WI vs Eng: Kraigg Brathwaite praises Nkrumah Bonner for his determination
Mar 13, 2022
St John's [Antigua], March 13 : West Indies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite praised his teammate Kraigg Brathwaite and said that his determination is an example for other players.
West Indies safely batted out the final day as the first Test against England ended in a draw at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday.
"Hard fought, all five days. It was a great effort from the bowling group and even the batters on the last day. First innings, we were good with the new ball. In the middle, when the ball isn't doing much, we could find ways to be a little tighter. (On Bonner) I think he's even better than me. Before the game, he told me 300 balls, that is the aim," said Kraigg Brathwaite after the play on final day ended.
"The determination he had is an example for us. He's special, he has a special mindset, he's set example for us to follow. This pitch was good for batting. The bowlers may get a bit out of the pitch in Barbados, especially early on. It's finding ways to build pressure, as a spinner under 3 RPO is crucial. The ball didn't spin much, so the spinner has to be tight," he added.
A rapid start to the day saw England add 132 in the morning session, with Joe Root reaching his 24th Test century along the way. And an aggressive declaration meant that West Indies had a little over two sessions to survive, with a target of 286 realistically out of reach.
Jack Leach took three wickets as England pushed hard on a flat pitch throughout the remainder of the day, but a strong fifth-wicket partnership between Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder removed the threat of a loss as the match ended in a draw.
In a tense final session, Bonner and Holder snitched an 80-run partnership that spanned 34.4 resolute overs.
With just five of the day's allocated deliveries remaining, Root opted to shake hands with West Indies marooned at 147/4, leaving the series all-square after the first Test.
