West Indies middle order batsman Jermaine Blackwood has emerged as the biggest mover in the latest Reliance ICC Player Rankings on the strength of impressive batting in the just ended series against England in the Caribbean.
Blackwood has soared 31 places to a career-high 37th spot after scores of 85 and 47 which helped West Indies to win the third test by five wickets and square the series one game apiece on Sunday.
The Jamaican batsman, who scored his maiden test century during the series, enjoyed a match-winning 108-run fifth wicket partnership with Darren Bravo whose second innings contribution of 82 has put him up three places to 29th.
Meantime there were major gains for three West Indies bowlers-Jerome Taylor, Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder.
With questions being raised over Sunil Narine’s action again, Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach Wasim Akram has said the mystery spinner will bounce back from the rough patch and the defending champions are in need of his services in their ongoing IPL cricket campaign. Coming clean after a rehabilitation program post being called for chucking in last year’s Champions League T20, Narine was was once called for a suspect action in this IPL edition and subsequently barred from bowling the off-spinner. Akram insists things will soon fall into place for the champion spinner.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – West Indies head coach Phil Simmons has praised the character of the regional side after they beat England by five wickets in the third Test here Sunday, to steal a share of the three-Test series.Set 192 for victory, West Indies reached their target late in the evening at Kensington Oval, to record their first win over England in six years and only the third in the last 15 years.And Simmons, who took over at the helm of the squad just prior to the start of the series, said the victory meant a lot to the side especially following the results in the first two Tests.“I can’t say about (what it means for) West Indies cricket in general but I know for the Test team it’s been huge because the guys have worked hard for the last four weeks,” Simmons told a post-match media conference.
“To have played so well in Antigua and Grenada and not come out with anything, you saw the determination of the guys – especially the bowlers – to come out of this with something, so it’s huge for us.”He added: “That’s the biggest thing I can take from it that everybody showed character because for the bowlers to bowl out England for such a low score in the second innings, just shows massive character coming out at this early stage of my tenure so it’s great for me to see.”
8 Jermaine Blackwood Quite rightly Man of the Match in the final Test - kept West Indies alive on first innings then made the most of a life on 4 in the second to show impressive composure to tick off the target. That followed a maiden hundred in Antigua, which was a curious mix of extensive blocking and the love for a lofted drive. Hitting the air brought exasperation, too, as West Indies fought for draws but showed a little a patience and Blackwood is one with a long future.
7 Darren Bravo Saved his best until last with one of his finest Test innings, 82 in tricky conditions to secure a share of the series. The patience he showed for much of the innings should become the hallmark for his career going forward - marry them with the range of strokes he possesses and he is an ideal No. 3. Had some issues against England's three offspinners before the final innings, his love for a drive always keeping the slips interested. Improving slip catcher.
A century partnership between Darren Bravo and Jermaine Blackwood led West Indies to a morale-boosting five-wicket victory over England in the third Test at a tense Kensington Oval yesterday as the series ended level at 1-1. Set a target of 192 to win on the third day, after bowling England out for 123, the home side knocked off the total thanks mainly to a 108-run fifth-wicket partnership between Bravo (82) and Blackwood (47 not out). It was a disciplined and confident performance from a West Indies team that looks to have improved in several areas already in their first series under new coach Phil Simmons. “It was a tricky one but it turned out well for us,” said West Indies skipper Denesh Ramdin after the match. “Young Bravo and Blackwood came up for us today,” he added.
