WI v ENG

England Cricket Tour to the West Indies – ODI & T20 Series

“West Indies players not willing to play Test cricket” – Andre Russell

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Andre Russell has finally come out with what the whole cricketing world has been dwelling on the West Indies players are not willing to play Test cricket.

“I don’t think it’s the money, I don’t think money is the issue,” he told Press Association. “Based on the amount of T20 and leagues around the world, I think a lot of players are just not interested in playing Tests.”

The franchise versus country debate has been raging for the past few years and several established cricketers have chosen franchise leagues over Test and ODI cricket.

Most recently, in December 2023, Jason Holder, Nicholas Pooran and Kyle Mayers turned down West Indies central contracts, but made themselves available for T20Is. Holder, though, has since played Tests.

Russell’s remarks came after West Indies, placed at the bottom in the nine-team World Test Championship table, were swept 3-0 in England. They have since drawn the first Test in Port of Spain against South Africa, following rain interruptions.

The second Test begins in Providence on Thursday.

Russell, Shimron Hetmyer, Pooran, Rovman Powell and Kieron Pollard were among the West Indians playing in The Hundred when the last Test against England was being played in late July.

Pollard, Powell and Pooran have never played Test cricket. Russell played one, in 2010. Hetmyer has played 16, the last of them in 2019.

“I’m always excited watching the other West Indian batters, especially when they’re hitting boundary after boundary,” Russell said. “As long as you can do well from contracts outside your nation I think they are going to grab that opportunity but everyone wants to play on the big stage.

“So, if the big stage comes in Test cricket, I know youngsters will be happy to play. I just don’t think it’s about money or anything like that.”

Russell has made it clear that his fitness will not allow him to play Tests.

“England attacking approach Was tough at times” – Jayden Seales says after he named West indies player of the series against England

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West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales emerged as a standout performer, earning the player of the series award, in the just ended three match test series against England, despite the Claribbean side suffering an embarrassing 10 wicket loss yesterday in the third and deciding test at Egbaston.

The result completed a three nill series whitewash by England, who wrapped up the contest in three days.

Meanwhile, Seales, who recently returned to international cricket after a long injury layoff, took 13 wickets in the three-match test series at an average of 27.23.

While happy for the accolade seales accepts that there is still work to be done.

“Proud of being able to represent West Indies, coming back and doing well for the team is rewarding, just looking to improve going forward. [Sussex] Was great to come across and understand the conditions, how they can help me. [England attacking approach] Was tough at times, they take opportunities to score if you give them a chance. Had to be on it all the time. [WI attack coming together] I think once we grow and learn, we can be a force to be reckoned with. Body is not too bad, trying to get some recovery in and looking forward to the [South Africa] series at home.” says West Indies Player of the Series Jayden Seales

The Caribbean men will now turn their focus to a two match test series against South Africa starting on August 7 in Trinidad, while England’s next assignment in test cricket is a three-match series against Sri Lanka starting on August 21 at Old Trafford.

“Those were significant positives” – West Indies coach Andre Coley sees positives despite defeat to England in test series

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West Indies suffered a whitewash in their test series against England, which ended in a heavy defeat in the third match at Edgbaston on Sunday, but coach Andre Coley said there were significant positives to take from the tour.

The West Indies squad have only a few days off before they reassemble in Trinidad to prepare for the start of a two-test series against South Africa next week.

“With a young emerging side, there would have been a lot said about this being a walkover,” Coley said of the series against England.

“Obviously, we should have competed better, but we did show a lot of fight during the series.

“From a batting standpoint, I was very pleased with our scoring rate, tempo, especially in the second test,” the coach said

As for the bowlers, Coley said English conditions had caught a young attack a lot about adjusting their lengths and handling crowd pressure.

“Those were significant positives that we can take from this series, as we approach to South Africa series,” he added.

The first test against South Africa starts in Port of Spain on Aug. 7, with a second test in Guyana from Aug. 15-19.

Coley said the focus going forward was “the process”.

“You’re not going to get great performances every day,” he added.

“But one thing you can actually have some control over is going through your processes every single day and giving yourself the best chance of performance.”

West Indies have won two of the last 11 tests and are home for the first time in more than year since losing a two-test series to India.

“We could have been better with the ball” – Kraigg Brathwaite calls for more discipline from Windies players

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West Indies captain Kraigg Braithwaite said his players could have been more disciplined during their second Test defeat against England at Trent Bridge.

The visitors went under by 241 runs after falling for 143, chasing a target of 385 for victory.

Brathwaite made 47 and Jason Holder 37, as the West Indies fell to Shoaib Bashir’s 5 for 41.

