Windies defy odds in Test series despite consolation defeat

– Roach, Holder stand-out performers

By Brandon Corlette

England’s coming to the Caribbean for the Wisden Trophy! Many would have thought Joe Root and his side would have tormented Jason Holder’s team. It was completely the opposite result with West Indies taking the Test series 2-1. The first Test match that was played in Bridgetown, Barbados saw Windies winning by 381 runs.
With the Windies team known for its inconsistency in winning matches, they replicated their performance in Antigua, taking the second Test and the series with a 10-wicket win. After the first Test match in Barbados that saw the “Bajan Boys” dominate, the Windies players proved that it was no fluke in the second match.
Windies Captain and the world’s number one Test all-rounder, Jason Holder made the first Test his own, scoring a magnificent 202*, which earned him the Player-of-the-Match award. Kemar Roach rediscovered his greatness with ball in hand this series, but the second Test was one for him to remember.
The Barbadian fast bowler ran in, hit the deck hard and bowled with extreme control with his golden chain hitting his chest. The second Test Player of the Match followed up his brilliant first Test with 4-30 and 4-52. At the conclusion of the series, Roach was awarded Player of the Series for grabbing 18 wickets in the three Test matches he played.
The now number 11-ranked Test bowler, Roach finished the Test series with a staggering bowling average of 13.88 with a best bowling figure of 5-17. The number two ranked bowler in the series was England’s off-spinner Mooen Ali, who finished with 14 wickets while Ben Stokes had 10 wickets. Alzarri Joseph with 10 wickets, James Anderson 10 and Shannon Gabriel nine were among the leading bowlers in the series.
In the batting charts, Windies Captain Holder reigned supreme with the bat in the two Test matches he played, scoring 229 runs at a breathtaking average of 114.50, batting in three innings. Wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich finished second, scoring 204 runs at an average of 51. Dowrich hit an unbeaten 116 in the first Test in the record-breaking partnership with Holder.
The passionate Englishman, Ben Stokes, was England’s leading run-scorer with the bat, accumulating 186 runs at an average of 37.20. It was a poor series for England with the bat; Jos Butler scored 178 in three Tests while Captain Joe Root healed his bruises with a masterful century in the final Test.
Root stood tall under pressure ending the series with 177 runs, which is below the standards of a player of his calibre. Windies newbie John Campbelle had a fair series despite his failure to score a significant score; he finishes the series with 176 runs at an average of 35.2 with a high score of 47.
Roston Chase may have answered all the questions in this series about his place in the team, scoring a century in vain in the final Test, to end with 160 runs at an average of 40. With ball in hand, Chase picked up eight wickets in the series – all came in one Test with figures of 8-60. The Guyanese boy, Shimron Hetmyer had a fair series ending with 160 runs at an average of 32, with a high score of 81.
The likes of Shai Hope, Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo may reflect on this Windies triumph as a great moment in their careers, but their individual game has been poor.