Brathwaite, Blackwood centuries stymie England in second test

(Corrects headline to second test)

:Centuries by West Indies' Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood stymied a frustrated England on day three of the second test in Barbados on Friday in a match that increasingly seems headed for a draw.

Their 183-run fourth-wicket stand lifted West Indies to 288 for four in their first innings, still 219 runs behind England at stumps.

Blackwood, who would have gone lbw for a duck if England had reviewed the decision, finally went shortly before the close for 102, plumb lbw when not offering a shot to spinner Jack Leach.

Barbadian Brathwaite was an immovable object as he played with the utmost of caution in taking 278 balls to reach his 10th test century.

He received a warm ovation upon reaching his ton at his home ground even from many England fans in a mostly full Kensington Oval.

Opener Brathwaite has been on the field for every minute of the first three days, displaying a powerful sense of concentration that has never wavered.

He was 109 at stumps, with nightwatchman Alzarri Joseph on four.

Though he has a mediocre batting average of barely 33, Brathwaite has been a West Indies mainstay for more than a decade and knows how to occupy the crease.

He was supported on Friday by a sometimes lucky Blackwood, who should have been sent packing twice and England both times had only themselves to blame.

ENGLAND ERROR

The Jamaican was rapped on the pad by Ben Stokes for what would have been a duck, but England erred in opting not to review the on-field not out call because ball-tracking showed it would have hit the middle of leg stump.

Blackwood had another life on 65 when bowled by a yorker, a no-ball call foiling what would have been debutant Saqib Mahmood's first test wicket.

The England bowlers