In Birmingham for the third and final Test of the series, West Indies will have an uphill battle. With momentum on their side, the hosts England will be keen to complete a 3-0 victory.
West Indies are behind England 0–2, which puts them in a difficult situation. The Caribbean team will be eager to save face and prevent a humiliating rout when the series moves to its decisive game at Edgbaston.
Although there have been some encouraging signs for the visitors, they will need to drastically up their level of play in order to contend with the powerful English team.
Although England is the clear favorite at the beginning, Kraigg Brathwaite and his team will have to try to save some face. Beyond their desire to conclude the series with a win, they also have the World Test Championship points to contend with.
The West Indies must accomplish the following three things correctly in order to prevent a rout of England:
#3 Use the bat to lay solid foundations.
There have been glimmers of the visitors’ batting ability, especially in their 457-run first-inning total at Trent Bridge. They haven’t always been able to turn these starts into huge totals, though. Although Kavem Hodge’s first Test century was an impressive effort, the team still needs more from the top order.
As captain, Kraigg Brathwaite has to set the example and maintain order. Joshua da Silva and Alick Athanaze both have promise and should continue to improve. The West Indies need to concentrate on forming strong alliances and exerting themselves at the crease for extended periods of time in order to prevent another collapse.
#2 The West Indies must take advantage of England’s bowling vulnerability.
England boasts a strong batting lineup, but their bowling attack has revealed weaknesses.
With his sheer pace, Mark Wood has been an exceptional performer, but the other bowlers have been comparatively less dangerous. In order to take advantage of these deficiencies, the West Indies must apply pressure and concentrate on England’s less skilled bowlers.
Despite losing the first two games, they have shown glimmers of their bat skills and must maintain the momentum they have gained.
#1 Pull the lengths and lines taut.
The precision of the West Indian bowlers is one major area that needs work. They need to bowl more tightly and with greater length in order to pressure England’s aggressive batting lineup. As a result, the runs will dry up, pressure will grow, and wicket possibilities will arise.
Because of the predicted flatness of the Edgbaston pitch, the West Indies bowlers will have to rely more on their skill and self-control to create opportunities. They can improve the likelihood of breakthroughs by bowling regularly in good locations, which will make it harder for England’s batters to score freely.
If healthy, Gudakesh Motie can be quite useful in taking advantage of any available turn. Set traps and lure England’s batsmen into errors, the West Indies bowlers must be methodical and patient.
It will be difficult for Brathwaite and company to prevent a rout of England. However, they may improve their prospects of preserving some pride in the last Test by concentrating on laying solid foundations with the bat, taking advantage of England’s bowling vulnerabilities, and bowling with more accuracy.