- Title: Revived West Indies eye unlikely series win at Lord's
- Date: 6th September 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (SEPTEMBER 5, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WEST INDIES TEAM PRACTISING
- Embargoed: 20th September 2017 17:19
- Keywords: England West Indies Cricket
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Cricket,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA00B6XGLQ9R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Against all the odds, West Indies will arrive at Lord's on Thursday (September 7) with their eyes on a first Test series victory in England since 1988 after a remarkable turnaround in fortunes.
Beaten out of sight in the first day-night test in England at Edgbaston, where they lost 19 wickets on the third and last day, the visitors rebounded in thrilling fashion at Headingley.
Eyes will now be on Jason Holder's young team, and double centurion Shai Hope in particular, to see if they can build on that triumph, which took even seasoned pundits by surprise.
Joe Root's England will also be under close observation as a series that looked like being a walkover has suddenly taken on greater significance with an Ashes series in Australia looming.
Nagging doubts about the solidity of the top order resurfaced at Headingley, where Windies pacemen Shannon Gabriel and Kemar Roach bowled superbly to dismiss England for 258 in their first innings after Root had won the toss and batted.
Of most concern is a reliable opening partner for Alastair Cook with Mark Stoneman having failed to nail down the spot with scores of eight, 19 and 52 so far in the series.
Essex batsman Tom Westley also needs a big score to have any chance of convincing the selectors that he should be on the plane to Australia later this year.
England's chastened attack will be anxious to put the record straight too after being unable to prevent West Indies reaching their target of 322 in the second innings at Leeds to claim a five-wicket victory.
James Anderson was expected to bag his 500th Test wicket but went wicketless in the second innings to remain three short of becoming the sixth bowler to reach that mark.
Root's decision to declare England's second innings at Headingley on 490-8 a few over before the end of the fourth day helped set up a thrilling spectacle, although some have questioned the wisdom of such an attacking option.
The Yorkshireman will want to put that conversation to bed by claiming a second series victory of his first summer in charge, having already steered his side past South Africa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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