LITTLE WONDER’S
Controlled Blackwood steers Windies to an historic and important victory as Stokes’ men count the cost of too many missed chances
ENGLAND suffered the agony of an historic fourwicket defeat as West Indies celebrated the return of Test cricket in the most emphatic style.
Not since 2007 have the Windies gone 1-0 up away from home.
Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic as well as the Black Lives Matter movement, this was a win for the ages on the final day.
Either side could have triumphed with a target of 200 on the board.
No one can doubt the effort put in by the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood to fire England home.
But guided by a stunning knock of 95 from Jermaine Blackwood, the Caribbean stars rolled back the years in emotional fashion.
Hero Blackwood carried his team from 27-3 to 189-6 before he was eventually caught at mid-off. Windies skipper Jason Holder said: “It was one of the best wins I’ve ever been involved in.
“Day four was probably the best day I’ve ever had in Test cricket.
“It was hard-fought cricket and everything I asked of the guys they gave me.
“It was a real team effort and I’m delighted.
“I missed the Barmy Army. But it was a level playing field without the crowds.
“It’s been a good start back
vto international cricket, it sets the series up quite nicely.”
Ben Stokes (below with Holder) will be cursing his side’s dropped catches and mistakes.
A spate of blunders let the Windies off the hook and in the end Blackwood’s three lives mattered.
He should have been caught down the legside by Jos Buttler when he had made just 20.
But the England gloveman could not react quickly enough and spilled a straightforward chance. England probably did not feel too worried then as the next chance arrived within minutes.
Zak Crawley could have thrown to either end for a run out – but failed to pick up the ball.
Blackwood then edged Stokes to gully at catchable height, only for Rory Burns to grab at thin air.
Three missed chances in half an hour was careless and cost England dearly.
It was fitting that Holder was there in the middle on 14 not out as John Campbell hit the winning runs.
The same Campbell who earlier retired hurt thanks to a thunderbolt from Archer that smashed into his right foot – and may well have broken a toe.
Archer was outstanding. Operating in the high 80s and using his probing accuracy and aggression, he threatened to turn the match into a procession early in the day.
First he invalided poor Campbell before accounting for Kraigg Brathwaite.
Shamarh Brooks was next to go, plumb lbw for a duck, without any need for a review.
Archer was flying and also got rid of Roston Chase with perhaps the most brutal ball of the match, short and fast and gloved behind.
The Windies though were brave in the face of pace – as they have been from the moment they decided to come to a Covid-19 global hotspot.