(1) Pat Cummins rues missed chances in the 2nd Test Match, which went down to the wire but couldn’t produce a result. Aussie bowlers bowled more than 170 overs in the 2nd innings as of now the Pacers would be exhausted, next Test Match is scheduled on 20th March 2022.
(2) Joe Root makes a resounding comeback as he hammered Caribbean bowlers and scored an unbeaten 119 runs. He along with Daniel Lawrence were involved in a huge 166 runs.
(3) Babar Azam misses out on an incredible double century by 4 runs, in his innings he had consumed more than four hundred deliveries and made sure that Pakistan aren’t losing the match. Rizwan played a crucial role in drawing the match by notching up a Century where the pitch was doing a lot of talking.
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Jonny Bairstow fires and gives a Glimpse of Proud Past
Bairstow has made a stand out comeback to the Test Setup, he notched up a Scintillating Century on Day 1. During that period England had lost 4 wickets for 48 runs and were in a precarious position. He then along with Stokes formed a crucial partnership, the partnership was a short one but they made sure that Caribbean Bowlers aren’t creating more havoc. Bairstow made sure that he plays responsibly and played according to the situation.
Bairstow went berserk after getting his eye in. He literally smashed bowlers for consecutive fours and dominated the game. He outclassed every bowler’s attempt to dismiss him. At the end of Day 1 Play, he had cracked up a Century.
The peculiarity of his century was that he played with straight bat. He played with a lot of positive attitude which was seen after a long time. He was as usual dominant in his style of batting and created a fear factor in opponent’s mind. Bairstow was seen relieved after scoring a Hard-fought Century.
Bairstow was under scanner for his performance. He had scored a Century in Ashes 2021-22 but that wasn’t enough for England to avoid an ignominy. The entire batting line up failed which resulted in the axing of Jos Buttler. Bairstow knows that he can be as lethal as Buttler and would hope that his second chance doesn’t get wasted.
Bairstow was often seen in and out of the team due to poor form. The former Director Ashley Giles, once said that Bairstow needs to have a reset. His form was so bad that selectors said openly about his omission. He was one of the senior statesmen who had immense experience and a proud record, but a sudden flip of form proved to be life changing for him.
His weakness was against spin bowling. In India Tour 2021 Bairstow got exposed to India’s foxy spinners. He wasn’t just able to move his feet in the right direction. His nemesis got exposed so much that the bowlers were comfortable in trying out new ways for getting him out.
In England vs India Test Series 2021 in England, once again he was seen having a torrid time. This time the pacers found the chink in the armour. His career was on a thin edge as smashing daddy hundreds are a must, especially from one of the best batters. ECB and Root backed him on a silent note as we will never know when a batsman founds back his groove.
The tour of Ashes started. Cricket Australia fulfilled England Cricket Board’s every demand and made Ashes 2021-22 happen. The backing paid off as Bairstow scored a magnificent century. He was seen toying with Aussie Quicks as everyone asked a simple question that why did ECB, Root and Silverwood didn’t play him before.
Earlier Bairstow was playing against his natural game. His natural way of playing is to attack and that too from the word go. It would be a huge relief as ECB finally got their old Champion Cricketer back.
His off side weakness was exposed as he wasn’t able to get off the mark. He used to get out in the initial stages which didn’t give him a chance to settle. Bairstow didn’t had the look in face when facing the bowler which was the main reason for his unforgettable outings.
The dashing batter is now back and looks set to inflict a lot of damage. His way of attacking the bowlers was unquestionable. He now has reinvented himself and we can say transformed his batting style. Bairstow would be happy that he took England out of trouble and made a strong statement that he isn’t finished yet.
The major test of character for Bairstow would be to continue the momentum forward in the 2nd Test Match at Barbados. The pitch is expected to be a topsy-turvy one where both pacers and spinners would be in the game. The performances of past can haunt him as he wasn’t a good batter when the bowlers were in full form. There are chances that West Indies opt for 2 spinners which can be threatening as well as fantastic as we all know that his destructive Bairstow can be against spinners as he showcased it against Permaul by whacking him all around the park; All in all, Bairstow has a stern test which may be difficult yet a dazzling one as Bairstow doesn’t easily throws the towel down.
Holder and Bonner made sure to eke out a Draw against England on a Spicy Day 5 Pitch
The moment Holder and Bonner came into bat, West Indies had lost 4 wickets and were on the verge of a defeat. England’s bowlers had 30 odd overs to rip of the batting line up. Root rotated Stokes, Woakes and Overton while at the other end it was Jack Leach. Leach was bowling a brilliant spell as he was getting ample turn which was enough to make a batter think twice before defending a ball.
