How Windies pieced together their Test series winning puzzle

“Is this a one-off performance, or are the Windies' glory days back?”

This was the question on the minds of cricket followers all around the world as they celebrated the Caribbean team’s series win over the visiting team England at Antigua.

Nevertheless, the current success should not take our minds away from the fact that this has been an uphill climb. It has been a journey without luxurious resources, without any fancy pieces of equipment and without any encouragement.

Twice World Champions, Windies remain a force to reckon with in T20I cricket. Their superstars play and shine in every corner of the globe where there is franchise cricket.

In comparison, the Windies Test side wears a look of a deserted city which everyone gave up on years ago. This week, it was reborn and how!

A puzzle is completed only when all the scattered pieces are set in the place they belong. The Windies management were taking the right measures towards assembling their Test team puzzle, but were missing a few pieces.

Ultimately they managed to put together the perfect combination which brought them two astounding wins. Here are the parts of the puzzle that fell in place to complete a glorious series victory.

#1. Kraigg Brathwaite

The foundation of every successful Test innings is the opener. Teams around the world are struggling to find an opening batsman who can face the opening barrage from opposition bowlers and stand tall till the lunch break at least.

In Kraigg Brathwaite, Windies have their rock. This opening batsman makes his case with guts and glory.

The solid opener has an experience of almost eight years in Test cricket, and that is showing in his performances now.

Brathwaite's bat was quiet in the recent subcontinental tours, but he showed his grit with a four-hour vigil in the second Test against England. His 49 runs at the top in 156 balls proved priceless for the home team.

#2. John Campbell

Brathwaite’s place in the puzzle was certain, but it took time for the Windies management to find the piece that fit beside him perfectly. They tried Kieran Powell and Chandrapaul Hemraj, but no one could claim the second spot with conviction.

The 25-year-old Jamaican batsmen, John Campbell, stepped in and promptly made his presence felt.

The left-handed batsman scored an attacking 44 in his debut innings which was laced with eight boundaries. Campbell subsequently recorded scores of 33 and 47 in his next two knocks.

The opener struck a six off the short ball to win the second Test for Windies.

#3. Shai Hope

Shai Hope West Indies v England 2nd Test - Day Two

Number three is the batting position usually reserved for the best batsman in the team. Shai Hope earned the Test call-up after a sterling performance in the domestic cricket.

After his debut in 2015 against England, Hope had a very average Test career. But his historic twin centuries at Headingley in 2017 proved to be a turning point.

Hope scored a fighting 57 in the first innings of the first match of this series, and then backed it up with a valiant 44 in the second Test. The batsman provides stability to the team and is one of the settled pieces in the puzzle.

#4. Darren Bravo

Six months ago, playing for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL 2018, Darren Bravo scored 94 not out from just 36 balls. But in the second Test against England at Antigua, the little Bravo scored 50 from 216 balls.

He was immovable on the treacherous pitch. By the end of his monumental knock, the left-hander had copped numerous blows on his body, but his resolve never wavered.

When Bravo arrived on the Test scene, everyone thought a new batting star had emerged from the Caribbean. However, the batsman failed to live up to the hype.

Two years ago, he was involved in a controversy after which he was expelled from the Test setup. Bravo has now returned spectacularly with an innings that proves his caliber.

#5. Roston Chase

The all-rounder from Barbados had a stunning debut Test series against the visiting Indian team. In only his second game, Chase notched the distinction of taking a five-wicket haul and scoring a century in the same Test.

The off-spinner soon developed into one of the most reliable batsmen in the side, and has played important knocks in recent times.

In the first Test match, Chase once again exhibited his all-round capabilities. He scored a crucial 54 which helped prolong the Windies innings. The all-rounder then registered magical bowling figures of 8/60 to complete the 381-run win.

#6. Shimron Hetmyer

Shimron Hetmyer has taken the world by storm. Whenever he steps out to bat, there is an air of excitement around this cricketer from Guyana.

Hetmyer is an explosive batsman who is a clean striker of the ball and can alter the mood of the match in a matter of a few overs. While his skills have been more valuable in the shorter formats, Windies are also using him effectively in Test cricket.

Hetmyer top-scored in the first innings with an attacking 81 from 109 balls. He struck nine fours and two sixes while keeping England at bay.

He followed that up with the knocks of 31 and 21.

#7. Shane Dowrich

The 27-year-old Shane Dowrich is a doughty character who keeps wickets for Windies. The Barbados player also places a high price on his wicket and is ready to fight till his last breath.

Dowrich is a compact wicketkeeper who you will not often find chirping behind the stumps. Instead, he makes his impact with his performances.

After registering a duck in the first innings, Dowrich refused to budge from the crease in the second dig. In the company of Jason Holder, the diminutive batsman erected an unbeaten stand of 295 runs, while contributing 116 runs himself.

In the second Test, he added 50 runs with Darren Bravo while scoring 31.

#8. Jason Holder

Jason Holder is the cornerstone of this Windies lineup. He is the central piece in this puzzle, one which holds the picture together.

Holder lifts the team with his performances in all possible facets. He leads the side, contributes with the ball, contributes with the bat, and is also astute with the DRS usage.

The youngster accepted the Test captaincy at the tender age of 24, and he has been admirable at the job, despite the struggles of WI cricket.

In the first Test, Holder accounted for Joe Root, his counterpart. When he came out to bat, Windies were 120/6 with the game evenly poised. Holder launched a magnificent assault and recorded his highest score in Test cricket - 202 not out.

The captain sparkled with the ball in the second Test and grabbed four wickets.

#9. Kemar Roach

Kemar Roach has been around the Windies Test side for a long time, and this series marked his rebirth of sorts. He is one bowler who can consistently bowl at the speeds in excess of 140 kmph, and that's always handy in Test cricket.

Roach rocked the English side early in the first Test. His spell of 5/17 in 11 overs reduced England to their knees as the visitors collapsed to 77 all out.

Continuing the breath-taking display of hostile bowling, Roach registered back to back four-wicket hauls in the second Test to skittle England cheaply. His match figures of 8/82 earned him the Man of the Match award.

#10. Alzarri Joseph

The Antiguan fast bowler braved through one of the toughest character tests the sport can offer. On the morning of the third day of the Test match, the 22-year-old received the tragic news of his mother’s demise. But Joseph stayed with his team and received a standing ovation when he came out to bat on the same day.

He then produced a searing spell on an emotional day as he dismissed Joe Denly and Joe Root. Jason Holder later dedicated the victory to Joesph’s mother.

#11. Shannon Gabriel

Perhaps the most intimidating of the Windies bowlers, Shannon Gabriel reminds you of the bygone glory era of the team. When on fire, the Trinidadian bowler is almost impossible to face.

Last year, the 30-year-old blew away the Sri Lankan batting attack at St Lucia as he picked up 13 wickets in the second Test.

Gabriel’s only statistically successful outing in the current series came in the first innings of the second Test. His three scalps included Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes and James Anderson as he finished with 3/45.

That said, Gabriel provided ample support to the other three pace bowlers throughout the series, and proved to be a key piece of the puzzle.

Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️