo’s controlled knock of 82, his 11th Test half-century, ended when he attempted to make the victory hit off Ben Stokes as Stuart Broad pulled down the catch at mid-off. It was left to Blackwood to finish off the match in the next over, hoisting Moeen Ali’s off-spin over long-on to finish unbeaten on 47 and complete a team and personal triumph following his first innings top score of 85 out of a total of 189. 

 

He was named man of the match. “I always try to play my natural game but you have to be mindful of the situation as well,” said Blackwood. “(Darren) Bravo told me to just keep positive and we would be able to bring it home.” West Indies seemed on the verge of another capitulation when veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul played on to James Anderson without scoring to leave the home side uncomfortably placed at 80/4 just after tea.

 

 

England 257 & 123 lost to West Indies 189 & 194/5 (Darren Bravo 82, Jermaine Blackwood 47 n.o.; Stuart Broad 1/29, Chris Jordan 1/24)