England vs West Indies, 3rd Test: Rain washes out fourth day’s play

The fourth day’s play of series-deciding third and final Test was abandoned due to incessent rain at the Old Trafford Cricket Stadium in Manchester on Monday.

Not even a single delivery was possible because of continuous downpour on Day 4, with the players also being forced to stay inside their respective dressing rooms throughout the day.

At stumps on Day 3 on Sunday, West Indies were reduced to 10 for two in their second-innings, with Kraigg Brathwaite (2) and Shai Hope (4) remaining unbeaten at the crease.

The West Indies still need 388 runs to win the third Test–which looks unlikely for the visitors with just eight wickets and a day left in hand.

If the Caribbean side somehow manages to clinch the miraculous win, it will be West Indies’ first Test series win in England since 1988.

Meanwhile, if the visitors somehow also manage to end the match in a draw, they will retain the Wisdon Trophy.

Meanwhile, England’s Stuart Broad is just a wicket shy of joining an exclusive club of bowlers who have scalped 500 Test wickets.

The England fast bowler will look to achieve that feat and become the second Englishman after James Anderson to reach the landmarkand seventh overall. 

Earlier, opener Rory Burns (90 runs) and Dom Sibley (56) and skipper Joe Root (68 not out) all shone with the bat as England declared their second innings at 226 for two to set a huge 399-run target for the Caribbean side.

The hosts had earlier bundled out West Indies for 197 in reply to their first-innings’ score of 369.

Brief Scores: England 369 and 226/2d (Rory Burns 90, Joe Root 68*; Holder 1/24) vs West Indies 197 & 10/2 (Shai Hope 4*; Stuart Broad 2/8)