It is starting to look like another familiar story in West Indies cricket. A team that has been in steady decline in the ODI format of the game is now on the brink of a heavy defeat to England in the 1st test match at Lords. Having been bundled out for 121, then allowing England a 250-run lead, the Windies had their backs against the wall.
With a mammoth task ahead of them in the second innings, the West Indies batting lineup again folded amid fiery pace bowling by England, with three of the top fast bowlers: debutant Gus Atkinson, captain Ben Stokes, and man of the hour James Anderson bagging two wickets apiece, reducing the visitors for 76/6 at the end of day two, still 171 runs behind.
England Batsman Put on Solid Show in Home Conditions
This was expected of the England team. In home conditions with the opposition on the back foot, the batters were going to come to the party. And they did with five English batsmen getting 50+ scores, which meant they posted a very respectable 371. Whilst not a mammoth total, it was a sizable one given what the West Indies had managed in their first innings. Moreover, given the condition at Lords, it looked more than a comfortable total.
So when the final wicket fell, England went into the second West Indies innings with 250 runs to play before batting again became part of the equation. This naturally added pressure to the side batting second, and the pressure got to the West Indies, who again lost early wickets. For England opener Zak Crawley top scored with 76 followed by Surrey cricketer Jamie Smith who managed 70.
West Indies Fall Apart Again
This is starting to look like a pattern for the West Indies in test cricket against stronger sides. They just don’t seem to have the quality when playing testing conditions against good-quality lineups. There is a definite lack of skill and application, a problem that is visible in the one-day game, that now appears to be affecting the longest format of the sport adversely.
A major concern for the West Indies is the lack of experience. Apart from Kraigg Brathwaite, the West Indies’ top order consists of 20-year-olds with very little exposure to test cricket. This lack of experience means that under pressure there is a high likelihood the team would fold. Which is exactly what happened.
A Game that is Good as Done
Unless the weather intervenes, there is no doubt where this game is headed. The West Indies are on track for a possible innings defeat to England. And that is not a bad thing from an England perspective, as it would be a great send-off to the legend James Anderson. The trouble is West Indies have not shown resilience with the bat or the ball, and if this form keeps up, a whitewash may be on the cards.
James Anderson’s retirement might provide some respite for the West Indies batsman in the next game but England is a quality side with great replacements in their ranks. For the West Indies, it will be about consolidation, trying to build on their core strengths and make fewer mistakes. But that is easier said than done if the performance of West Indies men’s cricket in the past few years is anything to go by.
