West Indies vs England 3rd Test: Predictions and Betting Tips

Key Stats

• England have only won one Test series in West Indies since 1968
• The first and second Tests are the only drawn Tests between the sides in the last 13 matches
• But a draw has been the result in six of the last 12 matches between West Indies and England in the Caribbean
• England have lost six of their last ten Test matches (D4)
• England have lost seven and drawn three of their last ten away Tests
• The Windies have failed to win any of their last four home Test series (D2, L2)

What does the Grenada pitch have in store?

Lifeless pitches in the first two Tests have produced seemingly inevitable draws. All eyes will be on the 22 yards created at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada to see if it is likely to offer any more for batters and bowlers alike.

All three Tests played at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada have gone into the fifth day.
West Indies have not won in Grenada. They drew against New Zealand in 2002 and lost to Bangladesh by four wickets in 2009 and to England by nine wickets in 2015.

Four West Indies players and two from England survive into the current series. Kraigg Brathwaite scored 1 and 116 in Grenada in 2015, Jermaine Blackwood made 26 and 10, Jason Holder went wicketless (0/68, 22, 2), while Kemar Roach returned 0/118 across the match. For England, Joe Root hit 182 not out and Ben Stokes scored 8 runs and had match figures of 1/100.

Barbados Brathwaite broke stamina records

Kraigg Brathwaite is a rarity among modern day cricketers. Yes, he played 10 ODIs in 2016 and 2017, but he’s predominantly been a red ball specialist. His Player of the Match performance on his native Barbados won’t have excited those that are not Test purists. But it was an incredible feat of endurance and belligerence.

The West Indies skipper scored 160 and an unbeaten 56 to ensure the draw. In doing so, he batted for almost 16 hours and faced 673 balls, the most ever by a West Indies cricketer in a Test match. He is averaging 101.33 across the two Tests in the series.

Brathwaite is the obvious pick if looking for a leading batter for West Indies in the third Test. Particularly as he scored 1 and 116 in the last Test played in Grenada six years ago, also against England.

Other West Indies batters playing for their futures

Opener John Campbell is now averaging only 22.93 in 17 Tests. He’s made scores of 25, 22, 4 and 10 in the last two Tests.

Campbell may not survive to play in Grenada, but it’s Shamarh Brooks that is most frustrating. Technically equipped, but always finding ways to get out, Brooks has been dismissed for 18, 5, 39 and 4. After a solid start to his Test career he now hasn’t passed 40 in his last 10 Test innings.

Joe Root steps up at number three

Many questioned whether Root’s phenomenal form at no.4 in the batting order would be tempered at no.3, but he’s continued to prosper. With two Caribbean centuries (109 and 153), he’s always the man to back to top score for his country.

Dan Lawrence has produced 189 runs from no.4. He’s succumbed in a quest for quick runs too, so his series could look more impressive if he hadn’t put the team first.

Zak Crawley’s first Test ton has given him time, but he remains inconsistent. Alex Lees will get another chance in the third Test but hasn’t overly impressed yet.

And with Ben Stokes (120 in the second Test, Jonny Bairstow (140 in the first Test) batting at fiv=e and six, there is solidity in the middle order. Stokes averages 51.86 across his 14 Tests against West Indies and has 36 wickets at 26.97 with the ball.

A word on this guy.

94.5 overs in the match.

A mammoth effort ?

? #WIvENG ??????? | @jackleach1991 ? pic.twitter.com/kfkzCB8PQK

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 20, 2022

Pace versus spin

In Grenada, despite a small three Test sample size, pace looks likely to succeed in the first innings and spin to dominate the second. When England played there in 2015, pace took nine of the first innings wickets and six in the second.

With the leading wicket taker markets focussed on first innings wickets it seems sensible to go with pace in both sides, particularly as slow left-armer Veerasammy Permaul has been largely ineffective for the hosts.

For West Indies, Alzarri Joseph has taken 36 wickets at 34.08 in home Tests as opposed to only 11 wickets at 61.18 away from home. He’s bagged seven wickets in this series, and all have been from the top order. He’s priced at an attractive 4.50.

England’s bowling

The quest to take 20 West Indies wickets was made no easier when Mark Wood was injured in the first Test. Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Fisher debuted in Barbados and did well despite the surface.

Jack Leach took match figures of 6/154 in a 94.5 over match marathon. He may be joined by uncapped Matt Parkinson in the third Test if England feel spin is going to be crucial again.

Sticking with the likelihood that pace will take the first innings wickets, Saqib Mahmood at 4.33 looks a play. He has the ability to bowl with pace, get conventional and reverse swing. The Lancashire bowler could back up his impressive debut match figures of 4/79.

Who wins?

If the series was decided on points, like a boxing match, England would be ahead on the judges’ cards. Joe Root has declared the second innings twice but failed to force a result on the final day.

Although neither of the two completed drawn Tests have any real influence on the third Test, England will believe they can complete only their second series win in West Indies in 54 years.

Because of the nature of the series so far, England are at their best price yet to win and it’s time to jump on at 2.20.

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Joshua Da Silva, Jason Holder, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Veerasammy Permaul, Anderson Phillip, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales.

England Test squad: Joe Root (captain), Jonathan Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Matthew Fisher, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.