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Windies take series lead over England

Published:Monday | July 13, 2020 | 12:24 AM
Windies’ Jamaican batsman Jermaine Blackwood plays a shot during the fifth day of the first cricket Test match against hosts England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday.
Windies’ Jamaican batsman Jermaine Blackwood plays a shot during the fifth day of the first cricket Test match against hosts England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton yesterday.

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP):

The Windies won the first international cricket match since the sport’s return after the coronavirus outbreak, beating England late on day five of a thrilling first Test at an empty Ageas Bowl yesterday.

Jermaine Blackwood top-scored with 95 as the Windies overcame an early wobble to win by four wickets in the final session. John Campbell hit the winning run to finish his interrupted innings on 8 not out. He was hugged by captain Jason Holder, who was 14 not out.

The Windies ended on 200/6 in their second innings to take an early lead in the three-Test series.

The tourists had resumed after tea on 143/4, still 57 runs from the victory target.

Blackwood and Roston Chase had revived the Windies with a 73-run partnership which ended when Chase was caught behind for 37 against hostile pace from Barbados-born Jofra Archer. Before the pair came together, the Windies were 27/3.

Blackwood and Shane Dowrich shared a 68-run stand for the fifth wicket before stand-in England captain Ben Stokes had ‘keeper Dowrich caught behind for 20. Stokes also claimed Blackwood’s wicket with 11 runs needed, with James Anderson providing the catch.

“We got ourselves into some great positions at times with the bat and, unfortunately, we just weren’t ruthless enough to really go on and make our batting innings count,” Stokes told Sky Sports.

Archer ended with 3/45. His two early wickets gave the Windies problems in a seemingly straightforward chase after he removed Kraigg Brathwaite (4) and Shamarh Brooks (0), and Mark Wood bowled Shai Hope for 9.

CAMPBELL HURT

Windies had the added problem of opener Campbell retiring hurt after being hit on the toe with a yorker from Archer. The Windies team said Campbell would come out to bat again if needed – and he was needed.

Archer made the breakthrough in the sixth over when Brathwaite played on. Archer had Brooks lbw in his next over and the victory target didn’t seem so easy any more.

Hope played two cover drives for four to ease the early pressure but Wood came into the attack and knocked out Hope’s off stump as he tried to hit another, and England had the upper hand.

Blackwood’s half-century settled the Windies in the second session. He hit a total of 12 fours and was aided by Chase.

Chase was caught behind off a mean bouncer but the Windies fightback was in full flow and that was the only wicket to fall in the second session.

Holder was delighted with the performance of his side.

“It is right up there as one of the best victories we have had as a group,” he said. “I think yesterday was a hard-fought day of Test cricket, and we really reaped the rewards at the very end.”

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND 1st Innings 204

WINDIES 1st Innings 318

ENGLAND 2nd Innings

(overnight 284 for eight)

R Burns c Campbell b Chase 42

D Sibley c wkp Dowrich b Gabriel 50

J Denly c Holder b Chase 29

Z Crawley c and b Joseph 76

*B Stokes c Hope b Holder 46

O Pope b Gabriel 12

+J Buttler b Joseph 9

D Bess b Gabriel 3

J Archer c wkp Dowrich b Gabriel 23

M Wood c wkp Dowrich b Gabriel 2

J Anderson not out 4

Extras (b4, lb10, nb3) 17

TOTAL (all out, 111.2 overs) 313

Fall of wickets: 1-72 (Burns), 2-113 (Sibley), 3-151 (Denly), 4-249 (Stokes), 5-253 (Crawley), 6-265 (Buttler), 7-278 (Bess), 8-279 (Pope), 9-303 (Wood), 10-313 (Archer)

Bowling: Roach 22-8-50-0, Gabriel 21.2-4-75-5, Holder 22-8-49-1, Chase 25-6-71-2, Joseph 18-2-45-2, Brathwaite 3-0-9-0.

WINDIES 2nd innings (target: 200)

K Brathwaite b Archer 4

J Campbell not out 8

S Hope b Wood 9

S Brooks lbw b Archer 0

R Chase c wkp Buttler b Archer 37

J Blackwood c Anderson b Stokes 95

+S Dowrich c wkp Buttler b Stokes 20

*J Holder not out 14

Extras (lb7, w5, nb1) 13

TOTAL (6 wkts, 64.2 overs) 200

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Brathwaite), 2-7 (Brooks), 3-27 (Hope), 4-100 (Chase), 5-168 (Dowrich), 6-189 (Blackwood)

Bowling: Anderson 15-3-42-0, Archer 17-3-45-3, Wood 12-0-36-1, Bess 10-2-31-0, Stokes 10.2-1-39-2 (nb1)

Result: Windies won by four wickets.

Series: Windies lead three-match series 1-0.

Man-of-the-Match: Shannon Gabriel.

Toss: England.

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough, Richard Illingworth; TV – Michael Gough.