West Indies vs England – 2nd Test Match Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is West Indies vs England taking place? Wednesday, March 16th, 2022 – 14:00 (UK)
Where is West Indies vs England taking place? Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
What is the expected weather for West Indies vs England? 29-26c dry with sunny intervals over the course of all five days.
What channel is West Indies vs England on? The match will be televised live on BT Sport
Where can I stream West Indies vs England? The match can be streamed live via the BT Sport App
LAST MEETING
Match Drawn
THE TEAM NEWS
WEST INDIES
- West Indies went toe-to-toe with England from a batting perspective in the first Test and deserved their draw after batting through much of the final day, surviving with six wickets to spare
- Nkrumah Bonner was the star of the show at Number 4, scoring 123 in the first innings before following that up with a solid 38 from 138 balls to snuff out any prospect of his side collapsing.
- It would be no surprise if the Windies were to name an unchanged side for the second Test with no injuries having been made a public and off the back of a solid first Test performance with both bat and ball.
ENGLAND
- England have plenty of room for improvement, but can also take a number of positives from their first Test draw, namely Jonny Bairstow’s fantastic recent form with the bat as he chalked up another hundred in red ball cricket.
- Bairstow’s century followed the one he scored in Sydney against Australia and England aren’t expected to alter their batting order, with Alex Lees likely given another go at the top of the order and Dan Lawrence again being preferred to Ollie Pope.
- England will likely be forced to alter their bowling unit following an injury to Mark Wood in the first Test, who could be replaced by a fit again Ollie Robinson.
THE PREDICTION
The pitch at the Kensington Oval could well have a bit more spice about it compared to the dead track in Antigua which all but ensured a drawn first Test. Both West Indies and England have room for optimism and each will believe they can triumph on a more bowler friendly track. For the tourists, Bairstow’s recent form is so important for them as it makes their middle order far stronger, whilst Jack Leach’s spin-bowler performance in West Indies’ fourth innings also bodes well. Bonner will likely need to be dismissed relatively early on and Mark Wood would be a big miss, but England have all the tools to gain what would be an impressive victory in this second Test.
