Jason Holder’s All-Round Performance Revitalizes West Indies on Day 1Jason Holder’s All-Round Performance Revitalizes West Indies on Day 1 Jason Holder produced a superb all-round performance on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston, lifting the West Indies from a precarious position to a competitive total and then taking three crucial wickets. The former captain contributed a valuable 59 runs to the West Indies’ 282 total, helping them convert a dismal 5-115 into a more respectable score. His partnership of 109 with Joshua da Silva (49) was a crucial stand that kept England at bay. Holder’s impressive performance continued in the field, where he made two sharp catches at slip to dismiss Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett off Jayden Seales’ bowling. He then caught nightwatchman Mark Wood to reduce England to 3-38 at stumps, leaving them trailing by 244 runs. The West Indies’ total looked more impressive after they hit back with three wickets in eight overs towards the end of the day’s play. Seales finished with figures of 2-19 from four overs, while Ollie Pope and Joe Root were yet to bat at the close of play. “At that point, the runs are irrelevant, we can just attack,” said Holder. “With 40 minutes to go, you can run and give everything you can.” England had earlier taken 3-69 through Chris Woakes on Holder’s home turf, but the paceman admitted that the West Indies’ late fightback had spoiled the mood. “Obviously, it’s not ideal to lose three tonight, it’s not the perfect end to the day, I think,” Woakes said. West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis had earlier put on a solid opening stand of 76, but the dismissal of Louis opened the door for England. Alick Athanaze’s careless shot on the final ball of the session left the West Indies trailing at lunch. After lunch, Brathwaite and Kavem Hodge were dismissed in quick succession, but Holder’s counterattack and da Silva’s support helped steady the ship. Holder eventually fell to Atkinson, but his innings and the wickets he took have given the West Indies renewed hope in a series where they trail 2-0.
Jason Holder produced a superb all-round performance as the West Indians took three late wickets, including both England openers with consecutive deliveries, in a thrilling comeback on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Friday.
Holder’s 59 saw the West Indians convert their 5-115 record into a total of 282 as they bid to regain pride after trailing 2-0 in this three-match series.
And the impressive all-rounder then made two fine slip catches to drop England to 3-38 at stumps, a deficit of 244 runs.
Zak Crawley fell for eight when he dismissed a loose drive from fast bowler Jayden Seales, with Holder having a sharp chance to his left at second slip. The next delivery Crawley’s opening partner, Ben Duckett, played through to Alzarri Joseph.
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England had sent Mark Wood on as night watchman after Crawley’s attack but he fell short when he guided Seales low past Holder.
Seales had figures of 2-19 from four overs at the close, while Ollie Pope and Joe Root – who both scored hundreds in England’s 241-run win in the second Test at Trent Bridge – were back in action on Saturday.
“If you look at the speed of that wicket, you would think the batters would come in and go long,” Holder said.
“Unfortunately, none of our batters were able to do that, but we did get some starts.”
But West Indies’ score looked a lot better when they hit the ball back in eight overs that lasted about 40 minutes.
“It was a bonus to get three wickets,” said the 32-year-old Holder, who was playing in his 67th Test.
“At that point the runs are irrelevant, we can just attack. With 40 minutes to go you can run and give everything you can.”
Paceman Chris Woakes, like many at Edgbaston, thought it would be England’s day after taking 3-69 on his home turf in Warwickshire.
“When we threw them out I was really happy,” Woakes said.
“Obviously it’s not ideal to lose three tonight, it’s not the perfect end to the day I think.” Earlier, West Indians were well-placed at 0-76 after captain Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss under blue skies on a good strike.
But then they suffered another of the setbacks that had proved fatal in the first two Tests, when five wickets fell either side of lunch.
Former captain Holder, however, found a solid ally in Joshua Da Silva (49) as the duo kept England at bay with a sixth-wicket partnership of 109.
But the rest of the innings flowed smoothly, with fast bowler Gus Atkinson taking 4-67 in 20 overs.
After a cautious start, Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis played some good knocks, with the captain completing a 70-ball fifty, including six fours.
But England hit back when Louis (26) fended off Atkinson and gave wicketkeeper Jamie Smith a simple catch.
New batsman Kirk McKenzie, who was only half-forward, was run out by Wood’s fast ball at 91 mph.
And on the final ball of the session, Alick Athanaze carelessly hit an attempted pull off from Atkinson onto his stumps to leave the West Indians 3-97 at lunch.
Ben Stokes of England. Photo by David Rogers/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
Brathwaite, who had 56 points on the scoreboard at half-time, had only scored five when he played an attempted pull-off from Wood down the legside to Smith.
And 4-115 became 5-115 when Kavem Hodge, making his maiden Test century at Trent Bridge, deliberately missed a cross from Woakes but the ball ended up on top of the off-stump.
But Holder countered by sending 20-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who made a match-winning 5-41 at Trent Bridge, into multiple boundaries, including a stunning straight six.
Holder went on to a 92-ball fifty, including six fours. However, da Silva fell one ball short of the milestone when he was caught behind Woakes, leaving the West Indians at 6-224.
And Holder’s innings ended decisively when Atkinson flattened his off-stump.
