West Indies survive late scare to draw second Test with England and set up series decider in Grenada

They ended up literally on their knees after five long days in the dirt but England just could not force their way through the human wall that is West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.

England did all they realistically could on Sunday to end a stalemate that now extends to two gruelling Tests but ultimately another pitch not fit for purpose had the final word.

That and the remarkable figure of Brathwaite who held his side together again after his long first innings vigil to end unbeaten on 56 as West Indies made 135 for five before time and the light gave out on England.

This second Test followed the same pattern as the first, with England trying to give themselves enough time to bowl West Indies out on the final day but coming up against a bowler’s graveyard of a surface that refused to yield.

Yes, there was more turn here than in Antigua and the odd sign of uneven bounce on day four and yesterday but not nearly enough to force the result both sides need.

Not nearly enough, anyway, with an England bowling line-up containing two debutants, a struggling senior seamer in Chris Woakes and a spinner in Jack Leach who could not have tried harder but remains a fraction short of the highest level.

That may seem harsh on Leach, who added another 25 overs to his first innings 69.5 and stretched every sinew to try to bowl his side to victory. But, really, there was enough in this pitch for him to take more than six wickets in the match in all those overs.

Dan Lawrence took a terrific catch to dismiss Jason Holder as England chased an unlikely win

When West Indies lost three wickets for 39 after Joe Root had set them 281 to win in 65 overs – a fraction tougher than last week’s declaration – England had a sniff of what would have been a famous win after the fourth day drudgery.

Two of them fell to one of those debutants in Saqib Mahmood who has had an encouraging debut here two and a half years after he was first named in an England Test squad. Mahmood is not express pace but he is different, aiming for the stumps from a slingy action and gaining reverse swing.

And at tea England faced exactly the same challenge as they did in the first Test with West Indies 65 for three, as they were on the last day in Antigua.

Leach raised their hopes by having Jermaine Blackwood caught by the kneeling Jonny Bairstow, just as Marcus Trescothick used to field for him at Taunton, in the gully.

England players were forced to field on their knees on the fifth day of the second Test 

And when Jason Holder played his second dreadful shot of the match and was brilliantly caught by Dan Lawrence England could dream again of the most unlikely triumph.

But Brathwaite held firm yet again to guide his team to a decider in what has been an attritional series. What a throwback of a cricketer Brathwaite is. An opener who has never played a professional game of Twenty20 took powers of concentration to new levels when he faced 489 balls, 401 of them dot balls, in his first innings 160.

Now he was at it again, facing another 183 balls and on the field for all but 20 first innings overs. And all in front of his mother, who flew here from her home in the United States to watch him play cricket for the first time.

There may have been last day tension but the bottom line is that the thousands of England fans who have travelled to the Caribbean have been let down by pitches more suited to ensuring five days of gate and bar receipts than providing a spectacle.

Joe Root’s men did all they realistically could on Sunday to end a stalemate in Barbados

It may be a policy for short-term gain but surely these dead as a dodo surfaces will put people off returning, even if the Barmy Army and England’s other travelling supporters seem to remain remarkably cheery however dull the fare served up to them.

The morning was all about how quickly England could get to the stage where they did not risk wasting four days hard work by giving West Indies anything like a sniff.

In truth Root could have brought his side in some time before he did but showers interrupted England’s momentum and they lost wickets regular in the push for runs.

There was at least time for Lawrence to again showcase his innovative stroke-play by hitting two sixes in his 39-ball 41. This Test could really be the making of him.

Jack Leach took three wickets and Saqib Mahmood (above) bagged a brace for England

Despite Sunday’s efforts England must still have a re-think over their bowling options for what we can only hope is a more sporting pitch at Grenada on Thursday.

Sadly it seems a line must be drawn under Chris Woakes as an overseas bowler after two Tests when not even his promotion to new-ball bowler and leader of the attack plus the use of a Dukes ball – even if the bowlers say it is a second grade one – has stopped him looking completely ineffectual. It will be a huge surprise if Woakes plays on Thursday.

England must now consider handing out another debut, this time to leg-spinner Matt Parkinson alongside Leach, certainly if the surface is slow and flat yet again. Ollie Robinson and Craig Overton are both expected to be fit, too, should England take Woakes and maybe the other debutant in Matt Fisher out of the firing line.

England will need all the bowling options they can get after the excessive workloads so far. And whoever plays in the final match can only hope there is a fairer contest than this.