Gerry Wolstenholme's Blog - Posts Tagged "ben-stokes"
One of the Most Exciting Test Matches [N]ever Seen!
England v West Indies First Test, 8-12 July 2020
With the situation in the country preventing spectators attending major sporting events, one wondered how the first England v West Indies Test Match at Southampton's Ageas Bowl would fare.
Well, the answer is that despite the eerie silence around the ground over five days, very well, thank you. It was a memorable game with all 22 players giving everything that they had over the five days.
Ben Stokes, England's stand-in skipper, commented after the match that to have the crowds there in support is magnificent but they, as England players, don't have to have the crowd cheering them on for them to give wholehearted performances.
The first day was virtually a washout, stop, start all day and in the end only 17.4 overs were possible. Dom Sibley was the only casualty, bowled by Shannon Gabriel for nought in the second over, after Rory Burns had survived, on review, a leg before appeal in the first. And at the close it was just 35-1.
Arguably day two was when England put themselves behind the eight ball as they could only total what was considered a below par total of 204. Four batsmen got in and passed 30 but Ben Stokes' 43 was the top score. West Indies captain Jason Holder, the youngest ever West Indian captain when appointed at the age of 23 and currently the world's number one all-rounder, bowled magnificently and took career-best Test figures of 6-42 while Gabriel backed him up admirably with 4-62. West Indies lost the wicket of John Campbell while closing on 57-1.
Day three belonged to the West Indies as they battled hard to gain a first innings' lead and their all out total of 318 ensured that it was one of 114 runs. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite top scored with 65 while wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich made 61 and Roston Chase chipped in with 47. Stokes returned the best bowling figures of 4-49, including the wicket of his opposite number, Holder, in one of the rare occasions when the two captains take each others wicket - Holder had Stokes caught behind when England batted. England had 10 overs to survive to the close and Burns and Sibley did so at 15-0.
Day four was a roller coaster ride as far as England were concerned for from a high point of 249-3 they managed to lose five wickets for 30 runs and limped to 284-8 at the close. Zac Crawley, batting at number four for the first time in his career, top scored with a well-made 76 - he was despertely disappointed to get a leading edge and push a catch back to to Alzarri Joseph -, Sibley batted well for his 50 and Stokes once again got into the 40s, this time 46 before Holder dismissed him. This kept alive the possibility of the two captains dismissing each other in all four innings, something that had never happened before in Test cricket.
Day five was going to be crucial, England wanting to add as many runs as possible to extend their lead and the West Indies wanting to take two quick wickets. In the event West indies did get Mark Wood early but then Jofra Archer struck a belligerent 23 to take England to 313 all out, a lead of 199. The fiery Gabriel was the West Indies' star man as he took 5-75.
Set 200 to win the West Indies began tentatively and they paid the price as they very quickly found themselves at 27-3 and with opener Campbell also back in the pavilion nursing a damaged big toe. England were suddenly in the driving seat thanks to some hostile bowling from Archer in particular.
But Roston Chase and Jermaine Blackwood steadied the ship and either side of lunch they put together a partnership of 73 before Archer returned to dismiss Chase for 37 at 100-4. One hundred runs to win for the West Indies, six wickets to capture for England; the game was in the balance.
Dowrich is a fighter and together with Blackwood he put on 68 for the fifth wicket, his contribution being 20. This brought in Holder and he and Blackwood weathered some fine bowling by the England attack with, surprisingly Jimmy Anderson going wicketless in the second innings of a Test Match for the first time for quite a number of years.
Blackwood, often an impulsive player, knuckled down and was moving towards what would have been a well deserved century, when, for the second time in the match, he drove a catch to Anderson at mid-off. But by then West Indies were only 11 short of their target.
Opener Campbell returned to the fray and it was he who struck the winning run at six o'clock; he remained eight not out and with Holder 14 not out, West Indies had won an enthralling match by four wickets. It was only their second win in England since 1988 and it was the second time recently that they had won back to back Test Matches away from home.
Speaking after the match, Jason Holder commended his team for their splendid effort, especially picking out Blackwood and Gabriel, the latter whose 9-137 won him the man-of-the-match award. Holder, always leading from the front, has certainly moulded his side into a cohesive unit. And, interestingly with his seven wickets adding to Stokes' six, it left the two captains behind only Bob Willis and Imran Khan in a much earlier England v Pakistan Test to have taken more wickets as opposing captains in one game; their 13 between them put them in second place.
Naturally Ben Stokes was disappointed in the defeat but he spoke very well, noticeably avoiding the usual ECB-induced clichéd speak that has been offered in recent times! He defended the team selection - Stuart Broad was controversially left out of the side -, admiring Broad's riposte to the decision, and defending also his decision to bat first in conditions that could have been said to favour the bowling side.