“I am reasonably happy with the performance. We could have been better with the ball, with the bat. We were good in the first innings, but we didn’t follow it in the second,” he said after the game.

“You see the effort from the guys. The fitness is there. We got to be more disciplined. England showed us how to bowl on this pitch, not to get hit square of the wicket. But the guys will learn,” he added.

Brathwaite focused on the game’s positives but lamented the dropped catches, which England took advantage of in the first innings.

“Kavem a hundred and then a duck. That’s Test cricket. We dropped some crucial catches, and that happens. Could be better at line and length, but catches win matches,” he said.

“I wouldn’t have expected that collapse but it’s gone. It’s history. Test cricket is never an easy game. Got to stay tough and keep fighting,” Brathwaite added.

England have taken the three-match series 2-0 with the third Test at Birmingham commencing on 26 June.

“Huge opportunity for West Indies to win” – Stuart Broad after visitors’ fightback in 2nd Test against England

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Following a remarkable fightback with the bat from West Indies during the second Test against England at Nottingham, Former England pacer Stuart Broad said that the visitors have the opportunity to win the Test match and level the series by getting three-four big wickets early.

Kavem Hodge’s historic century and 175-run parternship for fourth wicket Alick Athanaze after some early hiccups and a commendable final wicket stand between a girty Joshua Da Silva and hard-hitting Shamar Joseph helped West Indies overcome the massive total put up by England in the first inning and take a sizeable lead.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the innings break, Broad said that the fightback has presented WI with a huge opportunity to win the game and get back in the series by levelling it 1-1.

“This is a huge opportunity for the West Indies to get back in this series and win this Test match,” said Broad.

“If I were in the West Indies bowling unit now, I would be thinking I could go and win this game in the next hour. Get three or four big wickets and then England are really under the pump,” he added.

Broad said that it was incredibly frustrating for England to have given WI a chance at winning the game.

“Incredibly frustrating, especially in the morning. We saw it seam around and move around. England could have potentially gone with the short-ball theory with the field in, but then Shamar Joseph hits the roof and top-edges one for four,” said the former pacer.

“It was frustrating for England but they will be thrilled Wood managed to end it before the lunch break and can get the batting because it looks a good wicket,” he concluded.

In the second Test, the West Indies won the toss and opted to bowl first.

England delivered a fine batting performance, powered by Ollie Pope’s sixth Test ton (121 in 167 balls, with 15 fours and a six) and fine half-centuries from Ben Duckett (71 in 59 balls, with 14 fours) and skipper Ben Stokes (69 in 104 balls, with eight fours). England made 416/10 in 88.3 overs.

Alzarri Joseph (3/98) was the pick of the bowlers for WI. Jayden Seales, Kavem Hodge, Kevin Sinclair took two wickets, while Shamar Joseph got one wicket.

In their first innings, WI was struggling at 84/3, staring at yet another potential big loss. However, Alick Athanaze (82 in 99 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and Kavem Hodge (120 in 171 balls, with 19 fours) pulled out a brilliant counter-attacking partnership of 175 runs.

Later on, wicketkeeper-batter Joshua da Silva (82* in 122 balls, with 10 fours and three sixes) pulled off an impressive 71-run partnership for the tenth wicket along with Shamar Joseph (33 in 27 balls, with five fours and two sixes), which helped WI breach England’s first innings score and take a 41-run lead. WI was bundled out for 457 runs in 111.5 overs.

Chris Woakes (4/84) was the top wicket-taker for England. Young pacer Gus Atkinson and spinner Shoaib Bashir also took two wickets each while skipper Ben Stokes and Mark Wood got one.

England will now be aiming to overcome this slender trailing in their second innings and set a massive target for the visitors to seal the series 2-0.

‘It was like a dream’ – Kavem Hodge delighted with maiden Test hundred vs ENG

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A hard-fought debut Test hundred by Kavem Hodge helped West Indies make a strong comeback in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Friday, July 19.

Hodge put on a well-compiled 175-run stand for the fourth wicket alongside Alick Athanaze and bailed the tourists out of crisis after they were reduced to 84 for the loss of three wickets.

Hodge had to grind hard for his hundred as the English bowlers made life extremely difficult in the middle.

Mark Wood, in particular, bowled a hostile spell to the right-handed batter and fired cannonballs at him. However, Hodge managed to negotiate Wood’s spell and reached his maiden three-figure mark in Test cricket to ensure West Indies stayed in the contest.

Hodge admitted that facing Wood was pretty tough but made his century “a lot more satisfying”.

