West Indies beat England by five wickets to level Test series

It was deep into the evening of the third day when Jermaine Blackwood struck Moeen Ali down the ground for the runs that secured a memorable five-wicket victory for West Indies with two days to spare at the ground that was always their citadel in the glory days. The four floodlights had long since been switched on even as the sun was some way from setting. It was beyond the scheduled close and beyond the half-hour added on to get the overs in that had not been bowled in time. England, dusty and bedraggled, were well beaten. Colin Graves has yet to take up his position as chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board but his ‘mediocre’ comment about West Indies will surely be rammed down his throat repeatedly.

Having bowled out England in their second innings for 123, West Indies were required to make 192 to win the match and square the series and the expectation was that it would be a tough call for them, given the capricious nature of the pitch on the first two days, not least a second day in which 18 wickets fell, which is unprecedented for a Test match in Barbados.

But the manner in which England were able to add a further 84 runs to their parlous overnight position of 39 for five had shown that the pitch had lost some of its spite, reverting to the sluggish type of surfaces that were found in the first two Tests in Antigua and Grenada.

By the end the semi circle of slips that characterised the first two days had been replaced by men on the drive at short extra cover and short midwicket as Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad hammered away with their cutters – but o no avail.

West Indies had been 80 for four when Anderson’s loosener had been dragged on to his stumps by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, perhaps ending one of the most celebrated of West Indies careers, and it was the last vestige of hope that England were given. Together Darren Bravo and the impulsive young Jermaine Blackwood weathered a storm, overcame the pressure that England were building and gradually compiled the fifth-wicket partnership of 108 that took them to within four runs of winning the game.

Bravo deserved to be there at the end but he was trying to finish the match in style when he drilled Ben Stokes to wide mid-off, where Broad took the catch above his head. For a second or two, the ground was stilled as Bravo realised what he had done and then slowly dragged himself off. But the ovation he received was well deserved. He had made 82 from 148 balls with seven fours and three sixes, the last of them as he was making that final charge for the line. Blackwood, too, can be proud of the way he played for this is a batsman of impetuosity at times who controlled his emotions to finish unbeaten with 47 from 104 balls with four fours and a six.

England will still return home having retained, for what it is worth, the Wisden Trophy. But this is a series they had dominated up until the final session of the second day of this match and, rightly, more was expected. All credit to West Indies but, something Graves did get right, there will be questions asked, most pertinently of team selection.

The selection of Jonathan Trott was a mistake from the moment it was conceived, which is no reflection on the player. Adam Lyth should by now be three matches into a Test career. The position of Moeen is a little harder to assess: he arrived with a county match behind him but was never able to produce the measured bowling that he managed against India last summer. He is a talented cricketer but a team cannot afford to carry a front-line spinner that they are afraid to bowl. This is not to say that Adil Rashid would have been the answer, for the indications are that he has yet to match speed with spin at a level that Test match cricket demands: a second spinner perhaps. Maybe then more faith could have been shown in Tredwell who had a good match in Antigua.

Naturally now, such is the thin line between success and failure, the position of Peter Moores will come under increasing scrutiny. There is a balance to be drawn between a long-term project of development and results but, if things are patently not working , then all other considerations go by the board. Selection on tour is done by coach and captain and the mistakes, such as they are, belong to them. Cook’s batting looks to be back to its best and he has handled his attack for the most part well enough. But there is a little too much conservatism in what could be a dynamic young side.

There are always key moments, what-ifs, throughout a match, but the turning point of the final day came when Blackwood, then on four, and trying to break a shackle, charged recklessly at Joe Root’s offspin, attempted to hit the ball over the 3Ws stand, but missed. The ball spun certainly, through the gate, but he was several yards down the pitch: Jos Buttler, whose 35 had helped his side to even that small total, fumbled and the chance went begging. Had he taken it, West Indies would have been 87 for five and floundering. It is something that will haunt Buttler but it should also be remembered that he is an extremely talented cricketer learning his trade, in the same way as Matt Prior did, or Alec Stewart.

Thereafter Blackwood was a model of discretion, a mature performance in support of Bravo, who batted superbly. Perhaps the most telling show of intent from Bravo was the manner in which he emerged from the tea interval, with the game in the balance still, and struck the first ball of the final session over mid-off and into the 3Ws and took 10 off the over from Root. He drove beautifully, picked off the short balls square of the wicket, clipped off his toes and scarcely put a foot wrong. Blackwood, a slight figure, punches a weight that belies his appearance, ferocious on anything short. As they romped to the line, he danced down the pitch and drilled the ball away. It was a microcosm of what West Indies cricket could become.