Twitter Reactions: Jermaine Blackwood and Shannon Gabriel steer West Indies to a win over England

Jermaine Blackwood played the most significant innings of his Test career to single-handedly steer his team past the finish line at Southampton in the first Test against England. The right-hander scored a sedate 95, as the West Indies side romped home with 4 wickets to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

Earlier in the day, the visitors were in trouble as they lost three quick wickets with just 27 runs on the board. After John Campbell had to hobble off the field after a searing yorker from Jofra Archer crashed onto his toe, Kraigg Brathwaite and Shamar Brooks were removed by Archer for single-digit scores. Mark Wood then castled Shai Hope as the visitors were pushed to the back foot. But then, the duo of Blackwood and Roston Chase came together to steady the ship for their side.

Jermaine Blackwood anchors the West Indies chase

Blackwood and Chase put on a match-turning 77-run partnership to allow the visitors to gain an upper hand in the match. The duo did not take any risks and kept the scoreboard ticking. And, when the opportunity presented itself, they pounced on it and made the bowlers pay.

But then, against the run of play, Jofra Archer removed Chase with a fiery bouncer that caught the batsman by surprise. But then, Blackwood continued to steer his side to the finish line by combining caution with calculated aggression.

When the bowlers went short, he cut them with panache, and when the bowlers went full, he was quick to transfer his weight onto the front foot and drove them past cover or down the ground. But, the right-hander could not complete his hundred, as he mistimed an aerial drive and holed out to mid-off, with his side just 11 runs away from victory.

But then, skipper Jason Holder and Campbell, who returned to the crease once again held their nerve to enable their side to reach the target with 4 wickets to spare. The bandwagon now moves to Manchester where the next two Tests will be played. The visitors could not have started the series in a better fashion.

Here are some of the reactions from Twitter