Twitter Reactions: Kraigg Brathwaite's blockathon effort leads West Indies to draw in Barbados Test

The second Test match between England and West Indies also ended in a draw as the home team survived 65 overs on the final day to avoid a defeat. This means the three-match series still stands at 0-0 after the first two Tests. West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite batted with remarkable resilience as he returned unbeaten after scoring 56 off 184 balls.

For England, Jack Leach was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets. Speaking of how the final day panned out, England, who had earned a 96-run lead in the first innings, resumed at their overnight score of 40/0. On expected lines, the visiting team batters were aggressive in their approach as some fireworks were on display in the initial half of the game.

The likes of Zak Crawley, Dan Lawrence, and Jonny Bairstow chipped in with significant contributions as the Three Lions declared at 185/6, setting West Indies a target of 282 runs. With just two sessions of play left in the game, the target was beyond the home team’s reach as they just looked to survive. However, the Caribbean team’s approach didn’t seem to be working as they lost three wickets inside 40 runs.

Kraigg Brathwaite’s remarkable resilience kept England away from win  

Two of them belonged to Saqib Mahmood, who was brilliant with the new ball. Skipper Brathwaite then found a substantial partner in Jermaine Blackwood as the duo put up a blockathon. The proceedings were then spiced up by Jack Leach, who dismissed Blackwood and Jason Holder in quick succession. However, Brathwaite didn’t put a foot wrong and he stitched up another important partnership with Joshua Da Silva.

The duo walked back unbeaten as the hosts ended at 135/5 in 65 overs. Notably, Brathwaite scored a hundred in West Indies’ first innings and followed it up with a match-saving 56 not out. Hence, he unsurprisingly received the Player-of-the-Match award. Meanwhile, the third and final Test is scheduled to get underway on March 24 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada.

Meanwhile, let’s look at how Twitterati reacted to the drawn affair: