A Match Saved, Not Won
Despite the disruption of an entire day due to rain and a
total of only 29 wickets falling throughout the match, the fourth Test
between England and the West Indies turned out to be a more engaging contest
than the statistics suggest. The West Indian over-rate—an anaemic 12.3 overs an
hour—did little to help matters, but the match’s narrative was unexpectedly
rich. At its heart: Gooch’s rousing 83, a rare West Indian collapse, and the
last-wicket heroics of Willey and Willis that rescued England from the jaws of
probable defeat.
The Collapse and the
Counterattack
After compiling a respectable 370 in their first innings,
England’s second innings disintegrated familiarly. Reduced to 92 for
nine, they seemed destined for a humiliating collapse. Given the reputation of
England’s brittle batting and the relentless pace of Holding, Croft, and
Garner, no great analysis is required to explain the tumble. What came next,
however, defied expectation.
Peter Willey and Bob Willis, facing a deficit of credibility
more than runs, forged an extraordinary, unbroken tenth-wicket stand worth 117
runs. When they came together, England led by a mere 197 with over three hours
left in the match. By the time they walked off undefeated, they had transformed
the complexion of the match entirely.
Willis’s Swan Song
and Willey’s Redemption
Though ungainly in execution, Willis’s dogged forward lunge
repeatedly denied the West Indians a breakthrough. His 24 not out was not only
a personal milestone—equalling his highest score in 80 innings—but a
psychological triumph. Having passed double figures only once in his last ten
outings, this was a final flourish; his deteriorating bowling form meant this
would be his last Test innings of the summer.
But it was Willey who carried the innings and the day. His
selection had already been under scrutiny, having scored just 90 runs in his
previous ten innings. Ironically, he owed his spot to a dropped catch by
Greenidge at Old Trafford two weeks prior. That reprieve led to an unbeaten 62,
and at The Oval, he fully justified the selectors' loyalty.
Arriving with the scoreboard reading 67 for six, Willey
displayed composure and steel. He shielded Willis from the strike and grew in
confidence as the West Indian pace faded. As he reached his maiden Test
hundred, it was clear that England’s survival was owed to his resolve and
temperament.
Injuries and
Misfortunes: West Indies Undone
Injuries played a critical part in blunting the West Indian
edge. Croft and Garner were unable to complete their spells during England’s
second innings, and captain Clive Lloyd tore a hamstring chasing a shot to leg
from Emburey. Though summoned from the hotel to bat if necessary, he played no
further part in the match or the series.
Croft had replaced the injured Roberts, while England
remained unchanged from the drawn Test at Old Trafford. Boycott again took the
field, with Old acting as twelfth man. The toss, won again by Botham, gave
England the initiative.
Gooch Ignites the
Innings
The first innings owed its fire to Graham Gooch. Though
Boycott retired hurt early—struck a nasty blow to the visor that drew blood and
left him with blackened eyes—it was Gooch’s innings that captured attention. He
combined fierce hooking and driving with intelligent placement, dominating
Croft in particular with 13 runs off a single over.
Though Rose initially looked tentative, he soon joined the
rhythm, and England reached 236 for three by stumps. Gooch’s departure—leg
before to Holding for a majestic 83—came just after Rose fell bowled to Croft.
The second day saw a mixture of resilience and recklessness: Boycott was run
out brilliantly by Greenidge, and Gatting fell just before lunch. The innings
ended after tea, the final tally boosted by Willey and Emburey’s composed
partnership.
Yet it had taken West Indies over ten hours to deliver 129
overs, almost entirely through fast bowling—a taxing strategy in both energy
and over-rate.
A False Dawn: West
Indies Falter
Rain returned to wash out Saturday, but the match reignited
with Botham claiming Richards—his 150th wicket—in style, courtesy of a sharp
gulley catch by Willey. With Dilley bowling at his fastest, West Indies
plummeted to 105 for five. Bacchus and Marshall rescued the innings briefly, with
Garner and Croft adding a further 64 for the eighth wicket. Even then, trailing
by 105, bookmakers rated the West Indies at 100 to one for victory.
Yet such was their bowling potency that by the close of
play, England were 20 for four, and a seemingly impossible West Indian win had
entered the realm of possibility.
The Turning Point: A
Missed Chance
As Holding and Croft continued their demolition job the next
day, victory looked within reach. But the contest turned again when, after 40
minutes of dogged resistance, Greenidge failed to hold a low chance at second
slip off Willis. England’s lead was 216, with three hours remaining—a window
that soon closed as Willey and Willis ground out their vigil.
A Draw Wrought from
Steel
The fourth Test was not won by England, nor lost by West Indies. But it was saved—bravely, improbably, dramatically. For all the pace and ferocity the West Indian bowlers brought, and all the fragility England exposed, it was the enduring image of two unlikely heroes—one a defiant tailender, the other a journeyman battler—that defined a match which refused to follow the script
Thank You
Faisal Caesar
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