West Indies stun England to clinch first Test

Jermaine Blackwood's 95 inspired the tourists to a four-wicket win at The Ageas Bowl after the chased 200 on day five

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The Ageas Bowl (fifth day of five): England 202 & 313, West Indies 318 & 200-6 - West Indies win by six wickets

West Indies kept their nerve to clinch a four-wicket win over England and take a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series at The Ageas Bowl.

Jermaine Blackwood (95) was the star of the fourth innings pursuit of 200 - set after England were bowled out for 313 in their second innings - scoring 66 to keep the hosts at bay.

Two wickets for Jofra Archer and one for Mark Wood had the tourists in trouble on 27 for 3, while John Campbell had to retire hurt.

But assisted by a tired-looking pitch and sunny overhead conditions in Southampton, the Windies staged another unlikely win over England - three years on from their success at Headingley.

The normally expansive Blackwood played a fine hand, putting on 63 with Chase before a brutal ball from Archer dismissed the latter and gave England renewed hope.

Dowrich, fresh from his first-innings half-century came in to steady the ship and end any hope the hosts had of turning the match around until he edged behind off Ben Stokes, who had dismissed the wicket-keeper from the previous delivery but overstepped.

Blackwood was denied a second Test century, he was caught at mid-off by James Anderson for the second time in the match five short of the milestone - but his exit was a case of too little, too late.

Stokes' side will rue other missed chances during the afternoon session. Blackwood was spilled by the skipper, Jos Buttler and then missed by Rory Burns in the slips.

Zak Crawley was then unable to produce a run-out following a mix-up between the Windies batsmen.

Had any of those opportunities been taken it may have altered the outcome but few would deny the West Indies a victory which takes them a step closer to claiming the Wisden Trophy for the first time on English soil since 1988.

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