Assistant coach Roddy Estwick has underscored the importance of the upcoming third and final Test match starting Friday, reminding West Indies that history was within their grasp once they managed to produce a “big performance” to beat England at Old Trafford. Pointing out that the Test possessed the aura of a final, Estwick also reiterated that controlling the game from early in each innings would be critical if West Indies were to emerge dominant.
“Obviously this a big, big Test match not only for the people who are here in England but for people in the Caribbean and all our supporters all around the world. This is a really big Test match, there will be a lot of people tuned and we’ve got to be really up for it, Estwick said. “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. “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 continued:
: “We’re constantly reminding them they have the chance to change something that hasn’t happened in 32 years. “We played them over the last two or three years and we’ve won the odd Test matches. We’ve obviously won in the Caribbean – we want to go one step better here in England. We really want to win that Test match. “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.”
West Indies last won a Test series in 1988 before any member of the present team was born. They won the opening Test by four wickets and lost the second by 113 runs, to leave the three-Test series tied 1-1.
We’re not concerned in terms of their form because we think they’re hitting the ball quite well, they’re getting into positions. What we’re concerned about is that people have gotten starts and not gone on to get big hundreds and that’s been the difference,” Estwick said. “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. “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.”