It was a marvellous end to an exhilarating match that was played in front of an empty stadium. Now on to Old Trafford for rounds two and three.
With the situation in the country preventing spectators attending major sporting events, one wondered how the first England v West Indies Test Match at Southampton's Ageas Bowl would fare.
Well, the answer is that despite the eerie silence around the ground over five days, very well, thank you. It was a memorable game with all 22 players giving everything that they had over the five days.
Ben Stokes, England's stand-in skipper, commented after the match that to have the crowds there in support is magnificent but they, as England players, don't have to have the crowd cheering them on for them to give wholehearted performances.
The first day was virtually a washout, stop, start all day and in the end only 17.4 overs were possible. Dom Sibley was the only casualty, bowled by Shannon Gabriel for nought in the second over, after Rory Burns had survived, on review, a leg before appeal in the first. And at the close it was just 35-1.
Arguably day two was when England put themselves behind the eight ball as they could only total what was considered a below par total of 204. Four batsmen got in and passed 30 but Ben Stokes' 43 was the top score. West Indies captain Jason Holder, the youngest ever West Indian captain when appointed at the age of 23 and currently the world's number one all-rounder, bowled magnificently and took career-best Test figures of 6-42 while Gabriel backed him up admirably with 4-62. West Indies lost the wicket of John Campbell while closing on 57-1.
Day three belonged to the West Indies as they battled hard to gain a first innings' lead and their all out total of 318 ensured that it was one of 114 runs. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite top scored with 65 while wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich made 61 and Roston Chase chipped in with 47. Stokes returned the best bowling figures of 4-49, including the wicket of his opposite number, Holder, in one of the rare occasions when the two captains take each others wicket - Holder had Stokes caught behind when England batted. England had 10 overs to survive to the close and Burns and Sibley did so at 15-0.
Day four was a roller coaster ride as far as England were concerned for from a high point of 249-3 they managed to lose five wickets for 30 runs and limped to 284-8 at the close. Zac Crawley, batting at number four for the first time in his career, top scored with a well-made 76 - he was despertely disappointed to get a leading edge and push a catch back to to Alzarri Joseph -, Sibley batted well for his 50 and Stokes once again got into the 40s, this time 46 before Holder dismissed him. This kept alive the possibility of the two captains dismissing each other in all four innings, something that had never happened before in Test cricket.
Day five was going to be crucial, England wanting to add as many runs as possible to extend their lead and the West Indies wanting to take two quick wickets. In the event West indies did get Mark Wood early but then Jofra Archer struck a belligerent 23 to take England to 313 all out, a lead of 199. The fiery Gabriel was the West Indies' star man as he took 5-75.
Set 200 to win the West Indies began tentatively and they paid the price as they very quickly found themselves at 27-3 and with opener Campbell also back in the pavilion nursing a damaged big toe. England were suddenly in the driving seat thanks to some hostile bowling from Archer in particular.
But Roston Chase and Jermaine Blackwood steadied the ship and either side of lunch they put together a partnership of 73 before Archer returned to dismiss Chase for 37 at 100-4. One hundred runs to win for the West Indies, six wickets to capture for England; the game was in the balance.
Dowrich is a fighter and together with Blackwood he put on 68 for the fifth wicket, his contribution being 20. This brought in Holder and he and Blackwood weathered some fine bowling by the England attack with, surprisingly Jimmy Anderson going wicketless in the second innings of a Test Match for the first time for quite a number of years.
Blackwood, often an impulsive player, knuckled down and was moving towards what would have been a well deserved century, when, for the second time in the match, he drove a catch to Anderson at mid-off. But by then West Indies were only 11 short of their target.
Opener Campbell returned to the fray and it was he who struck the winning run at six o'clock; he remained eight not out and with Holder 14 not out, West Indies had won an enthralling match by four wickets. It was only their second win in England since 1988 and it was the second time recently that they had won back to back Test Matches away from home.
Speaking after the match, Jason Holder commended his team for their splendid effort, especially picking out Blackwood and Gabriel, the latter whose 9-137 won him the man-of-the-match award. Holder, always leading from the front, has certainly moulded his side into a cohesive unit. And, interestingly with his seven wickets adding to Stokes' six, it left the two captains behind only Bob Willis and Imran Khan in a much earlier England v Pakistan Test to have taken more wickets as opposing captains in one game; their 13 between them put them in second place.
Naturally Ben Stokes was disappointed in the defeat but he spoke very well, noticeably avoiding the usual ECB-induced clichéd speak that has been offered in recent times! He defended the team selection - Stuart Broad was controversially left out of the side -, admiring Broad's riposte to the decision, and defending also his decision to bat first in conditions that could have been said to favour the bowling side.
It was a marvellous end to an exhilarating match that was played in front of an empty stadium. Now on to Old Trafford for rounds two and three.
