With the series tied at 1-1, the third and final Test against England will start Thursday at Lords. (Source: AP)
England and the West Indies clash in the third and final test at Lords. With the Windies win in the second test at Headingley the series is all square and has set up an exciting contest in the home of cricket.
For England, the task will be clear to tighten their socks and get their act together. While skipper Joe Root has maintained his consistent form the onus will be on the others to deliver. The England middle order comprising of Tom Westley, Dawid Malan and Jonny Bairstow have looked vulnerable under pressure and hence with the Ashes coming up, the selectors will have a keen eye on them. The bowling also looked a bit insipid and hence James Anderson and Moeen Ali need to pick up wickets and provide breakthroughs consistently. Ben Stokes is another player who has not looked menacing with the ball. While England is expected to win the match and secure the series, West Indies have proved their mettle and will be looking to pull one more win and prove that the last win was not a flash in the pan.
Meanwhile, after match-winning knocks by Kraigg Braithwaite and Shai Hope, the Windies will be looking at the duo to replicate their form. However, the likes of Kyle Hope and Roston Chase have struggled in the series and hence they too need to come good with the bat. However, one area that Windies will look to improve upon is their fielding. In the past couple of Test several catches have been dropped and if Windies are looking for a win then they simply cannot afford to let chances slip by.
Squads
England
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Dawid Malan, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes.
West Indies
Jason Holder (captain), Kraigg Braithwaite, Devendra Bishoo, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich (wk), Shannon Gabriel, Shimron Hetmyer, Kyle Hope, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kieran Powell, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach.
