West Indian batter struck on helmet, concussion substitute comes on
WI vs ENG | 1st Test | Day 3: Nkrumah Bonner, lower order hand advantage to hosts
SL vs WI | 1st Test: Embulduniya takes Lanka to victory after great resistance by Bonner and Da Silva
SL vs WI | 1st Test: Fifties from Da Silva, Bonner, overcast conditions keep Windies in the game
When West Indies finished the fourth day on a score of 52-6 with Sri Lanka needing only four wickets on the last day at Galle to win the first Test of the two-match series between the two teams, nobody would have given the Caribbeans any chance to survive even the first hour. However, surprising all the cricket pundits, not only did Nkrumah Bonner and Joshua Da Silva, the unbeaten pair from the fourth day survive the first hour, but even went on to add 66 more runs to their 34 run partnership from the previous day and thus add 100 runs for the sixth wicket. Da Silva did get out just before lunch, but not before completing a fighting fifty. Most importantly, he played 129 balls to score his 54 runs. However, Sri Lanka’s thought that they might now induce false shots from the upcoming tail were dashed as Rahkeem Cornwall joined with Bonner and the pairing have so far added 20 runs and most importantly have kept Sri Lankan spinners wicketless for 11 overs. Bonner also completed his fifty, his third in Test cricket courtesy of this partnership. At the time of writing this piece, Bonner was batting on 55 off 190 balls, while Cornwall remained unbeaten on 7 off 35 balls. Apart from some dogged batting approach from the West Indian batters, Sri Lanka would also have to keep an eye on the skies as they are filled with grey clouds threatening to burst at any time and ruin the home side’s chances of a victory. As of now, 47 overs are still to be bowled and West Indies are 140-7.
SL vs WI | 1st Test | Day- 4: Ramesh Mendis spins a web around Windies batters, gets Lanka on brink of victory
The Sri Lankan spinners look threateningly beautiful on the Glle wicket which was proving to be a graveyard for the West Indies top order. The ball which got the wicket of Jason, Holder which was also the last wicket to fall on day four of the first Test between the two sides, was a perfect example of a straighter one from an off-spinner. It straightened ever so slightly and clipped the off stump that Holder stood holding the pose in disbelief. It was indeed a beauty of a ball. However, to Holder’s wicket, five other Windies batter had fallen to spin, a series of dismissals that started on the team score of only three runs in the fourth innings, chasing a target of 348. The first to go was the Caribbean skipper Kraigg Brathwaite who was trapped in front by Mendis. Jermaine Blackwood, the next most experienced pure batter in the team fell next as he was caught by Angelo Mathews off Lasith Embulduniya. The second wicket fell on the fourth ball of the seventh over at the team score of 11, but what transpired in the next five overs threatened to get West Indies bowled out for probably the lowest total in Test history as they lost the next four wickets with just an addition of seven runs. Mendis was the wrecker in chief, claiming three out of the four wi kets. From 11-1, the Windies were 18-6 in a span of 30 balls. However, after this storm, there was finally some resistance as Joshua da Silva and Nkrumah Bonner put up unbeaten 34 runs for the seventh wicket and saw the Windies through the fourth day. The day was called early due to bad light and Sri Lankan bowlers will get another go on day five of the Test. With only four wickets left, it would be interesting to see how West Indies fare in their resistance. Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka bowlers rolled over the West Indian first innings with meagre addition of thor overnight total of 224-9. Batting in their second innings, skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and experienced Mathews guided the team to 190 in just 40 overs and gave their bowlers a real shot at getting 10 wickets in the remaining overs. Karunaratne scored 83 off 104 balls while Mathews made an unbeaten 69 off 84 balls.
WI vs PAK | Day 3 - Fawad Alam’s calm, Shaheen Afridi’s aggression puts Pakistan in commanding position
The day might have taken a lot of time to get going with wet outfield playing party pooper at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Day three of the second Test between West Indies and Pakistan. But once it did get going, Pakistan over all over it. Thanks to an unbeaten 124 from Fawad Alam, who came to bat once again after being retired hurt for on Day one and Shaheen Afridi’s ferocious spell in West Indies’ first innings, Babar Azam’s men ended the third day in a commanding position, leading by 263 runs with West Indies reeling at 39-3 in reply Pakistan’s 302-9 declared. Starting their innings, the Windies were cautious, but against a deadly speel of Shaheen where he was able to bring the ball back and take it away from the batter from the same length, it didn’t really take much time before the openers folded. Both Kraigg Brathwaite and Kieran Powell were dismissed by Shaheen. Roston Chase played few beautiful dhows before he was cleaned up by an inswinger from Faheem Ashraf when the team score had reached 34 for the West Indies Nkruma Bonner and Alzarri Joseph, who walked in as nightwatchman made sure that no more wickets and fell and the Men in Maroon would come back on Day four at 38-3. Earlier in the day, Pakistan didn’t have a good start either as it lost three crucial wickets in a span of span 13 runs from the day’s start. But then Fawad, who reached his fifth Test hundred, fourth in a span of just 10 months and eight Tests, got together, first with Hasan Ali and then with Shaheen Afridi to guide Pakistan past 300. Both Kemar roach and Jayden Seales picked three wickets each while Jason holder got the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Nauman Ali and Hasan Ali got run out.
