John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood helped West Indies clinch a win in the first Test and take 1-0 lead in the series. Campbell scored an unbeaten fifty in the second innings.
The Caribbean side was handed a target of 84 runs in the second innings but they lost some early wickets and were 9/3 when John Campbell and Jermaine Blackwood came in for the rescue and made sure that there was no further fall of wickets.
Campbell was unbeaten at 58 while Blackwood had scored 26 at the end of the Match.
The 33-year old fast bowler had to clear a last-minute fitness test to make himself available for selection, and once he did, he terrorised the Bangladesh batting line-up, finishing with match figures of 7 for 74 and equalling Michael Holding’s tally of 249 Test wickets.
Kemar Roach too contributed heavily in the Antigua win, after nearly missing the game.
Kemar Roach is the Player of the Match, The speedster says that his family is very proud of him and it’s a good feeling to help the fans get happy.
Mentions that it’s a great feeling to equal Michael Holding’s record and wants to keep working and get to 300 Test wickets.
He thanks all his coaches who have taught him the fundamentals of bowling and is happy to have those guys in his career.
Feels that they did that really well and praises the supporting bowlers. He ranks this performance of his in his top five at this stadium.
Simmons also heaped praise on Kemar Roach for guiding the youngsters both on and off the field adding that he is happy to have such a leader in the dressing room.
“[Roach] has taken things to the next level,” Simmons said. “He has been excellent. He is now tied with Mikey [Holding], but in the dressing room he is always leading the youngsters. He has played 70 Tests, so he educates them. It is great to have him in the dressing room.”
Meanwhlie, West Indies’ slip catching too was impressive in this Test match.
They took 13 catches behind the wicket, dropping just the one. Six of those 13 catches were taken at slip, while wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva gobbled up the other seven.
Simmons was asked to explain this and he said,
“it is a matter of practice. I think the guys are enjoying the fact that the balls are coming to them. It is after a long time I am seeing the ball going to first slip in the Caribbean. It is nice to see.
“There’s also the fact that Jason Holder might come back into the team later in the year so nobody wants to be put out of there. They know that he will walk right back into the slips. That could be a motivation too.”