West Indies level series against England

Cricket with Dalchand Bissoon

Darren Bravo – helps clinch the win.
Darren Bravo – helps clinch the win.

West Indies defeated England by five wickets in the third and final Test last Sunday at Kensington Oval, Barbados, and levelled the Three-Match Series 1-1.

The West Indies, given a target of 192 runs for victory, ended with 194 for five wickets, thanks to a century (108) fifth-wicket partnership between Darren Bravo, 82, and Jermaine Blackwood, 47, not out.

This was West Indies’ first win against England since February 2009 when they won the first Test in Jamaica by an innings and 23 runs.

Final scores in the match: England batting first scored 257 all out in 96.3 overs with skipper Alastair Cook scoring his 26th Test century 105. Moeen Ali chipped in with 58 and Joe Root made 33. Jerome Taylor picked up three for 36 and Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder took two wickets each.

West Indies in reply made 189 all out in 49.4 overs with Jermaine Blackwood topscoring with 85 and Shivnarine Chanderpaul made 25. James Anderson took six for 42.

England in their second innings were skittled out for 123 in 42.1 overs, their lowest Test total since being bowled out for 72 by Pakistan in Abu Dhabi on the tour in 2012.  Jos Butler was undefeated on 35; Ben Stokes made 32 and Gary Balance 23, the only batsmen to reach double figures. J. Taylor took three for 33, Jason Holder three for 15 and Veerasammy Permaul three for 43.

West Indies, chasing a victory target of 192 runs, scored 194 for five wickets in 62.4 overs with Darren Bravo topscoring with 82 and J. Blackwood undefeated on 47.

The three-match series ended in a 1-1 draw.

Player of the match was Jermaine Blackwood (West Indies) and for the series was James Anderson (England).

West Indies will now host Australia in a two Test match series. The first Test will be played at Windsor Park, Roseau, Dominica, from June 37 and the second at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica, from June 11- 15.

The Australians will open their tour of the Caribbean with a three-day warm-up match at Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua, from May 27-29.