It’s England v West Indies this week at Edgbaston for the third and final match of a Test series which the home side have already wrapped up after their victory at Trent Bridge.
England v West Indies 3rd Test Preview
It was not as clear cut as the first Test at Lord’s, but the manner and eventual margin of Ben Stokes’ side’s victory illustrates how much further the tourists need to come if they are to claim a first series win In England since 1988.
Both teams are expected to make changes for this clash in Birmingham with Nottinghamshire pace bowler Dillon Pennington hoping to earn his first England cap and West Indian spinner Gudakesh Motie in line to be recalled after missing the second Test because he felt ill.
England v West Indies: Crawley to Cash In
England piled on the runs at Trent Bridge, making 400 in each innings for the first time in Test cricket. But not everyone in their top order capitalised on the good scoring conditions with Zac Crawley missing out on the festival of runs after being dismissed cheaply in both innings. The Kent opener got a good one from Alzarri Joseph on the first morning and it required a good slip catch to send him back to the pavilion without a run to his name.
But he was very unlucky second time around as a straight drive from opening partner Ben Duckett was deflected onto the stumps with Crawley unable to ground his bat in time at the non-striker’s end. Crawley has top-scored in England’s first innings in four of his last nine Test appearances and is due the sort of luck that ensures he outscores his teammates this week.
England v West Indies: Holder Crucial to Visitors
Jason Holder did his best to hold the West Indies’ second-innings effort together amid a flurry of wickets on the fourth day at Trent Bridge. He was eventually clean bowled for 37 by Shoaib Bashir, the spinner having earlier beaten him with an even better ball that hopped over his stumps. Holder’s score was the second-highest by a West Indian player in the second innings, 10 runs short of opener Kraigg Brathwaite’s total of 47.
He may have top-scored if he could have hung around for a couple more overs and, after contributions of 0, 20 and 27 in his previous three innings of the series, it is clear that his batting form is going in the right direction. Holder’s Test average of 29.10 is the third-highest of all currently active West Indian players and not far behind the other two — Brathwaite (34.04) and Kavem Hodge (32.87) — which makes him excellent value at 5.80 to produce more first innings runs than any of his teammates at Edgbaston.
England v West Indies: Fast-Scoring Openers
One of the features of England’s batting at Trent Bridge was how quickly they scored runs against the new ball in both innings. England’s 50 came up after just 4.2 overs and they reached 86-1 after 12 overs at drinks on the first morning. It was a similar story in the second innings when Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope brought up the half-century of team runs after eight overs and had moved to 58-1 by the end of the 10th over.
The run line for the first 10 overs of England’s first innings has been set at 55.5, which looks a little low given how positive the top order played at Trent Bridge. The pitch was an absolute belter and they may not get anything quite as true to bat on at Edgbaston, but Duckett’s career Test strike rate is 85.53 and Crawley’s is nudging 80 over the last two years.
England v West Indies: Third Test Tips
1st Inns – England Top Batter – Zac Crawley @ 4.90 with kwiff
1st Inns – West Indies Top Batter – Jason Holder @ 5.80 with kwiff
1st Inns Overs 0-10 England Total Runs Over 55.5 @ 1.80 with kwiff
By Simon Barlow
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