WI v ENG | 3rd Test | Day 3: Mayers bowling masterclass pushes England on the verge of defeat

The English batting unit was disappointing on the 3rd day of the series-decider against the West Indies in Grenada. Led by the promising keeper-batter Joshua Da Silva, the home side made a remarkable comeback with the bat to post 297 runs in their first innings, thereby taking a crucial lead of 93 runs. However, what followed next was unexpected as Kyle Mayers ran through the English batting unit by picking five wickets, which left the visitors reeling at 103 for 8 at the end of day 3.    

At the end of the second day, the game seemed evenly poised as West Indies were 28 runs ahead of England's first innings total with just two wickets in hand. However, the third day didn't begin on a happy note for the hosts as they lost their ninth wicket in the form of Kemar Roach after adding 13 more runs to the tally. 

As they say, 'Effort will release its reward only after you refuse to quit'. 

Despite losing Roach within just five overs of the day's play, the last batting pair of Da Silva and Jayden Seales didn't give up. They battled it hard in the middle for more than 27 overs and added 52 runs for the tenth wicket before Seales was eventually caught and bowled by Joe Root.

 The talented keeper-batter Joshua Da Silva reached his first-ever Test hundred in this process and remained unbeaten on 100 at the end of their innings. His fighting knock got all the accolades from the fans across the globe. His outstanding hundred and the supporting knocks from Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach and Jayden Seales propelled the West Indies to 297 despite being 95 for 6 at one stage in their first innings.  

After the West Indies were all out, England began their 2nd innings in the post-lunch session. But they had an undesirable start with the bat as Seales quickly removed Zak Crawley in the 4th over of the innings. It was surprising to see Kyle Mayers being given the ball to bowl the 8th over, but this proved to be a masterstroke by the Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite as Mayers took the all-important wicket of Joe Root in the 3rd delivery of his spell. Mayers didn't look back after that and dismissed Dan Lawrence and Ben Stokes in quick succession in his 2nd and 5th over. 

Although Jonny Bairstow and Alex Lees tried to steady the ship by adding 41 runs in 24.3 overs, England's misery resurfaced in the last session, with Joseph getting Bairstow caught behind the stumps in the 42nd over. The visitors never managed to revive themselves after Bairstow's dismissal and lost three more wickets before the stumps, two of which were picked by Mayers. The Barbados-born allrounder completed his first-ever Test-fifer in this process and became the prime reason behind England's disastrous batting performance in their second innings.     

At stumps on day 3, the visitors lead by just 10 runs with just 2 wickets in hand, with Chris Woakes and Jack Leach batting on 9 and 1, respectively. Therefore, their defeat seems inevitable at the moment. 

Brief Scores: 

West Indies 1st inns:- 297 all out, Da Silva- 100*, Woakes- 3/59, Saqib Mahmood- 2/45

England 2nd inns: - 103-8, Woakes- 9*, Leach- 1*, Mayers- 5/9