A sold out Edgbaston awaits the third and final Test on Friday.
With England 2-0 up, Captain Ben Stokes was in a chipper mood discussing his aspirations to clinch the series and his bowling depth. West Indies Skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was more reflective, looking to build on the positives from the second Test, while sharing his messages to the Men in Maroon.
It promises to be an exciting Test and England have named unchanged starting XI. Chris Woakes on home soil will play his 51st Test.
“We’re 2-0 up with two very good all-round performances so it’s an easy decision to stick with the same eleven,” said Stokes. “Changes will come naturally with six Tests this summer although The Hundred gives us a break. Fast bowling is hard so we’ll naturally see a change in the bowling line-up but that’s not required yet.
“We want to wrap-up the series and take it 3-0.”
The West Indies will certainly have something to say about that. Making 457 at Trent Bridge to secure a first-innings lead of 41, the tourists looked poised to dent England’s hosts, showcasing a talented, but young squad.
A tumble of wickets on day four led to an eventual home win, but Brathwaite is keen for his side to put together a complete performance.
“We haven’t put it all together just yet,” said the opener. “We batted well in the first innings at Trent Bridge, but not the second, and we’ve bowled well in pieces. We had a 50-run opening stand, but from there lost wickets quite quickly. We were in the game and it shows we’ve got to be on it all the time, not just three days, or even an hour.
“We have five Tests remaining for the year with Test Championship points at stake. We have lots to play for and that’s the message to the boys. It’s all about fighting and once we create that attitude around this Test team there will be growth.”
Kevin Sinclair has been ruled out due to a fractured forearm, courtesy of of Mark Wood’s bouncer at Trent Bridge, meaning Gudakesh Motie, reclaims his spinner’s spot. Shamar Joseph has flu with Akeem Jordan on standby to debut.
Additional tickets released for West Indies Test
A small number of tickets have been released for the first three days of our Men’s Test against West Indies this summer (26-30 July).
Over 80,000 tickets have been sold across the five days and remaining tickets are expected to go quickly.
Hospitality and Premium Tickets are still available for all days.
