West Indies vs England 3rd Test: England recover with defiant 10th-wicket stand vs Windies

England recovered from the brink of disaster thanks to a 10th-wicket stand of 90 between Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood, to be all out for 204 at stumps on day one in the series decider in Grenada. It was a modest total but still way better than the visitors could have dreamed of when they were 114 for nine, after earlier being 67 for seven. In his second Test, tailender Mahmood (49) made not only his highest first-class score, but the equal third-highest by an England No. 11. The bespectacled Leach was equally impressive in scoring 41 not out after being dropped on 10 by Kyle Mayers at first slip, a regulation chance that might come back to haunt the hosts.

Just when it seemed England would survive until the close, Mahmood dragged a ball onto his stumps from part-time spinner Jermaine Blackwood that he could easily have left alone. For all their early success in ripping through the top order, West Indies let England off the hook with poor bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping as their frustration built at their inability to mop up the 10th wicket. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite rested his five-pronged pace attack waiting for the second ball, using himself and fellow part-time spinner Nkrumah Bonner. They certainly did not cause much concern for the England tailenders, who helped themselves to runs almost at will, a far cry from earlier when the West Indies pace attack made the lively pitch look like a minefield.

"West Indies threw everything at England and if anything ran out of juice as the day went on," said former England fast bowler Steve Harmison. ROOT DUCKEarlier, bowling all-rounder Mayers picked up two vital early wickets without conceding a run as West Indies eyed winning the Caribbean series following draws on flat