WI vs PAK | 2nd Test Preview: Windies bank on pacers to deliver series win over battered tourists
When teams are touring countries across the world, the theme and objective of the tours have been the preparation for the upcoming ICC World T20. But, India are touring England for a full-fledge Test series, Pakistan are there in the West Indies for a full series comprising of two Tests as well. There could have been a narrative that the flow and wider reach of the high-profile series between England and India will overshadow the West Indies vs Pakistan series. However, all those concerns and narratives were put down to rest when the Kraigg Brathwaite’s men snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Babar Azam’s men who were equally competent to deserve a Test victory at the iconic Sabina Park in Jamaica. The win by the barest of a margin through the bat of Kemar Roach sparked fans of the game to discuss the flow of that game albeit there was a high-octane clash between India and England were underway at Lord’s. The first Test was dominated by pacers across the sides and the game went in the favour of the side that batted least bad across both innings of the game. Both the skippers were some of the few bright spots with the bat but they did not find ample support from their teammates to bat their sides into a comfortable position. It’s unlikely that the second Test of the series will be any different with the quality of pace attack on both sides and the inconsistency of the batting lineup. The tourists will be hopeful of their star duo Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan to stand up with the bat while the hosts will love to see the likes of Nkrumah Bonner and kyle Mayers regain the touch that made them heroes right at the start of their career. West Indies vs Pakistan: Match Details Match Number- 02 Date and Time: August 20-24, 2021, 08:30 pm IST, 11:00 pm Local, 03:00pm GMT Venue: Sabina Park, Jamaica Live Stream: FanCode Pitch Report The pitch at Sabina Park is expected to give a lot of assistance to pacers and the sides will be looking forward to strong performances from their batsmen. There will be the pace and carry for the pacers and if the bowlers will pitch in the right areas around the off stump line, there will be more and more trouble for batsmen on either side of the fence. Team News West Indies The hosts will be tempted to give Shai Hope a chance at the top of the order after Kieran Powell failed in both in the innings of the last Test. However, there is no certainty that Brathwaite will overlook the difficult batting conditions and the struggles of the other batsmen as well while making that decision. Jomel Warrican produced a subdued performance in the first game and the hosts could be tempted to bring the raw seam bowling option of Alzarri Joseph in his place. Rest nine players select themselves for the Test which the hosts will be desperate to win to clinch the series which will be a happy end of the season for them after suffering massive defeats at the hands of South Africa. Probable XI Kraigg Brathwaite (C), Shai Hope, Nkrumah Bonner, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Kyle Mayers, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva (WK), Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales Pakistan The visitors were in the game right till the last ball of the game which Kemar Roach hit through the infield to win the game, and in all fairness, they played their best possible playing XI. The result did not go their way but they are unlikely to make any change in their playing XI except for some untoward problems right close to the start of the game. Probable XI Abid Ali, Imran Butt, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam (C), Fawad Alam, Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Shaheen Afridi Fantasy XI M Rizwan (WK), F Alam, K Brathwaite, J Blackwood, R Chase, K Roach, Hasan Ali, M Abbas, J Seales Captain: Babar Azam Vice-captain: Jason Holder
WI vs SA | 1st Test: Nkrumah Bonner concussed, Kieran Powell replaces him as like for like substitute
West Indian batter Nkrumah Bonner has been concussed out of the first test against West Indies. He suffered a blow to the helmet in the fifth over when Anrich Nortje bowled a bouncer and after hitting Bonner’s head the ball was caught by the short leg fielder and a huge appeal followed which was turned down by the umpire. After a concussion check, Bonner continued to play, eventually getting out for 10 off a Kagiso Rabada delivery 31 balls later. It was after the West Indian innings ended on a paltry 97 that Bonner did not take the field and Kieran Powell was announced his like for like concussion substitute for the rest of the game, as permitted by the ICC rules. Powell, 31, has so far played in 40 Tests for the Windies and in them, he has scored 2011 runs with the help of three centuries and six half-centuries. The South Africa team in reply to West Indies 97 were 128-4 at the end of the day, leading by 22 runs. Aiden Markram top-scored with 60 before he became the third scalp of debutant Jayden Seales. The other wicket was taken by Kemar Roach. For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi took his second five-wicket haul in Test cricket as he alongside Nortje wreaked havoc at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadum.
