The third Test between England and West Indies at Old Trafford began on Friday (July 24). Both teams have won one game each in the three-match series. On the first day, Windies bowler started pretty well by striking four wickets early. However then Ollie Pope and Jos Buttler got hosts out from hot waters. They added 136 runs for the fifth wicket till the end of days play.
However, the visitors came back strongly in the first session on Day 2 as they didn’t allow England to capitalise the situation. Pope, who was on 91 when he started his innings again on the second day, failed to add even a single run. It all happened in the 90th over when pacer Shannon Gabriel bowled a full delivery which nipped back in sharply and demolished the stumps of Pope.
Then in the very next over, Kemar Roach produced another breakthrough which also brought his 200th Test wicket. Roach went for a back of a length delivery and Chris Woakes hanged himself back to put it through the covers, but he only managed an inside edge which dismantled the stumps.
In the process, Roach also became the first Windies bowler to accomplish 200 Test wickets feat in 26 years. Last time a Caribbean bowler reached such a landmark was in 1994 when legendary Curtly Ambrose had completed his tally of 200 Test scalps.
Roach is now the ninth West Indies bowler to join the elite club after Courtney Walsh, Ambrose, Malcolm Marshall, Lance Gibbs, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Gary Sobers, and Andy Roberts. Roach achieved the milestone in 59 Tests.
Tests to 200 wickets for WI:
- 42 – Malcolm Marshall
- 44 – Joel Garner
- 45 – Curtly Ambrose
- 46 – Lance Gibbs/ Andy Roberts
- 47 – Michael Holding
- 58 – Courtney Walsh
- 59 – Kemar Roach *
- 80 – Gary Sobers
Ambrose, who last attained the 200 Test wicket club for Windies, congratulated Roach for outstanding achievement. Ambrose also asked Roach to reach 250 and 300 Test wickets soon.
“I just want to say congratulations to him—debut 200 club. And from Curtly Ambrose to you Kemar, the next step is 250 and 300. Remember I tell you that,” said Ambrose in a video posted by Windies cricket – official Twitter handle of West Indies.
Here is the video:
🗣From the Legend @ambrose_curtly to @KemarAJR. Congratulations on your 2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣Test wicket milestone and keep on going!! 🙌🏾#ENGvWI #MenInMaroon #WIReady pic.twitter.com/mZXPHylBHG
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 25, 2020
