Kraigg Brathwaite’s celebrated obduracy was again necessary after his first innings marathon 160 as the West Indies captain’s unbeaten second innings half-century ensured another draw on the final day of the second Test against England at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday.
Needing to survive two sessions having been set the improbable target of 282, Brathwaite’s unbeaten 56 made sure a stumble to 93 for five just after tea did not result in a complete collapse as he got the necessary support from Joshua da Silva (30 not out) with the skipper and wicketkeeper negotiating 21 overs without being separated.
Having opted to declare his team’s second innings at 185 for six at the end of a rain-interrupted first session, England skipper Joe Root took two catches with the home side sliding into early trouble at 39 for three at the start of the afternoon session.
Left-arm spinner Jack Leach struck in his very first over when opener John Campbell was caught off bat and pad by Alex Lees at silly point. However it was Saqib Mahmood, one of England’s two debutants in their bowling attack, who claimed the other two wickets with assistance from his skipper.
Shamarh Brooks hung his bat outside the off-stump and Zak Crawley juggled with the chance at second slip before an alert Root completed the catch. Mahmood drew an edge from Nkrumah Bonner’s bat four overs later for the captain to make no mistake at first slip. Brathwaite and Brooks extended their fourth-wicket stand to exactly 50 when Leach drew a defensive prod for Jonny Bairstow to take the catch on his knees at gully. When new man Jason Holder wafted loosely at the specialist spinner and Dan Lawrence took a diving catch at short extra-cover, West Indies were very much in danger of capitulating.
But the captain found solidity and determination in the shape of Da Silva as the pair saw the West Indies to safety to leave the series open going into the final Test in Grenada on Thursday. “My plan was just to play straight and as late as possible. I really enjoyed it,” said Brathwaite after being named man of the match for two innings in which he faced a combined 673 deliveries, the most ever by a West Indies batsman in a single Test in 94 years of Test cricket.
There has been considerable criticism of the pitches for the first two Tests in Antigua and Barbados and the West Indies captain was hopeful there will be a different surface for the third and final Test. “Obviously we would like to see something in it for the pacers,” he stated. “All in all I am happy with the big effort we put in for both matches so far.”

SCOREBOARD
England 1st Innings 507-9 declared
West Indies 1st Innings 411

England 2nd Innings (overnight 40-0)
A. Lees c Joseph b Permaul 24
Z. Crawley c Seales b Joseph 40
J. Root c Campbell b Permaul 9
D. Lawrence c Joseph b Seales 41
B. Stokes c Brathwaite b Roach 19
J. Bairstow c Roach b Seales 29
B. Foakes not out 11
C. Woakes not out 9
Extras (b1, nb1, w1) 3
Total (6 wkts declared, 39.5 overs) 185
Fall of wickets: 1-51 (Lees), 2-67 (Root), 3-74 (Crawley), 4-110 (Stokes), 5-161 (Bairstow), 6-167 (Lawrence)
Bowling: K. Roach 8-3-31-1 (1nb, 1w), V. Permaul 10-0-29-2, J. Seales 6-0-34-2, K. Brathwaite 1-0-5-0, J. Holder 8.5-1-40-0, A. Joseph 6-0-45-1

West Indies 2nd Innings
K. Brathwaite not out 56
J. Campbell c Lees b Leach 10
S. Brooks c Root b Mahmood 4
N. Bonner c Root b Mahmood 3
J. Blackwood c Bairstow b Leach 27
J. Holder c Lawrence b Leach 0
J. da Silva not out 30
Extras (b1, lb2, nb2) 5
Total (5 wkts, 65overs) 135
Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Campbell), 2-23 (Brooks), 3-39 (Bonner), 4-89 (Blackwood), 5-93 (Holder)
Bowling: C. Woakes 4-0-11-0, M. Fisher 2-1-4-0, J. Leach 25-13-36-3, S. Mahmood 8-2-21-2 (1nb), J. Root 6-3-15-0, B. Stokes 7-2-9-0 (1nb), D. Lawrence 13-34-36-0