Kyle Mayers, Bonner, Joshua Da Silva earn West Indies central contracts: Roston Chase dropped
Emerging talents such as Kyle Mayers, Nkrumah Bonner, Joshua Da Silva, Akeal Hosein have earned reckoning in the Cricket West Indies men’s central contracts for the 2021-2022 season. Along with recognising the potentials of the young players, Cricket West Indies have also awarded central contracts to experienced players such as Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard for the white-ball formats. Only Jason Holder has got the all-format contract from CWI while the newly appointed Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite along with Jermaine Blackwood, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shannon Gabriel, and Kemar Roach have got the central contracts for the red-ball format. For the white-ball formats, CWI has put their money on Kieron Pollard, Fabien Allen, Darren Bravo, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Nicholas Pooran and Hayden Walsh Jr. Despite many winners of the central contract of the CWI, there have been some who have been shown the exit door as well. Former vice-captain Roston Chase has lost his all-format contract while players such as Sunil Ambris, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Keemo Paul, Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Oshane Thomas have been shown the door from the contracts for the white-ball formats. “Contracts offered for the 2021-22 period sees 18 players being retained, a decrease of 4 from last year. Jason Holder is the only player to retain his all-format contract due to his strong Test and T20I performances during the evaluation period. There are several new players offered red-ball contracts earned by their strong performances during the last period. A number of players were not retained because they did not meet the minimum requirements,” said West Indies Men’s Team Lead Selector, Roger Harper in CWI statement.
WI vs SL | 1st Test Report: Nkrumah Bonner brings up maiden Test ton to salvage draw for Windies
A marathon maiden Test ton from Nkrumah Bonner helped West Indies salvaged a draw in the first Test of the series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Coming into the fifth and final day of the Test, Windies had an uphill task of resisting an impressive Sri Lankan bowling lineup for a whole day. But, Bonner stood tall right when the team required him to bat big and batsmen around him such as Kayle Mayers and Jason Holder batted with mixed aggression with grit to deny Sri Lanka any chance of running through the batting order to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Windies had already lost the opener, John Campbell, on the fourth day and the skipper Kraigg Brathwaite has had a task on his hands to get his team off to a solid start. He showed patience against pacers and did not play loosely outside his off stump that had resulted in his dismissal in the first innings. However, after spending more than three hours on the crease, his patience withered away against the left-arm spinner Lasith Embuldeniya. He danced down the track to hit him over the top and in the process lost his stumps to make the tourists ecstatic. With both the openers gone by 40 overs, the responsibility of bailing the team out of trouble fell once again on the shoulders of the newest emerging batting talents in the Caribbean—Nkrumah Bonner and Kayle Mayers, who had led Windies to a remarkable series win in Bangladesh. They started defensively against Embuldeniya and the off-spin of Dhananjaya de Silva. Their task was made tough when Dimuth Karunaratne brougt Dushmantha Chameera into the attack and runs started to dry up. The target was not a key factor fo the pair, but Sri Lankan bowlers understood that prolonged pressure would bring a loose shot. However, in the battle of who will blink first, Chameera lost and provided a loose delivery outside Bonner’s off stump. The right-hander was all in readiness and thumped the delivery towards the off-side boundary to show confidence. Chameera bounced back in the next over and caught Mayers in front of the stumps. The umpire did not agree to the loud appeal from Sri Lankans and the skipper opted for a review. The ball was pitched marginally outside the leg stump and Mayers survived the close call. He out all that to rest with a crisp drive off Suranga Lakmal in the next over when the pacer erred by blowing too full to him. Sri Lanka kept coming at them every now and then though as Embuldeniya found Bonner paying from the crease to a delivery that turned slightly away. This time, the umpire agreed to the appeal and gave the batsman out caught behind, but only to reverse his decision after a review. Both Bonner and Mayers flourished with confidence and took Windies to the tea interval on the final day. The Windies batsmen had already batted two and a half session out of a total of three and a half sessions they were supposed to bat to save the game. However, they were jolted right after the tea break as Embuldeniya finally broke through with a delivery wide off Mayer’s off stump and tempting the batsman to go for a booming drive. The edge was found and snaffled up by Lahiru Thirimanne at the slip. The tourists had an opening with the next man in—Jermaine Blackwood not really known for his defensive batting. He bats with freedom and having taken the second new ball with and many runs left in the bank, Lanka sensed an opportunity against him. Skipper Karunaratne brought Vishwa Fernando to cramp him for room outside off stump and the move paid dividends. The new ball swung for Fernando and yorked Blackwood with an inswinging yorker to ring an alarm for the hosts. Bonner grew in confidence and was batting fluently in the middle. He jumped quickly past the 80s to get on the brink of his maiden century before Blackwood departed. The wicket did not deter him and when Fernando provided him with a half volley at 99, he smashed it to the boundary to bring up a much-deserving century. Jason Holder batted superbly to deny Sri Lanka any chance of getting into the lower order batsmen beneath him and the hosts managed to get out of the game with the series still hanging in balance at 0-0. The second and the last game of the series will be played at the same venue from March 29.
