PHOTOS: Blackwood shines as West Indies beat England in first Test

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Jermaine Blackwood

IMAGE: Jermaine Blackwood of West Indies bats during Day 5 of the 1st #RaiseTheBat Test match at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, on Sunday. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB

Jermaine Blackwood's fighting 95 in the second innings helped West Indies seal a four-wicket win over England on a gripping final day of the first Test at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday.

Chasing 200 to win, West Indies lost three early wickets but Blackwood shared a 73-run stand with Roston Chase (37) to revive their hopes before skipper Jason Holder and John Campbell steadied the ship to guide the visitors home.

 

West Indies took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, with the second and third Tests to be held in Manchester without fans present in the stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IMAGE: Shai Hope is bowled by England pacer Mark Wood. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB

Earlier, England resumed their second innings on 284-8 and were bowled out for 313. West Indies paceman Shannon Gabriel claimed his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests, finishing with 5-75.

Shannon Gabriel

IMAGE: West Indies pacer Shannon Gabriel celebrates after taking the wicket of England's Jofra Archer during Day 5 of the first Test at The Ageas Bowl in Southampton, on Sunday. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB

Wood edged paceman Shannon Gabriel to wicketkeeper Dowrich and Archer became Gabriel’s fifth victim of the innings as he edged a short-pitched ball to the keeper on 23.

Jofra Archer

IMAGE: England fast bowler Jofra Archer celebrates after dismissing West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks during Day 5. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB

Gabriel finished with figures of 5-75 -- his sixth five-wicket haul in Tests -- while Chase and Alzarri Joseph picked up two wickets apiece.

The Test is the first international cricket match after a 117-day absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic and is being played without fans.

The second and third Tests will be held in Manchester.

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