Who Will Win The Third Test Between England and the West Indies?
After a dominant second-innings performance, England holds an unassailable 2-0 lead over the West Indies in their three-test series. The Third Test starts on Friday 26th July at Edgbaston and the question is will England claim a whitewash win, or can the Windies end the series with a win?
England Utterly Dominant In First Two Tests
To say England have been the team in the ascendancy in this test series is an understatement. In the opening test match at Lords, England skittled out the West Indies batsmen for 121 in the first innings and 136 in the second. England scored 371 in their sole innings, enough for a win by an innings and 114 runs.
The second test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham appeared likely to be a much closer affair. England scored heavily in their first innings, 416, but the West Indies reply was an impressive 457 all out, giving the visitors a 41-run lead heading into the second innings.
England once again scored heavily, hitting 425 runs. This time, with the ball in their hands, they once again got the best of the West Indies batsmen, dismissing them for 143 for another comprehensive win, this time by 241 runs.
Shoaib Bashir’s off-spin proved the key, taking 5 wickets for 41-runs as he decimated the West Indies middle order in particular.
With the bat Ollie Pope has scored the most runs in the series so far with the middle order batsman contributing 229 runs in just three innings in the series. Former captain Joe Root has amassed 204 runs, while Harry Brook has hit 195 runs in his three innings.
With the ball in hand, Gus Atkinson has been the lead wicket-taker for England, with 16 wickets in the series. Jayden Seales is the West Indies best bowler having taken ten England wickets in the series so far.
Changes For the Third Test?
England named an unchanged squad for the third test, which starts on Friday, but they could elect to give seamers Dillon Pennington or Matthew Potts some action, having already secured the series win.
Chris Wood, who bowled the quickest over ever by an English bowler on home soil in the second test, could be rested. Wood has suffered from injury issues throughout his career, and with Sri Lanka visiting later in the summer, England will be keen to keep him fit for that series.
Having suffered two heavy defeats, it remains to be seen what changes the West Indies will make for this final test. Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite needs more support with the bat, especially from the middle order, where the Windies have struggled in both tests so far.
Jason Holder has looked dangerous with the ball, and Kavem Hodge landed his first-ever test century in the first innings at Trent Bridge, but Brathwaite is still trying to find a batting line-up that will offer him the support he needs to push the team on.
The Windies showed flashes against England in the second test, but it would be a surprise if they could defeat an in-form England here. As such, we’re backing England to take the third test and complete a clean sweep of the West Indies.