WI vs SL | 1st Test Day 2: Rakheem Cornwall overpowers Lakmal's fifer to put Windies at top
A dominating lower order partnership between Rakheem Cornwall and wicket-keeper batsman Joshua Da Silva put West Indies in an advantageous position on the second day of the first Test being played at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. By the end of the second day’s play, Windies have secured a vital lead of 99 runs with two wickets including the danger man Rakheem Cornwall still in their hands. Da Silva was dismissed off a short ball of Chameera but not before the duo added 90 important runs when the situation seemed that the hosts will squander ll the advantage by bowling Sri Lanka for a middling score. Cornwall struck two sixes and 9 fours in his unbeaten 60 runs from 79 balls and his counter attack literally took the heart out of the Sri Lanka bowling attack. He was severe against both spinners and pacers and used all the power he had in his wrists to put Windies on the driving seat in the game. Starting the second day after knocking the tourists out for a less than 200 score, Windies batsmen had to bat well to put the team in a driving position. The start was horrible though as the new skipper Kraig Brathwaite was cooler in his batting style than it was visible in his career before, and there was an unusual waft outside off as well. He gifted his wicket away fairly early in the day to Suranga Lakmal. The middle-order pair of Nkrumah Bonner and Kyle Mayers were rewarded with slots at the number three and four positions for their excellent performances in Bangladesh. Bonner was lacing in discipline though and presented the Sri Lankan bowlers with an early opportunity with poor shots outside the off stump. At the other end, Campbell was highly watchful and batting with surety around off stump. He looked set with his eyes on a big prize and eager to not throw his wickets away for which he has always taken flakes from critics. Bonner settled down after early hiccups to take the full toll of scoring opportunities presented by Chameera. However, his fluency at the crease did not last long and the greed to take on a back fo alength delivery from Lasith Embuldeniya saw him plumb in front while attempting to pull. After Bonner’s fall, the hero of the triumph in Bangladesh—Kayle Mayers came to the crease and he started his innings where he left off in the subcontinent. He was dismissive against spinners hit them down the ground while attempts to bounce him out by Chameera was smashed over square leg boundary. The partnership between him and Campbell could not last long enough for West Indies to have total control of the proceedings and Chameera got the better of the opener to keep the game in the balance. Another quick wicket of Jermaine Blackwood pegged Windies back and Sri Lanka were sniffing a big chance to get the hosts bundled out before they could take the lead. Mayers carried on his merry way and took Vishwa Fernando for a couple of boundaries to keep the scoreboard going for the hosts while Jason Holder found it tough to get going. But, for Windies’ plight, Lakmal retired to account for Mayers to send Windies on the brink of a collapse that would have ruined their chances of getting an upper hand. Lamkmal bowled scattered spells throughout the day as Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne kept on searching for breakthroughs while defending a very middling score. The pacer did not disappoint him one bit and found another good delivery to send Holder back to the pavilion. He did not miss the chance to bag another fifer and with the wicket of Akzarri Joseph, reached the milestone in his 21st over of the first innings. With 171/7, Windies were ahead of Sri Lanka’s first innings total, but not by much that would have put real pressure on the tourists. Lanka smelled a sniff and attacked the pair of Da Silva and Cornwall with pace and spin. However, for Windies, Cornwall emerged as the new hero with the bat and put every bowler to the sword and by the end of the day’s play Windies were ahead by a significant margin in the first innings of the first Test.
