The rub of the green went in Jermaine Blackwood’s way not once, but twice during the third day’s play of the second Test between England and West Indies at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. In the first instance, Blackwood was yet to open his account when he survived a scare. Ben Stokes struck him […]
The rub of the green went in Jermaine Blackwood’s way not once, but twice during the third day’s play of the second Test between England and West Indies at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. In the first instance, Blackwood was yet to open his account when he survived a scare. Ben Stokes struck him on the pads in the 47th over and appealed loudly.
But the on-field umpire didn’t pay heed to the appeal. Joe Root and England refrained from using the Decision Review System (DRS) referral. But replays showed that Blackwood would have been out had the hosts opted for the review. The batter was beaten on pace and was struck on the back pad.
Thereafter, in the 93rd over, luck favored Blackwood yet another time. This time around, Saqib Mahmood, who replaced Mark Wood in the eleven, castled the batter. The bowler was ecstatic after thinking that he had picked up his maiden Test wicket with an absolute peach of a delivery.
Blackwood was batting on 65 back then off 150 balls. But then, it was seen that Mahmood had overstepped the bowling crease. Instead of a wicket, the umpire called it a no-ball. Blackwood would have heaved a high of relief after two let-offs in his knock.
Luck favours @JBlackwood100 not once but twice!
— FanCode (@FanCode) March 19, 2022
Blackwood went on to pay the Three Lions for their blemishes and scored 102 runs off 215 balls with the help of 11 fours. He also shared a 183-run stand for the fourth wicket with skipper Kraigg Brathwaite. Blackwood got out after Daniel Lawrence trapped him plumb in front.
The Brits would consider themselves unlucky as Blackwood ended up getting a three-figure score where he should have been out for a duck. Brathwaite also went on to score a ton and stayed unbeaten at close of play on the third day of the second Test.
Stokes didn’t get Blackwood’s wicket, but dismissed Nkrumah Bonner, who won the Player of the Match award for his magnificent knock in the first Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. At stumps on Day three, the hosts still trailed by 219 runs with six wickets left in their first innings.
WATCH: Ben Stokes and Jermaine Blackwood engage in war of words; umpire separates pair
Bowling coach Jeetan Patel pointed at the two mistakes after the day’s play on Sky Sports: “You look at those moments and we made two mistakes today,” said Patel. “We didn’t review an lbw that was probably out and then there was the no-ball.
“But if we only make two mistakes a day, we’re going alright.”
“No one wants those stories. It’s not great for Saqib but I’m sure he’ll learn his lesson going forward.”
Watch the batter get 2⃣ lives on way to his ton on 