AN ILL WINDIES BLOWS NO GOOD FOR ENGLAND
THE joke before the series began was that the West Indies had three hopes – Kyle Hope, Shai Hope and No Hope.
But, after England suffered a home Test defeat against the Windies for the first time since 2000, the prospect of the tourists winning the Third Test at Lord’s, and the series, is no laughing matter.
The West Indies comeback at Headingley left a lot of people speechless – in sharp contrast to the chatter that had followed the visitors’ capitulation under the lights at Edgbaston.
England’s performances in the two Tests so far have been like night and day too.
After Edgbaston, Geoff Boycott said that this West Indies side was the worst he had seen in 50 years of Test cricket.
Jason Holder’s men gave the perfect response, with a win at Headingley that shocked cricket.
And the West Indies’ Welsh batting coach, Toby Radford, believes that it is now England who will be feeling the heat at Lord’s this week.
He said: “I don’t think anyone paid too much attention to what was said after the First Test.
“We knew the performance was dreadful and the players were very honest about that. But anyone who had done their homework would know that this team have beaten Pakistan twice in the last year.
“Once in Sharjah, in 45C heat, and in the Caribbean about four months ago.
“This is a talented team that, for whatever reason, didn’t turn up at Edgbaston. Anyone saying this was a bad team clearly hadn’t done their homework.
“Now it’s all square, with one Test to go, and there’s only one team turning up at Lord’s feeling the pressure. And it’s not us – it’s England.” Victory at Lord’s – a ground Radford (left) once called home as both a player and coach – would create one of the greatest series shocks of the modern era – and provide England with a major hangover going into the Ashes.
Radford says there was no grogginess in the West Indies camp the day after the Headingley Test.
Instead, coach Stuart Law’s young side were intent on focusing on the challenge ahead – rather than celebrating a triumph that no one else had seen coming.
Radford added: “Everyone is really excited – to potentially win a series against England would have been something that a lot of people would have thought was impossible.”
Anyone saying this is a bad team hadn’t done their homework