SOUTHAMPTON, England, (CMC) – Captain Jason Holder said Sunday he had not spoken to Jermaine Blackwood following his glaring first innings indiscretion that cost him his wicket cheaply, but always knew the dashing right-hander would have a key role to play in any successful run chase to win the opening Test.

Blackwood gifted his wicket cheaply for 12 on Friday, smashing an ordinary delivery from off-spinner Dom Bess into mid-off’s lap as West Indies were dismissed for 318 in reply to England’s 204.

However, the 28-year-old redeemed himself with an innings of the highest quality here Sunday, laying aside his usually impulsive stroke-play to top-score with 95 as West Indies chased down a target of 200 to pull off a four-wicket win at the Ageas Bowl.

“After his first innings dismissal I said nothing to him. He knew what he’d done and he knew he is a better player than what he did in the first innings so there was no need to talk to him,” Holder told a media conference.

“I [always] felt he was going to be a crucial player for us in this run chase, him and probably John Campbell because these guys when they get going score relatively quickly and can really swing the tide for us when they form partnerships.

“I just said to Jermaine ‘look, just give yourself a chance, give yourself a good chance. See a few balls and then play your game. If you see a ball in your arc and you feel you can put it away, put it away’ because that’s the way he plays.”

He continued: “I don’t like to get into complicating players’ heads and congesting their brains with too much information. They’re all responsible enough and know themselves well enough. We’re just here to help one another – lots of these guys in the dressing room help me and help me in significant ways.”

The game marked Blackwood’s first start in a Test match in nearly three years after featuring on the Windies’ last tour here in 2017 before being axed later that year.

He appeared as a concussion substitute in the second Test against india in Kingston last year when Darren Bravo was forced out of the game, but missed out again thereafter.

Blackwood impressed in the recent West Indies first class championship where he plundered nearly 800 runs at an average of 51 and Holder said he had merited his place in the side by the sheer weight of his performances.

“To be honest, his case was pretty strong to get back into the team. He scored a double hundred this year in a first class game,” Holder explained.

“Unfortunately for me, I haven’t been able to see him bat but his numbers speak for themselves and he’s not a slouch with the bat at this level either.

“In comparison to the players we’ve got, he’s still averaging above 30 so he’s done well for us. We just hope he can kick on and make a few more hundreds.”

West Indies appeared to be squandering the opportunity to take a 1-0 lead in the series when they slumped to 27 for three before lunch on Sunday’s final day.

However, Blackwood repaired the innings, first in a 73-run fourth wicket stand with Roston Chase who made 37, and then in a 68-run fifth wicket partnership with wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich who made 20.

The victory came on the heels of the Windies’ 2-1 series victory in the Caribbean last year and saw them take a giant stride towards ending a 32-year wait for a series win on English soil

“It’s a massive, massive win. To beat England in England is no easy feat,” said Holder, who presided over the Windies’ last win at Leeds three years ago.

“We were able to do it last time we were here in 2017 so we all know what the feeling is like but things have changed drastically since then.

“They’re a massive, massive unit in their backyard so to start the series this well is very promising for us and we feel very proud about the way we performed.”

In fact, Sunday’s victory was in complete contrast to the manner in which West Indies started their last series here in 2017.

In a nightmare performance at Edgbaston, West Indies slumped to an innings and 209-run defeat and went on to lose the series despite a revival at Leeds.

This time around, Holder said there was an awareness they needed to begin the series strongly.

“We want to win every cricket match we play. It doesn’t often work that way but at the end of the day we strive to win every single Test match we step on the park to play,” he stressed.

“In the past we haven’t always started series this well and have been made to play catch up but it was always important we started this series well.”