Can The West Indies Make History?

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. July 24, 2020: The final of the historic 3 test match series between the West Indies and England begins at 6 a.m. EST today at Old Trafford. The big question of every fans mind is whether the Windies can create history and win the test series even as England brings back their own West Indies born player, Jofra Archer, to the fold this morning.

After all, they won the opening Test by four wickets and lost the second by 113 runs, to leave the three-Test series tied 1-1. Still the lost the second test and last won a Test series in 1988 before any member of the present team was born.

But Assistant coach Roddy Estwick thinks the Windies can do it! “We’re constantly reminding them they have the chance to change something that hasn’t happened in 32 years,” he added. “We have to be up for it. Obviously England is going to be up for it because it’s a final – when you look at this game it is a final for both teams and whoever puts in a big performance also will win the game.”

But says, Eswick, the West Indies must control the game from early in each innings.

“The key thing is if you look at the first innings [of the first Test] we got early wickets, when we won in Southampton we got off to a decent start in the first innings with the bat so for me those are two key areas,” said Estwick. “If we can blunt that new ball and stop England from getting early wickets and also get early wickets ourselves, that could put us in a position to control the game and try and put them under some added pressure.”

Estwick says he is not concerned in terms of the players form because he thinks they’re hitting the ball quite well and getting into positions.

What he is concerned about is that people have gotten starts and not gone on to get big hundreds and that’s been the difference.

“If you look at the last game, Stokes and Sibley got big hundreds and that’s been the big difference in the last Test match so we’re hoping that players once they get in can keep going and keep getting big partnerships,” he stated. “Partnerships are the key. We’re getting starts, we’re looking good but we’re not going on so that’s the concern that nobody is going on to get big hundreds but we’re not worried about the form.”