tossed up straight and defended past silly mid-on
West Indies vs England, 1st Test at North Sound, WI v ENG, Mar 08 2022 - Match Result
5.55pm: There we go, the Red-Ball Reset is up and running. Or, at least, limping off for a drink after five long, hot days in the North Sound dust. Just as in 2015 on this ground, West Indies have seen their way to a hard-fought draw on the final day (that man Holder in the thick of things again) - and it's testament to the unfathomable qualities of Test cricket that very few of us saw that coming with England 48 for 4 on the first morning. Miller's report should be your next destination, and then stick around on the site for more debrief to come. Thanks, as always, for your comments, we'll be back for more from the Kensington Oval in four days' time. Bye!
5.45pm: Time for the presentations, then. Nkrumah Bonner is named Player of the Match for his century and unbeaten 38: "I like to bat at this venue, I think it's a very good wicket. Obviously we wanted to win but we're happy with the draw. [Strengths] When I was young I always wanted to played Test cricket, and over the years I set out to bat long. I'm versatile, I adapt to the situation. Playing Test cricket, the aim is to play a lot of ball. We showed real character, the way we bowled. We've got a lot to take from this game."
England captain Joe Root: "I'm really proud of the team today. From that first hour, we were in a tricky spot, the skill level we've shown. To not panic, get ourselves back in the game, and throughout the game we got better and better. Jonny's hundred, Leachy today, can't fault the efforts of anyone. [Wood loss] On that wicket, extra pace with the reverse is exactly what you want. Disappointing, but not Mark's fault, you can't help getting injuries. We'll assess how he is in Barbados. [Bairstow, Crawley tons] Thought they were magnificent. For Jonny to read the game and play that innings showed great maturity. Fantastic knock in the circumstances. Zak, off a lean year, showed a lot of character to stand up, one of the senior batters now, important for him to play an innings like that for himself. [Necklace] Something my kids made me before coming out. [Barbados] Expecting another brilliant Test, really looking forward to it. So good to see English fans travelling again and enjoying the Caribbean."
West Indies Kraigg Brathwaite: "Hard fought, all five days. Hard work and we showed we had some fight at the end. Great effort from the bowling group and our batters, as well. First innings, we were good with new ball. In the middle we need to find ways to be tighter. If we bring the runs down throughout the innings, that builds pressure and makes those wickets easier to get. [Bonner marathon effort] I think he's better than me. Before the game he told me 300 balls, that's the determination. He set the example in the first innings and today he came again and showed his worth. [Barbados] This pitch was good for batting. Ball did a bit in the first-class game in Barbados, so it might help the bowlers a bit more. [Role of spinner] It's finding ways to build pressure. Ball didn't spin much, so you have to be tight. There are areas in terms of run rate where we could improve, especially in the middle overs."
5.38pm: In the end, West Indies came through reasonably comfortably - although it perhaps didn't feel that way moments after Jermaine Blackwood's wild hack had left them four down shortly after tea. England still haven't got close to winning in Antigua, really, although frankly the RBR will take what it can get. They dangled the carrot and then had a good go at crowbarring out ten wickets in 71 overs; in the end, an attack missing Mark Wood didn't have the teeth to do enough damage on this surface (though reviewing the one that would have poleaxed Holder's leg stump might have helped). Plenty of props go to Nkrumah Bonner, who batted almost 500 balls for once out in the Test
And that's it, Root has decided to call off the dogs. Handshakes all round for a drawn first Test! Well done everybody. That's all Foakes!
Six balls to come. England just need to go bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-bang
round the wicket, lots of air and this spins big from outside off, proof of the revs Lawrence puts on it. The ball seems to hit Holder, not far from the gloves, and then drops to the earth in front of Foakes
goes back in the crease and works towards square leg
lobbed up on off and poked away
Holder pushes at this one and the ball squirts off the inside half of the bat. Walks towards square leg to compose himself
full and flighted and met coming forwards
tossed up full outside off, punched back to the bowler's left
Last couple, England still going. Lawrence still going
some turn, draws an edgy-looking stroke from Bonner, maybe just opening the face, and it runs away past slip for four more
on the stumps and flicked through the leg side
James: "Deb, the County Championship is now played at times (April, May and September) when spinners don't prosper. The only bowlers who do are the 80mph medium pace seamers who have proved inadequate in overseas test conditions. Sensible, eh?" And Darren Stevens, who hasn't touched 80mph in a decade
crumped through mid-off, again he's on to the front foot and punches through a vacant part of the ground for four
tossed up full, Holder uses those impressive pins to get down and smother it
flat delivery on off, pushed back towards the bowler
tossed up outside off and punched to extra cover
Six men around the bat now, plus the keeper
tossed up wide of the stumps and Bonner picks out backward point with a cut
fired through quicker in the channel outside off, lets it go
"Are games like this the death of test cricket? (Although better than Pak vs Aus 1st test)." This one has been okay, just about, Kevin. The draw still has a place in the game
full and flighted, comes forward to defend this time
tossed up, some dip and bounce into the pads with Bonner looking to play off the back foot again
nicely bowled, this spins to clip the inside edge and run towards leg slip on the bounce
gangles in and tossed up an offbreak wide of the stumps, chopped off the back foot
Stokes does get spelled, Dan Lawrence is back. Four overs to go
"This match is done, right? Why is Root still making Stokes bowl?" I suspect Stokes is making sure Stokes bowls, Noor. But maybe not for much longer
wheeling away, angled on the stumps and pushed back towards the bowler
1W | ||||
2W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua | |
Toss | England, elected to bat first |
Series | |
Season | 2021/22 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | 3-match series level 0-0 |
Match number | Test no. 2454 |
Hours of play (local time) | 10.00 start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 15.10-15.30, Close 17.33 |
Match days | 8,9,10,11,12 March 2022 - day (5-day match) |
Test debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | England 4, West Indies 2 |