“It was brutal. It’s not every day you rock up and you face someone who’s bowling more than 90mph every single ball. There was one point, I made a joke to him, I said: ‘Hey, I have a wife and kids at home.’ But I think that made the century a lot more satisfying. Test cricket is brutal, it’s challenging, it’s mentally draining. To experience that, facing guys like Mark Wood, it was tough but it was satisfying,” said Hodge after the end of day two.

“It’s a dream come true, you play the game as a youngster, that’s something that you want to do, especially at the highest level – in England against England. I’m really happy and satisfied about it, especially also the position of the team, it’s always good to help the team’s cause,” he added.

While Hodge was brilliant, he received ample support from Athanaze who accumulated his runs at a much more brisk pace.

Athanaze scored 82 off 99 balls and struck ten fours and a maximum during his knock. He was denied his maiden Test ton by Ben Stokes as the England skipper got him caught by Harry Brook at gully.

Athanaze’s fluent knock allowed Hodge to take his time in the middle and build the foundation of his hundred. Hodge credited Athanaze for his valuable contribution and revealed how they complement each other in the middle.

“We always bat good together, play for the same franchise back home, we’ve had a lot of big partnerships. He’s more aggressive than I am, I’m more of an accumulator, so I tend to go under the radar and go about my business quietly. Always good to spend time with him at the wicket,” mentioned Hodge.

Kevin Sinclair reveals background of unique wicket celebration – Read Full Story Here!

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West Indies spinner Kevin Sinclair has explained the background of his trademark wicket celebration as the Caribbean side fought back strongly late on the opening day of the second Test against England on Thursday.

Sinclair was among the West Indies’ best bowlers on the first day of the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest in Nottingham, with the inexperienced off-spinner claiming two wickets – including the big scalp of England young gun Harry Brook – as the hosts amassed 416 after being sent into bat first.

It was Sinclair’s dismissal of Brook that caught the eye most, with the Guyanese spinner dashing off to perform his now trademark celebration that consists of backflips and somersaults as the West Indies fought back hard to reduce England to 201/4 during the middle session.

It wasn’t the first time Sinclair has produced the eye-catching celebration on the field, with the 24-year-old having performed the acrobatic feat during last year’s ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe and then again on Test debut against Australia at The Gabba earlier this year.

Sinclair was quizzed on the background of the unique celebration after the opening day’s play and the right-armer revealed the act had been perfected from years of practice at home.

“That’s my trademark celebration, from where I come from,” Sinclair said.

“Whenever I get a wicket, I just do it for everyone from there.

“It all started at the tender age of eight, practicing it over and over in the back garden. I know what I’m doing, I’ve perfected it over the years.”

Sinclair wasn’t even meant to be in the West Indies’ XI for the second Test, with the spinner only earning a reprieve on the morning of the opening day when first-choice tweaker Gudakesh Motie was ruled out of the clash due to illness.

Sinclair’s enthusiasm on the field helped inspire his fellow bowlers, with Alzarri Joseph (3/98), Jayden Seales (2/90) and Kavem Hodge (2/44) all picking up multiple wickets as England threw away a fast start to be dismissed late in the day.

Right-hander Ollie Pope was the mainstay of England’s innings, with the top-order batter riding the luck provided by a bevy of dropped catches by the West Indies to notch his sixth Test century for his country.

Pope acknowledged the luck he received while batting, but said it was a welcome change from a recent stint at domestic level in England when everything seemed to go against him.

“I’m happy with the way I went about my stuff and obviously there was a nice couple of drops, which always helps,” Pope said.

“No one means to drop them but cricket goes in swings and roundabouts. The luck wasn’t with me in my County stint. I wouldn’t say I had doubts but sometimes you think, ‘Why’s everyone else in the country scoring runs in County cricket but England’s No.3 isn’t going out and averaging 50 this summer?’

“That’s just cricket for you, you want to go and score a hundred every day but sometimes it doesn’t work that way.”

‘Haven’t set the world on fire as yet but that is something I’m looking to do’ – Alick Athanaze

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There is something about Alick Athanaze. Something that led the great Brian Lara to describe Athanaze, his successor at No. 4 in West Indies’ Test line-up, as the “most talented” batter in the current team.

Something that caught the eye of Ian Bishop, prompting him to say Athanaze “could be a leading light in years to come” after he made 47 on debut against India last year.

Something that was spotted by Graham Gooch, at the time England’s batting coach, when a 14-year-old Athanaze made his first trip to England, playing for Barking and the Essex academy.

For Athanaze, the top-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup 2018, his future as the anointed linchpin of West Indian batting has been both a long time coming and something that has happened all in a rush.