Holder and Bonner were resolute in their defence. They not only made sure to play out deliveries, but made sure that they are blocking the ball in the middle of the bat. Holder in general was busy in leaving the ball which made a statement that he isn’t finished yet, as earlier in 1st innings; he was out immediately as he was undone by the trap of Ben Stokes. Bonner was typical in his defence as he continued from where he left in the 1st innings.
Holder and Bonner consumed more than 200 deliveries amongst themselves. Holder was gritty against Leach as Leach had the knack of knocking over any batter. He was just bossing the game with lethal line and lengths, at times the batter too appreciated his bowling. Leach made the most use of a dreadful pitch for batters as picking up 3 wickets wasn’t that easy as it looks.
West Indies and England are now scheduled to clash on 16th March 2022 at Barbados. Richards-Botham Trophy didn’t started like a Bang but there was exhibition of immense determination from Bairstow,Bonner and Holder. The pitch probably was docile but it wasn’t that bad for a Cricket Fan where there was even contest with bat and ball. Barbados pitch is expected to be a turner where we can expect 2 spinners in the playing 11 for both the teams. West Indies would be proud of their performance as not only their Bonner was adept while the Pacers too made England batters down on their music. England on the other hand would be relieved as they found their old Johnny Bairstow who was batting in an aggressive manner which reminded the fans of 2018-19 season; Leach’s 3 wickets are a huge boost as now they can plan to play another spinner. All in all, no team has an advantage for the 2nd Test Match which makes the contest more even than ever; Richards-Botham Trophy is tied on 0-0 and the winner of the trophy has to win both test matches. West Indies have a wood over England, while the same can be said for England.
Cricket Headlines of 12 March 2022
(1) Usman Khwaja smashes a terrific Century against Pakistan at Karachi. Aussies manage to score 251-3 till the end of Day 1 Play.
(2) England and West Indies inaugurate Richards-Botham Trophy 2022 with a Draw. Joe Root and Co tried to bundle out West Indies but their batters were resolute in defence which made sure that they don’t lose the 1st Test Match.
(3) Pakistan’s curator could be questioned for preparing a road kind of pitch. Only two wickets were taken by the bowlers and one was a run out, if such template continues then PCB won’t be able to bring all the nations to Pakistan as the teams would know the output of a pitch which is not at all promising for Pakistan’s fans.
Cricket Stories for 12th March 2022
(1) Australia
Pat Cummins confirms the debut of leg spinner Mitchell Swepson for Karachi Test Match. Aussies surprisingly would go with 2 spinners which no doubt can be risky as Swepson could be targeted.
(2) England
England’s batters made sure that they aren’t losing nor winning the 1st Test Match on Day 4. Zak Crawley and Joe Root made sure to fret and annoy Caribbean bowlers by rotating the strike and knocking an odd boundary, The batters are well set to score daddy hundreds and would hope that the bowling line up of England creates a magic on Day 5 by bowling them out in a span of 50-70 overs, the fate of the Test Match has changed drastically and is looking for a Draw which isn’t good for Test Cricket.
(3) Pakistan
Babar Azam makes a bold statement by stating that his team dominated Rawalpindi Test Match. Former Head Coach Misbah ul Haq lambasted Aussies and said that Australia don’t ask Pakistan while creating pitches.
Zak Crawley and Joe Root Pile on the Pain for Caribbean
**Zak Crawley Makes A Strong Case as an Opener by Notching up a Brilliant Century*
Day 4 was a crucial one for England as the deficit was a tiny one yet dangerous. Kemar Roach got rid of the debutant Alex Lees quickly and gave Vibes of the 1st innings where he was instrumental in breaking the back of England’s batting line up. Zak Crawley took time to get his eye in, then he went into attacking mode as the old Zak was on fire. He stitched an invaluable partnership with the Captain Joe Root and both the batters were quite spot on with their shot selection. Zak was literally attacking each and every bowler, especially Roach and Holder who were getting movement. His knock has now made sure that he not only has sealed his place at the top but found his old touch. He batted exactly the same way of the Season 2018 where he had smashed a double century against Pakistan in England. ECB would be relieved as finally an opener got to 3 figures mark. Although he needs to start afresh as in the Caribbean the ball does a lot of talking. Nevertheless the batter would hope that he isn’t dropped from here onwards just like old times, it looks as if he has hit his purple patch as most of the times he was seen using his feet which made the bowler change his line and length.
*Joe Root gets back to form after a Lean Patch
Joe Root the Captain would be happy that he is back into the form. He had a forgettable Ashes 2021-22 with the bat, from then onwards there were talks going on of his credibility as a batter. ECB should not forget that Joe Root is on the brink of 10,000 Test Runs which doesn’t happen in an overnight. The batter was quite relaxed at the crease as Zak took the pressure off h by smashing the bowlers all-around the park. Root got to play his natural game and once he was set, he too didn’t shy from taking the fast bowlers down. This Series is Vital for Joe Root Skipper and Joe Root batter as their fate would be decided, Richards-Botham Trophy’s inauguration is a perfect opportunity for Joe Root to reset his Captaincy Career as he hasn’t been outstanding in the role; in World Test Championship 2021-23 England are placed at bottom which doesn’t sound good when you started playing the Game. Root’s speciality was that he didn’t allow the Pacers to dominate him, he had made sure that he rotated the strike on a Consistent basis which eventually perturbed Caribbean bowlers. The Captain would be aiming to get to a big score and give England’s bowlers a chance of winning Test Chance which is distant yet attainable as we all know Cricket is a Game of Uncertainties.
