Jermaine Blackwood struck a ma🐲gnificent half-century to guide West Indies to a memorable victory in the first Test of the three-match series against England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. Blackwood showed immense courage and inspirational determination to take Caribbeans over the line in the first contest post coronavirus pandemic.
While chasing the target of 200 runs, the visitors had an abysmal start as they lost three wickets in quick successions in the first session on Day 5. Engla🍬nd paceman Jofra Archer demolished the top-order of West Indies when he claimed two wickets in successive overs. The right-arm speedster first dismissed Kraigg Brathwa♔ite and then he sent Shamarh Brooks back to the pavilion.
As if the trouble wasn’t enough already, Mark Wood shattered the defence of Shai Hope and Windies were struggling badly at 35/3 till lunch break. However, then Rostan Chase and Blackwood steadied the ship and added a crucial stand of 73 runs for the fourth-wicket before Archer struck again and dismissed Chase (37) off a nasty bouncer.
Jof makes it happen! What a delivery! 🚀
Scorecard/Videos:
— England Cricket (@englandcricket)
Blackwo෴od stayed in the middle and kept on scoring runs. He stitched another critical part🐲nership with wicket-keeper batsman Shane Dowrich. The duo added 68 runs for the fifth wicket. English skipper Ben Stokes broke the run-stand when he dismissed Dowrich for 20 runs.
Blackwood, o♚n the other hand, kept his end alive and took the tourists really close to the finishing line. He was looking set to score a brilliant century, but Stokes had some other plans. The southpaw dismissed Blackwood for 95. However, the Caribbean batter did his job pretty well. When he left the ground, his side needed just 11 runs for the victory.
Jermaine Blackwood falls for 95!
A fantastic innings, but he can't quite see his side home 👏
— ICC (@ICC)
West Indies skipper Jason Holder along with opener John Campbell, who earlier got retired-hurt🍒 due to an injury, did the remaining job as the pair chased down the target successfully and defeated the hosts by four wickets.
Here is how cricket fraternity reacted to West Indies’ win over England:
Wow what a win. Top display of test cricket.
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli)
Brilliant from the 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
— Andrew Flintoff (@flintoff11)
West Indian captains with maximum Test victories
36 – Clive Lloyd (74 Tests)
27 – Viv Richards (50)
11 – Richie Richardson (24)
11 – Jason Holder (33)
10 – Brian Lara (47)
This is Holder's 4th win over England in six Tests as captain!— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
Well done to played with patience grღeat skill and maturity we’ll lead by their ✨captain 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88)
Good all-round performances by players from both teams.
Jermaine Blackwood played a crucial knock in a tense situation to see ꧙ through. An important win whi𝕴ch has set up the series perfectly.— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt)
WHAT A WIN!!!
Yes boys 🔥
— Sir Vivian Richards (@ivivianrichards)
West Indies win the Black Lives Matter Test
Top stuff gentlemen 👊🏾
— Carlos Brathwaite (@CRBrathwaite26)
Great characters shown in this win by some key player♌s.. congratulations to coach , capt and team
— Courtney A Walsh (@CuddyWalsh)
Congratulations complete team performance!
Blackwood just brilliant under pr💎essure. Just the kind of start cricket needed after this long break.— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14)
Test Cricket matters, winning overseas matters, doing well in Test crick෴et matters. Great to see Test Match cricket back and great to see West Indies win. A phenomenal effort from the whole WI team. Congratulations
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
Many congratulations on a brilliant win. Great display of skills a▨nd maturity and extremely well led by Jason Holder. Top knock from Blackwood in the fourth innings and West Indies showing how it is done
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Wow! West Indies wins in England. Happy to see five days of great ac🦩tion. Only disappointing thing was Blackwood missing hundred by just 5 runs.
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh)
Validation for the new Windies approach , diꦓscipline n doggedness over flair . Shout out to꧅ both the sides and everyone involved for getting us live cricket again
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
Congratulat🥂ions and Great Test match, and great to have cricket back. 🙌🏾
— Ashwell Prince (@ashyp_5)