His international debut came in an ODI in the UAE in June 2023, since when he has been capped in all three formats. And if the praise for his stylish approach has flowed, it hasn’t yet been backed by the weight of runs.

After five Test appearances, Athanaze is still to make a half-century; that 47 on his home ground in Dominica remains his highest score.

Yet he stood out once again, albeit in reduced circumstances, as West Indies fell to an innings defeat at Lord’s to begin their tour of England – whether through the timing of back-to-back drives off Gus Atkinson, or during a compelling mini-duel with James Anderson in the second innings, at the end of which Athanaze became the England man’s 703rd Test wicket.

No one scored more in the match for West Indies than Athanaze’s 45 – though that in itself highlighted a problem for the tourists, with several batters showing fight but none going on to produce a substantial score.

“It felt good getting in and getting through the tough period, but obviously as a player you feel disappointed that you actually got in and then didn’t carry on,” Athanaze tells ESPNcricinfo.

“It was quite challenging [facing Anderson]. He obviously knows the ground, knows the conditions well. It was quite challenging coming from the Caribbean and facing that sort of spell when the ball is doing a lot, and the lights were on as well. A lot was in his favour but it was good. I may not have loved getting out but he is a quality bowler and I was definitely not his first.”

Like many of his team-mates in an inexperienced batting line-up, Athanaze is learning on the job – but he carries an extra burden on his slender shoulders.

Not that he seems too weighed down by it all, as he smiles and answers questions while pulling apart an orange seated in the shade of the Bridgeford Road Stand at Trent Bridge, venue for the second Test.

“It fills you with confidence, obviously, but there is some sort of pressure when you have these legends looking up to you and knowing you could do well, and obviously I didn’t get the start that I wanted to get,” he says.

“It felt like a lot of pressure. But I look at life differently. In cricket, a lot of the time batters fail more than they succeed. I haven’t got the start that I wanted to on this stage, but I’m being honest in myself, I’m working hard, trying my best to get better, and trying to look at the one-percenters. I try my best to block off the outside noise and focus on my game. I’m happy that they look at me that way but it’s really about me trying to get better and performing.

“That is the challenge for me, mentally, trying my best to stay within my game and not looking at the expectations of people outside.”

“That is always the goal, I really want that Test hundred. Sometimes I think I try too hard, but that comes with learning on the job. But I would really love a Test hundred.” – Alick Athanaze

As Lara said before the start of the tour, West Indies need Athanaze to “jump a couple of steps very quickly” and start churning out big runs before he has got used to life at the highest level (and this is while trying to juggle three formats, having only made his T20 debut in last year’s CPL).

“I haven’t done as well as I’ve wanted to, definitely in the Test arena,” Athanaze admits. But with two more Tests to come in England, there is one thing firmly in his sights.

“That is always the goal, I really want that Test hundred. Sometimes I think I try too hard, but that comes with learning on the job. But I would really love a Test hundred. Getting through tough periods and batting, sometimes it’s not really about the runs – it’s about me getting through tough periods mentally. That is what I’m looking for on this tour.”

And what has he learned about his red-ball game almost exactly a year on from Test debut? “That the name is definitely worth it: Test cricket. It has been a test. Some people say, play your game but normally you have to be a lot more disciplined than the one-day game. What I’ve learned about Tests is you have a lot more time than you think, [but] also bowlers have a lot more time to work you out. So probably be a bit more disciplined, and try to learn as quickly as you can. And obviously enjoy the game.”

Athanaze’s link to England comes via his coach back home, Sam Kirnon, who played county cricket for Glamorgan and then in the club game with Chingford, where Dan Lawrence, currently the spare batter in England’s squad, grew up (Athanaze has never been to Chingford but does know Lawrence).

He credits Kirnon with opening his eyes to the technical and tactical side of the game, and has demonstrated his leadership potential with Windward Islands, where he was made captain at 24.

“I enjoy captaincy, responsibility brings out the best in me,” he says. “I consider myself a good leader, because whenever I play I tend to look at how I can get the best out of players. I would consider myself a bubbly player, where I’m good with everybody, I chat with everybody. Normally I like to chat cricket with everybody. Captaincy has definitely lifted my game and allowed me to try to explore my game and get better.”

Back when he was a 19-year-old, Athanaze spoke about wanting to help West Indies “get our standards back” in Test cricket. And while the environmental sciences degree that he also planned to do is for now on hold – “I started but then I broke into international cricket. It’s still there, I could always go back to doing it online” – his passion for resurrecting West Indies’ Test fortunes remains a driving force. Brian, Bish and the rest would doubtless approve.

