Dear Editor

The inclement weather on the fourth and fifth days in Manchester offered the Windies an opportunity to salvage a draw in the third and final Test at Old Trafford and to finish the #raisethebat series at one apiece, that would have allowed the men from the Caribbean to retain the Wisden Trophy for the last time as it is no longer symbolic of Test cricket supremacy between England and West Indies. First awarded in 1963 the iconic trophy has now been retired and replaced by the Sir Vivian Richards/Sir Ian Botham trophy.

Set an improbable target of 399 for victory late on the third day, Jason Holder and company were thrown a life line by the weatherman, with the fourth day abandoned without a ball bowled and offering up frequent rain interruptions on the fifth and final day, but the hapless Windies declined the offer and succumbed meekly after an early lunch on day five, for 129 to the focused pace attack of Stuart Broad who in claiming his 500th Test wicket finished with four for 36, and Chris Woakes five for 50. Broad, who was surprisingly omitted from the First Test at the Aegis Bowl, finished this third contest with man-of-the-match figures of 10 for 67, to go with his swashbuckling first innings knock of 62 off 45 balls. Skipper Holder must be ruing his decision to have given England first strike on a good pitch as they managed 369 all out. With the tourists managing a mere 197 in their first innings the die was cast as the hosts declared their second innings at 226 for two late on the third afternoon.

After their surprising win in the First Test of this bio-secure series, at the Aegis Bowl in Southampton, the Windies have steadily declined as indicated by their scores at the storied sward of Old Trafford in the Second Test – 287 and 198; and Third Test – 197 and 129. Although Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarrh Brooks, and Jermaine Blackwood each got two half-centuries in the series, the probing English pace attack exposed varying technical flaws in the batting group. Of the 56 Windies dismissals in the six innings of the series, there were 19 LBW’s and nine bowled. Shai Hope was a major disappointment on the tour, saving his best innings for the final day when he showed a glimpse of his ability with a cultured 31 before inexplicably reverting to One-Day mode as he was well set, needlessly skying a short delivery when his team required focus and fortitude.

As for the bowling unit, they turned in an average performance after the First Test win in which Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder bagged 16 wickets between them. Thereafter Gabriel who continues to manifest fitness problems and a propensity for no-balls, could only secure a grand total of two wickets in the Second and Third Tests. It is noteworthy that the Windies pacers were guilty of overstepping no fewer than 23 times in the series with the burly Trinidadian the chief culprit. And so it is back to the drawing-board for Roger Harper and the selection panel as well as Phil Simmons and the coaching staff as they navigate the challenging new pandemic world order. There is much work to be done. After what appeared to be an aberration in the First Test, the Windies seemed woefully miscast in the Second Test when they were bullied by English world-beater and world Number One all-rounder, Ben Stokes, who plundered 176 and 78 not out, and man-handled by pacer, Stuart Broad, in the Third Test.

The selectors must consider the inclusion of Nicholas Pooran and Kieran Powell in the red ball format, and contemplate the return of Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo, and Keemo Paul. They must also re-consider the Rakheem Cornwall project, with Roston Chase as a solid all-rounder with good off-spinning skills, a fixture in the team. Meanwhile the development of a young venomous fast bowling unit is critical with Roach 200 Test wickets and all, past his prime after yeoman service, and Gabriel’s on-going fitness problem. And should there be a psychologist on board – maybe, to develop a cerebral approach, mental toughness, focus, determination and self-belief to the Windies game, from Under-19 on up. And it is time that the coaching staff unveil that all important blueprint to the batting unit of ‘How to build an innings’.

Regards
Cosmo Hamilton