A drab series finally came to life on Thursday as a combination of a lively pitch, great bowling by West Indies and equally good late batting by England left the third test intriguingly poised.
England recovered from the brink of disaster thanks to a 10th-wicket stand of 90 between Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood, to be all out for 204 at stumps on day one in the series decider in Grenada.
It was a modest total but still way better than the visitors could have dreamed of when they were 114 for nine, after earlier being 67 for seven.
In his second test, tailender Mahmood (49) made not only his highest first-class score, but the equal third-highest by an England No. 11.
The bespectacled Leach was equally impressive in scoring 41 not out after being dropped on 10 by Kyle Mayers at first slip, a regulation chance that might come back to haunt the hosts.
Just when it seemed England would survive until the close, Mahmood dragged a ball onto his stumps from part-time spinner Jermaine Blackwood that he could easily have left alone.
For all their early success in ripping through the top order, West Indies let England off the hook with poor bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping as their frustration built at their inability to mop up the 10th wicket.
Captain Kraigg Brathwaite rested his five-pronged pace attack waiting for the second ball, using himself and fellow part-time spinner Nkrumah Bonner.
They certainly did not cause much concern for the England tailenders, who helped themselves to runs almost at will, a far cry from earlier when the West Indies pace attack made the lively pitch look like a minefield.
“West Indies threw everything at England and if anything ran out of juice as the day went on,” said former England fast bowler Steve Harmison.
Root duck
Earlier, bowling all-rounder Mayers picked up two vital early wickets without conceding a run as West Indies eyed winning the Caribbean series following draws on flat pitches in the first two tests.
Mayers quickly justified his inclusion after being picked for the first time in the series, replacing spinner Veerasammy Permaul.
Watched by Keith Mitchell, the prime minister of the tiny island nation of barely 100,000, Mayers took the first two wickets, getting opener Zak Crawley caught at short cover for seven.
He then had England captain Joe Root caught behind for a duck from a delivery that moved just enough off the pitch to nick the edge of the bat.
It was Root’s first test duck against West Indies, and his 11th overall.
Mayers finished with figures of 2-13 from 10 overs.
Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph each claimed two wickets, while Jayden Seales picked up three, including two beauties which bowled Ben Foakes (7) and Chris Woakes (25).
The England top order collapse more than justified the decision by Brathwaite to send England into bat and it remains to be seen whether England’s pace attack get as much assistance when they bowl at West Indies on Friday morning.
