Windies vs England 2019, 3rd Test, St. Lucia - Match Prediction

Windies and England will fare in the dead-rubber, the final Test of the three-match series in St. Lucia. The game which begins on Sunday (February 9th) will see the hosts aiming for the whitewash; while, England will play to salvage the pride after going down in the first two matches. Meanwhile, their performance has been dismal, and if Trevor Bayliss’ words are to be believed, the players lacked determination as well. However, here is the match prediction of the third Test between Windies and England at Gros Islet.

Windies on a cusp of creating history

Windies are a team which had been all, but inconsistent until England arrived this time. They didn’t start the series as outright favourites, as England landed in the Caribbean Islands on an away Test series win over Sri Lanka. Windies had the chance to script history, and all means possible, they did it. They didn’t just defeat England; Windies won both the matches by huge margins – first Test by 381 runs and the second match by ten wickets.

Now, they remain on the cusp of creating history; blanking England in Tests at home for the first time since 1986. Though 33 years back, the team from the Caribbean was ruling world cricket. By then, they had won two World Cups (1975 and 1979) and had lost one final against India in 1983. The pace attack which they had (Malcom Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding and Andy Roberts); is still regarded as the deadliest to have graced the game. No wonder, David Gower’s touring English side lost ten of the 14 matches played on that tour, including five Tests.

However, the situations are opposite now. England remains to be the third best Test team, whereas, Windies is ranked as the eighth positioned side in ICC rankings.

In the ongoing series, the hosts’ skipper, Jason Holder had been among the headlines. After getting named on the ICC Test team of the year 2018; the lanky all-rounder smashed his maiden double hundred in the Barbados Test. Not only with the bat, but he also was also among the wickets, picking up seven wickets in two Tests thus far.

However, the ICC had banned him for one match due to the slow over-rate in the second Test; thus Kraigg Brathwaite will lead the side in his absence.

Meanwhile, Kemar Roach has been Jason’s go-to-bowler. In two Tests, the pacer has bagged 13 wickets at an average of 12.07. In the first match, he took five for 17, which resulted in England getting out on 77 in the first innings.

Probable XI: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), John Campbell, Shai Hope, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shane Dowrich(w), Keemo Paul, Kemar Roach, Alzarri Joseph, Shannon Gabriel

England seek to settle batting woes ahead of the third Test

Well, for the first time in many, many years the English team is found wanting on tour to Windies. Perhaps, in their mind, they had their best players on the board to the Caribbean Islands, but unfortunately, the best wasn’t enough. Meanwhile, under Joe Root, England has achieved some indifferent results, winning 13 and losing nine in 24 matches. Their conduct in the Windies Tests also wasn’t convincing, as neither they troubled the hosts with the bat nor the ball.

Citing examples of how poor they had been thus far; Jonny Bairstow leads batting run-chart with 108 runs in four innings while Ben Stokes has eight wickets, most by an England bowler in two Tests.

Meanwhile, ahead of the third Test, England has made some necessary changes to the 12-man squad. They left out the youngster, Ben Foakes and brought in Keaton Jennings in his place.

Probable XI: Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Joe Denly, Joe Root(c), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson

Match Prediction –

Looking at how both the teams fared so far, Windies has a better chance of clinching the Test rather than England winning it. However, it isn’t the case. In the Windies camp, Jason Holder is missing, and he, being their best performer not playing the Test could benefit the opposition. Also, England’s pride is hurt, and they will do everything possible to alter the numbers. Therefore, I back England to come good against the Windies team in the third Test at St. Lucia.