West Indies create history, win yet another thriller to whitewash Bangladesh 2-0
A second strung West Indies team, led by Kraigg Brathwaite achieved what hadn’t been done for the past nine years by any other Caribbean side. They beat Bangladesh in a thrilling encounter by 17 runs in the second Test to whitewash the hosts 2-0. With this series win, West Indies also won a two or more match Test series in Aisa for the first time in 12 years. Rahkeem Cornwall was the hero of the match for Windies picking nine wickets in the entire game. He picked up a five-wicket haul in the first innings and carried it into the second innings, getting another four to add to his tally. Bangladesh started the last day in a brilliant manner sending the Windies team packing for just 117 in their second innings, having conceded a 113 run lead in the first. They started the chase with a great attitude as well, not wasting too many deliveries. Somya Sarkar and Tamim Iqbal added 59 for the first wicket, making it look like a cakewalk for the hosts. Opposition skipper Brathwaite brought himself in as a changeup and got Sarkar out with his first delivery. Soon after Tamim too played a rash shot to get himself out and the Bangladesh side started fumbling. One after other batsmen got out as the spinners picked up the pace and bite from the fourth day Dhaka wicket. Skipper Mominul Haque and first innings highest scorer Litton Das tried to provide some semblance to the innings, but all in vain as a ripper from Jomel Warrican hit Mominul high on the bat, ricocheted off the pads and went into the waiting hands of Cornwall at leg slip. After the 32 run stand was broken Das too got out trying to cut one off Warrican, without actually coming in the line of the ball. It was Mehedi Hasan and the tailenders left to ponder upon with 84 runs still needed. Hasan fought brilliantly trying to inch his team as close to the target as possible. He found helping hand in Taijul Islam and Nayeem Hassan, his spin bowling partners, who both gave him company briefly, but got out in bizarre fashion. The former was hit on the pads plumb with bat guarding the pads while the latter didn’t even bother to offer a shot. With all hopes of a win dashed out as the last man, Abu Jayed came on the crease. Mehedi decided to go big and was helped by tow four runs courtesy of byes by Brathwaite. He then hit Cornwall for 25 runs in the next three overs, before one of Warrican’s deliveries bounced more than he expected, catching him wrong fitted on the front foot. It took his gloves and giant-sized Cornwall bent forward, dived and took a brilliant catch in the slip to make sure that Windies claimed the series. While Cornwall got the Man of the Match award, Nkrumah Bonner, who scored crucial 231 runs in the four innings of this series, contributing every time his team was found lacking, got the Man of the Series award.
Record-breaking Kyle Mayers seals historic win for West Indies
Kyle Mayers, on his Test debut for West Indies, hit a record-breaking double hundred to help his team chase down a mammoth total of 395, set up by Bangladesh, to win the first Test of the two-match Test series by three wickets at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhary Stadium in Chattogram. Mayers, with his knock of 210 also became the first cricketer in history to make a double hundred in the fourth innings of a Test match. At the start of the last day of play, West Indies required more than 300 runs with all the big names like Kraigg Brathwaite and John Campbell back in the hut and a pair of debutants in Nkrumah Bonner and Kyle Mayers at the crease. A win for Bangladesh was written all over the walls until Mayers and Bonner decided to show some Caribbean courage. The two of them added a record 216 runs, the second-highest partnership by debutants in Test match history. The record for the highest partnership by a debutant pair sis held by Khalid Ibadulla and Abdul Kadir of Pakistan who together scored 249 for the opening wicket against Australia in Karachi in 1964. Bonner got out for 86, but Mayers continued his pursuit of the unachievable. Growing in confidence, he started increasing the run rate and by the time Bangladesh realised what had struck them, they were left to only gather the remains of what would go down in history as the highest ever run chase achieved on Asian soil. Mayers, before hitting the winning run was joined in the middle by Rahkeem Cornwall as the 9th man on the crease when just one run was required. Mayers, apart from being the highest run-scorer on debutant in the fourth innings, also got past Sir Vivian Richards’ 109 as the highest fourth-innings score by a West Indian in Asia. Speaking after the win, Cornwall said, "I'm always positive and believed in my ability, and believed that we could get there. We never give up, and keep fighting. The skipper and the coach tell us to keep fighting." "I'd love to thank the coach, captain, teammates, coaches and family back home as well. I'm really grateful to everyone. A guy making his debut and scoring a double will definitely inspire youngsters," he added.