Near miss will hurt England

West Indies did well to hold out for a draw in the third Test, with the help of a bit of drizzle early on and bad light as the match draw to a close, to retain their 1-0 lead in the series. With two matches to go, it remains to be seen how their failure to get over the line in Antigua will affect England.

So close but no cigar for England in Antigua, and the 75 minutes lost to the weather early on on day five proved to be crucial as they fell just one wicket short of what would have been a deserved victory, having dominated the third Test from start to finish.

What effect the failure to pinch the win in the fading light will have on England remains to be seen. They could either be distraught at missing a great chance, or lifted by their response from the debacle in Jamaica and therefore ready to kick on in Jamaica.

The fitness of Andrew Flintoff will be key to their hopes, though. His 12 overs on day five was an heroic effort, but whether he will be fit for Barbados could be crucial to their chances of turning a deficit into a win.