“I honestly think that Test cricket is the real deal. Nothing gets better than Test cricket. You play a T20 game and it’s over in a couple of hours, when you play Test cricket people will come and actually see how good of a player you are. I haven’t set the world on fire as yet but that is something I’m looking to do and we, as a group, that is our main goal. This team right here, you can see the hunger where we want to take the cricket back up.”

No Change In Plans For Brathwaite And Co; WI Confirm Playing XI For 2nd Test Vs England

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West Indies is all set to take on England in their next encounter of the ongoing series. England vs West Indies 2nd Test is scheduled to commence on Thursday, July 18. Trent Bridge will host the next clash.

West Indies gave a horrible performance in the last game; losing the match by an innings and 114 runs. Now, the Kraigg Brathwaite needs to motivate his boys to come up with an exciting show in the next clash.

Kraigg Brathwaite will be leading the side once again as they look for a way back into the series. Shamar Joseph, who had pulled out mid-way during the first Test, seems to have shaken off an injury concerns and will be in the playing XI for the match in Trent Bridge.

West Indies Playing 11 vs England – 2nd Test West Indies tour of England 2024

Kraigg Brathwaite (C)

Kraigg Brathwaite is the captain of West Indies in the Test series and will lead the side in the match. He got out cheaply for 6 in the last match but will aim for a fantastic show in the next game.

Mikyle Louis

Although Mikyle Louis could only add 27 runs in the last match and failed to come up with a big knock, he ended up as the leading run-getter in the innings for his team.

Kirk McKenzie

Kirk McKenzie showed good form in the previous Australia series but got out cheaply for 1 run in the ENG vs WI 1st Test. The left-handed batter will aim for a better show in the next game.

Alick Athanaze

Alick Athanaze is another young batter who has impressed after his debut for England in the longest format. He slammed 23 runs in the last match and will aim for a better knock.

Kavem Hodge

Kavem Hodge added a decent knock of 24 runs in the last match but was helpless against the lethal pace attack by England’s side. The left-handed batsman will look to add more runs in the 2nd Test.

Joshua Da Silva (WK)

Joshua Da Silva will be the wicketkeeper for West Indies in the next game. The right-handed batter is the best man to keep the stumps and visitors don’t have many options.

Jason Holder

Jason Holder got out for a duck in the 1st Test but made a comeback with his 2 wickets while bowling. Holder is a former skipper and the most experienced member and needs to drive the team with his guidance. With his ability to both ball and bat, he is an outstanding all-rounder for the team.

Gudakesh Motie

Gudakesh Motie got 2 wickets in the last match and did a good job while bowling. The left-arm off-spinner is the most crucial member of the side.

Alzarri Joseph

Alzarri Joseph got 1 wicket in the last match but emerged too costly by giving away 100+ runs in the clash. He is an experienced pacer and would look to make a comeback in the next game.

Shamar Joseph

Shamar Joseph failed to get any wickets in the last match but since West Indies played their best 11 in the last match, Joseph will get another chance.

Jayden Seales

Jayden Seales bowled a wonderful spell in the previous game and grabbed a 4-wicket haul in the 2nd innings to stun the hosts. He will be back to the side after his wonderful show.

‘It’s not my job to find a solution’ – Jason Holder’s blunt statement on players choosing franchise leagues over Test cricket

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Veteran all-rounder Jason Holder who watched West Indies’ historic Gabba victory on television returned to Test fold for the tour of England. Holder who had turned down the central contract and skipped West Indies’ tour of England to play in International League T20, admits that he missed Test cricket.

However, he does not have a solution for players choosing to participate in franchise leagues over Test cricket.

“It’s not my job to find a solution”, Holder said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo. “It is what it is. This is where the game is moving, each and every person has their own personal decision to make. I was just so happy for the boys when they when they did what it did in Australia.”

Holder revealed that West Indies’ emphatic win on Australian soil after 1988 gave him ‘renewed energy’ and the motivation to play Test cricket again.

“It gave me a renewed energy to come back to the group, and try to be a part of something special again. I missed Test cricket. This is my first Test match in a long time, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m just happy that I’ve been able to still get the body up and going and being up for the challenge here,” the 32-year-old said.

Special talent in dressing room

West Indies are alive in the World Test Championship 2023-25 and said that the infusion of young blood has given them the belief that can beat Ben Stokes’ England.

“The guys took a lot from that Test victory in Australia. We’ve been doing some really positive things over the last couple of months. And I think as a young side, the main thing is just to keep learning. What we have in the dressing room is some special talent, no doubt about it. It’s just a matter for us just to play some solid cricket and they’ll have just to believe. It’s time for someone to break the shackles, and there’s no better time for us to come here and beat England,” the former West Indies captain said after the training session in London.