West Indies v England: Joe Root says momentum counts for nothing without victories

Captain Joe Root says England need to start turning promising performances into Test victories.

England last won a Test in July 2021 against India and have recorded only one success in their past 16 Tests.

They drew the first two matches of the current series in the West Indies, despite getting into good positions.

«The desire, will, and determination is there,» Root insisted before the third and final Test, which begins in Grenada on Thursday.

England, who have not won a Test series in West Indies since 2004, are expected to be without seam bowler Ollie Robinson.

Speaking to BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew, Root explained: «We're picking up momentum, but that doesn't really count for anything. International cricket is all about putting Ws in that end column.

»You can see by the way we're playing our cricket — that passion, enjoyment, desperation to win.

«If we keep playing as we have done in the previous two games I don't think it will be long before we win Test matches.»

After the second Test, Root said he could have been braver in declaring England's second innings earlier — a call that might have given them time to finish off the West Indies tail.

Root left his side two sessions to take 10 wickets on the final day, setting the hosts a target of 282 in 65 overs.

«We've found ourselves on two very dead wickets, this might be slightly different,» Root said of the Grenada pitch, following draws in Antigua and Barbados.

«We've got to finish strong, take all the confidence we've gained and follow through. It's an exciting prospect that there's so much to play for.»

With pace bowler Mark Wood ruled out by injury, and veterans James Anderson and Stuart Broad omitted from the original squad, Sussex's Robinson had hoped to lead