England in West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood tons frustrate tourists | Cricket News

West Indies cut England’s lead in second Test to 219 by stumps on day three as Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood score centuries; Blackwood saved by England non-review on nought and by Saqib Mahmood no-ball on 65 as home side close on 288-4 at Kensington Oval

Kraigg Brathwaite scored a century as West Indies frustrated England on day three in Barbados

​​​England were left to rue a costly non-review as West Indies cut their arrears in the second Test to 219 runs on day three thanks to centuries from captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood.

Blackwood (102 off 215 balls) would been dismissed for nought, and West Indies reduced to 101-4, had Joe Root called for DRS when Ben Stokes pinned the batter on the pad during the morning session in Barbados.

Blackwood was also reprieved on 65 – Saqib Mahmood denied a first Test wicket after overstepping while smashing the stumps with a dipping yorker – as West Indies closed on 288-4 in reply to England’s 507-9.

Blackwood did fall before stumps, trapped lbw by part-time spinner Dan Lawrence as his fourth-wicket partnership with the unbeaten Brathwaite (109no off 337) ended on an assiduous 183 from 411 deliveries.

Ben Stokes would have dismissed Jermaine Blackwood for nought had England gone for the review

Brathwaite notched his 10th Test century, third against England and first on his home ground during an innings of immense concentration, with Blackwood sealing his third Test hundred and second against Root’s men, against whom he now averages close to 46.

There were positives for England with Jack Leach drawing appreciable turn at times – as well as bowling more erratically at other stages – Matthew Fisher showing control and extracting bounce, and Mahmood finding reverse swing.

But the gentle nature of the pitch raised the questions of whether leg-spinner Matt Parkinson would have been an asset and whether they tourists the tools to take 20 wickets.

It also highlighted the void left by the loss of the side’s quickest bowler Mark Wood, who now faces an extended spell on the sidelines with a right elbow issue.

More to follow…

West Indies and England will resume the second Test at 2pm UK time on Saturday. Follow over-by-over text commentary from 1.45pm on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.