*Ineffective Spells from Caribbean Bowlers*
In the Morning Session, Roach had got rid off the debutant Alex Lees and sensed that once again he can be the wrecker-in-chief. Zak’s attacking instincts and bold nature was unexpected, the pitch was docile yet an odd ball was doing the talking; the dashing batter didn’t hesitate to take on the left arm off spinner Permaul. The Bowlers got a brutal hammering as they conceded runs in excess of 3 runs per over. Captain Kraigg Braithwaite was undone by aggressive brand of Cricket which was blatantly out of the blue. England’s batters have made sure that now West Indies won’t be winning the Test Match, the lead has gone past 150 runs and only a miracle can save the Test Match from Draw. Caribbean Fast Bowlers should not get disheartened as 2 more Test Matches are still remaining to decide the winner of the inaugural Richards-Botham Trophy 2022.
*What lies ahead on Day 5 for England and West Indies*
England would be hoping to have a speedy Morning Session where they score 120-150 runs, most importantly go past 300 runs mark which would give them a psychological advantage of defending the target. West Indies on the other hand, would pray that Rain Gods interrupt atleast 1 Session as batting on Day 5 won’t be easy, if they get early 3-4 wickets then they would be knocking the door of victory in the 1st Test Match; for that to happen Roach, Holder and Joseph will have to bowl out of the skin to generate reverse swing as the red ball is more than 60 overs old.
*Fate of Richards-Botham Trophy 2022*
Before the inauguration of Richards-Botham Trophy 2022, West Indies and England’s Test Series was named as Wisden Trophy. The Last Test Series between these two nations was played in July 2020 England where England had won by 2-1. They were the Holder of the Wisden Trophy, there are umpteen chances that the 1st Test Match would be a Draw; in that scenario West Indies has to make sure that they either win the Series by 1-0 or 2-0 to win the inaugural trophy, England on the other side would be aiming to either draw remaining 2 Test Matches, win one of them or win the Series by 2-0. England and West Indies are in the same place right now, both teams are going through a transition and in doing so both team’s Boards have started a Cleaning Procedure by removing Cricketers who had poor form.
Bonner and Permaul Deepen the Agony for England as the Lead goes past 50
Bonner continued his grit game and made sure that England bowlers throw the towel down. He along with Permaul drained England’s bowlers. The likes of Stokes who earlier in the day has changed the course too had an off color day. Permaul took small strides and scored runs and used feet against Leach.
Joe Root once again was seen helpless as of now his captaincy is by no means great. Mark Wood once again was not given the ball in hand, there may be a possibility that he is injured or going some work on his shoulder, he has had problem with this, earlier during India Test Series in England 2021; he was sidelined due to a Jarred Shoulder. Chris Woakes used all the tricks in the book but West Indies batters were ready for it. With only few overs left for the 2nd new ball, England needs to quickly take it and make sure that West Indies aren’t touching the landmark of 100 runs lead.
West Indies batsman Nkrumah Bonner has silenced all the critics by facing more than 350 odd balls. Sticking to the Crease at this pitch was an arduous task, the tail-enders have faced more than 150 balls which speaks volumes of hard work which bowlers are putting in with the bat too. Bonner’s one stand out feature has been that he hasn’t lost his concentration by any means, he gave one opportunity when he was dropped in slip by Zak Crawley on the bowling of Jack Leach; other than that he has been solid as a Rock. Bonner would be thrilled to know that his knock would open West Indies account in the Richards-Botham Trophy 2022.
Day 4 would be a Fascinating Contest where Caribbean Fast Bowlers would be Roaring to Knock off England’s Out of form batters. The debutant Alex Lees would be tested as earlier he was undone by the sheer brilliance by Kemar Roach. Skipper Joe Root who now has gone back to No.3 position would be wary of the fact that he needs to be more than ever chary as there are high chances that he may come into bat on the very 2nd ball. The Invincible Stokes will have to use all his experience to give England a chance in the 1st Test Match. West Indies on the other hand would sense that they have this Test Match under their control, only they can lose from here onwards which can happen due to their unpredictable nar
ture, which is far away but this possibilities can’t be ignored. England and West Indies have had this unpredictable tag, so who knows what lies ahead on the 4th Day. All in all, just like 3rd Day the Cricket World would witness an intriguing day of Test Match where the Momentum is with West Indies.
