Inspired Jason Holder hits double century as wicketless England toil

Ever so politely – for Jason Holder is a polite man – West Indies’ captain redoubled the torment of an England team who could score only 77 runs on Thursday and take no wickets on Friday. Holder, batting at No 8, hit a double century, only the third man in Test history to do that from there; Shane Dowrich hit his third Test century; and England toiled for four hours 40 minutes on this puzzling surface.

West Indies began the day on 127 for six hoping for a lead in excess of 400. When Holder declared after celebrating his double century the total was 415 for six and it was hard to conclude these two proud Bajans were “very ordinary, average cricketers”. There was more bewilderment in the air: 18 wickets on Thursday, none on Friday. The victory target of 628 was the highest set by West Indies.

Holder is a remarkable cricketer. Has there been a more elegant six foot seven inch batsman? Amid a gentle, languid swing of the bat his timing is exquisite; the ball travels vast distances but no violence is involved. As a bowler, despite those long levers, he is shrewd rather than speedy. He is surprisingly lacking in pace compared with so many of his lofty predecessors yet in 2018 he took his Test wickets at 12 apiece. No wonder he had a place in the ICC’s notional Test team of the year.

Yet none of the above is the most astonishing thing about Holder and that includes Friday’s silky double century. How many leaders have been heralded as great when they have been in charge of losing sides?

In sport results generally dictate judgments – it is easier that way – yet in the Caribbean there has long been the acknowledgment that Holder has been an exceptional leader of a losing side. Before strolling out to toss with Joe Root on Wednesday Holder had led West Indies 27 times out of his 35 Tests, starting at the age of 23. In that time West Indies had lost 15 and won seven matches. And yet it does not seem much of a mystery that Holder is so widely lauded. At a difficult time in West Indies’ cricket history he is bright, soft-spoken and measured when fulfilling his duties with the world at large; more importantly he is hugely respected by his players and by the board, a middle man who is better placed than anyone to keep what has often been a fragile peace in recent times.

And he can play all right; moreover his form seems to be enhanced by the captaincy, which can often prevent a player dwelling too long on the odd failure. He could muster only five runs in West Indies’ first innings; then he was the perfect foil to Kemar Roach on Thursday afternoon, unrelentingly accurate and capable of dismissing England’s best batsman in an eight-over spell. But on Friday he was centre stage, cruising to 202 from 229 balls with eight sixes.

Holder made it all look so effortless. He was respectful against the early overs from Jimmy Anderson and Ben Stokes but once they were rested he dissected a dispirited attack magnificently. When he decided to attack there was never a glimmer of a mishit. He shredded England’s major spinners although, perversely, Root prompted a few moments of indecision.

Dowrich, who was West Indies’ highest runscorer in Test cricket in 2018, looked on admiringly as his captain gracefully took control. He was more restrained, yet compact and wonderfully pragmatic.

On Thursday English batsmen felt the pain of a public humiliation as they came and went like mourners in a funereal procession. Now it was the turn of the bowlers to be cruelly exposed. For them there was no early release to the pavilion. Root now resembled the little Dutch boy sticking his finger in the dyke. Unfortunately he did not have enough fingers.

By now it had become patently obvious that England’s selection for the Test had been flawed. It may be that this sticks in the memory for a long time. The Kolkata Test of 1993 is recalled when Graham Gooch and Micky Stewart, decided to play four seamers plus the greenhorn, Ian Salisbury, even though India had announced their team, which included three spinners. India prevailed. Likewise Root will not forget this selection quickly; nor, one imagines, will Stuart Broad. West Indies are highly likely to prevail.

Root’s agony was highlighted on Friday morning. It soon became apparent that, if Holder and Dowrich could survive the opening spells of Stokes and Anderson, who was moving gingerly after his first innings exertions, there would be runs aplenty. England’s captain had five regular bowlers at his disposal but in his heart of hearts he wanted to bowl only two of them.

As soon as Anderson was rested Holder took 13 runs from Moeen Ali’s first over with three off-side boundaries. They tried a series of eccentric fields for Sam Curran to no great effect. Adil Rashid was toothless and expensive. England had not looked so moribund in the field since India piled up 759 for seven in Chennai in 2016. The solitary – and substantial – consolation for England was that they managed to negotiate their 20 overs in the final session without losing a wicket with Rory Burns in particular batting with reassuring composure.

Quite how they react to this experience when they get to Antigua remains a mystery. But one thing is certain: they will not be picking the same team.