Test cricket: Cricket News & Match Updates

During the innings break of the fifth ODI against New Zealand at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Cricket West Indies honoured Kemar Roach for becoming only the fifth West Indian to claim 300 Test wickets, joining Courtney Walsh (519), Curtly Ambrose (405), Malcolm Marshall (376) and Lance Gibbs (309). He also became only the second Barbadian, after Gibbs, to reach the landmark, which he achieved during the first Test against Sri Lanka in Antigua.  

Roach's achievement deserves far greater appreciation because, unlike the celebrated West Indian pace pairs, Marshall and Holding, Walsh and Ambrose, he carried the attack almost single-handedly for nearly two decades. He reached 300 wickets in 89 Tests, 161 innings and 2,590 overs, despite rarely having another frontline fast bowler to share the workload. During most of his career, his principal pace support came from Shannon Gabriel (110 wickets) and Jason Holder (109), underlining how much responsibility rested on Roach's shoulders.     Read More...