Nkrumah Bonner notches up his 2nd Test Century, West Indies pile on the pain as lead increases
In the very 1st over Bonner completed his century. There was no angry celebration from his side as he knows that his Job isn’t finished yet. Kemar Roach got run out, it can be said that the pacer played a critical role in the partnership. Roach played out 80 odd deliveries in his knock which indeed is a good job done.
Joe Root handed the ball to Leach in a hope that his turning deliveries would outfox the batters. Root made a mistake by not giving the ball to Mark Wood, his express pace would have been threatening to West Indies spinner Permaul. Leach has been bowling his heart out but nothing is happening. Root would be thinking of another spin bowling option which is no one than himself.
West Indies would be thrilled as now they have found a proper middle order batter in the form of Nkrumah Bonner. The dismissal of Roach made Bonner more responsible as now he is playing determined shots better than ever. Bonner has got ample support from Permaul as he has now got his eye in. Caribbean Pacers would be watching more keenly as the bowl is keeping low and the bowlers are getting a lot of uneven bounce and movement.
Post Drinks break, Evening Session is showing us that how this Test Match is moving. Batting is by no means easy now which means that England are in a precarious position. West Indies would be eyeing to get a Crack at England’s batters before the end of Day’s play, a small session of 5-10 overs would be icing on the cake. On the other side, England are not yet down and out, they should not let lead go beyond 100 otherwise making a comeback would be tough. All in all, West Indies look all set to win the Inaugural Richards-Botham Trophy’s 1st Test Match unless and until England play out out of their skin and produce a miraculous performance.
Bonner Plays Smart as West Indies start their 1st innings Lead
West Indies started off their post drinks break Afternoon Session wittily. Bonner was playing a typical Test Match knock where he left deliveries and made sure that West Indies are in a strong position. Roach on the other side displayed immense mental application as blocking too was not an easy task. The West Indies batters now have made sure that can deepen the agony for Joe Root & Co.
Joe Root knew that the fast bowlers are tired and he gave the ball to Jack Leach. The left arm off spinner got the turn, bounce and was seen troubling the batters more often than. He opportunities twice, one for Bonner and another one was for Roach. On both the occasions the slip fielder dropped the catches and gave a life to these batters. It is often said Catches win Matches, Root would be angry and would be banging his head on the door for missed opportunities, because now the team has lost the plot and advantage.
West Indies know that any lead around 150 would seal the Test Match for them. Bonner is on the verge of a Fantastic Century whereas Roach now has started to change the gears. Roach and Bonner played out the Session and went unscathed. The partnership amongst the two batters is of 40 runs and in doing so they have consumed a lot of balls that too in excess of 140.
The Evening Session would definitely and undoubtedly give the Cricket Fraternity an idea of which way the Test Match is heading. 123 overs have been bowled so far, the new ball is distant; once again the Pacers will depend on reverse swing which indeed is a tough task. West Indies now would be aiming to get a Dominating Session, 1st Hour holds the key here; if they score 50-70 odd runs then they would believe that they are in the Driver’s Seat. On the other Side England know that they have let the opponent took the control of Test Match, the likes of Woakes and especially Wood need to rip off the remaining batters, otherwise it would be a Cake Walk for Caribbean bowlers.
Nkrumah Bonner makes sure that Caribbean don’t lose the plot
Post lunch session was pivotal, especially the first hour. Jack Leach, the left arm off spinner got rid of well set Joshua Da Silva. His departure made the Session spicy as later Alzarri Joseph too was dismissed. English bowlers were roaring as they got back into the groove.
Bonner, then went into ultra defensive mode as it was the need of the hour. He was making sure that he doesn’t get enticed by flighted deliveries of the left arm spinner. Root used short ball rampage to irk him but Bonner didn’t lose his cool. Craig Overton and Mark Wood tried everything to see Bonner’s back, but they were unsuccessful.
After a testing half an hour, Bonner stitched a small partnership with the lethal pacer Kemar Roach. England’s Captain was a bit impatient as he didn’t want West Indies to get a lead. Bonner is on the verge of a hard fought century whereas he knows that the longer he stays at the crease, the higher are the chances of West Indies getting a disturbing lead for England.
The phase after post drinks break could be pivotal. The deficit is in 20s and West Indies still have 3 wickets in tank. West Indies management are wary of the fact that batting 4th won’t be at all easy, they should try to put the leg on the accelerator and score runs as the pitch has started to misbehave and deteriorate. On the other side would England knows that their top order is vulnerable to the new ball and they know how Roach, Holder and Joseph created a havoc in 1st innings. All in all, this Test Match has been topsy-turvy for both the teams, England’s players are already in the field for more than 100+ overs, they would be tired and as of now the shoulders are dropping off; if West Indies play out another session then they would be literally bossing the game.
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