WI captain Kraigg Brathwaite: We didn't come to the party

WEST INDIES captain Kraigg Brathwaite said his team failed "to come to the party" with the bat in their heavy loss by an innings and 114 runs to England in the first Test of their three-match series at the Lord's Cricket Ground, London.

Precariously poised on 79 for six at the end of the second day's play, the Windies lower order stuck around for about an hour in the first session on July 12 before being bowled out for just 136 – 15 more runs than they managed in the first innings. Number nine batsman Gudakesh Motie eventually top-scored with 31 not out off 35 balls, but the grand stage belonged to English seamers Jimmy Anderson and Gus Atkinson – at opposite ends of the spectrum in their careers.

Playing in his 188th and final Test match, the 41-year-old Anderson ended with figures of three for 32 to end his career with 704 Test scalps, with the debutant Atkinson (five for 61) removing last man Jayden Seales to end the match with a remarkable 12-wicket haul and the Man of the Match award.

After his team failed to get past 150 in both innings, Brathwaite acknowledged the Windies' shortcomings with the bat.

"Batting first at the beginning of a Test match and scoring just over 100 runs, you're pretty much behind the game," Brathwaite said at the post-match presentation.

"With the bat, we didn't come to the party at all in both innings. And with the ball, we can still be better and more disciplined. But it was still a positive to bowl them out."

With his team now being afforded a six-day break before the start of the second Test in Trent Bridge on July 18, the West Indies skipper is backing his charges to come good and turn the tide in the series.

"I do believe the batting line-up has what it takes, but the guys have to believe it as well. They have a lot of ability and a lot of talent.

"It's about them coming on the world stage and showcasing it. This is the world stage playing against a good team.

"And I believe in the guys. After a heavy defeat, there's a bit of pressure, yes. But you have to be strong mentally."

Motie's counter-attacking knock of 31 turned out to be the highest score for the Windies in the match, as the visitors struggled to deal with the nagging consistency of the seam bowling offered by the England team.

Brathwaite's own struggles with the bat continued, as he made just six and four in the respective innings, having his defences breached by a signature Anderson delivery in the second innings. In six Test innings in 2024, the right-handed opener is yet to get to the 20-run mark, as he returned scores of 13, one, four and 16 in the two-match Test series away to Australia in January.

Despite the recent underwhelming return, Brathwaite said he remains optimistic.

"Test cricket is always a challenge. It's never easy. You have to believe that good things are around the corner.

"We've just got to come together and it's got to be an all-round performance. The batsmen, including myself, have to come to the party and look to make West Indians proud."

Fresh from a stint with Sussex in the English County Championship Division Two, 22-year-old Seales was the West Indies' best performer in the match as he grabbed figures of four for 77. Motie (two for 41) also produced two gems to remove the experienced England pair of Joe Root and skipper Ben Stokes.

Those two instances aside, there was little for the regional team to cheer about in a bleak performance, as they looked out of their depth. Brathwaite urged his team to dig deep and backed them to show the kind of resolve which saw them getting an exciting eight-run win over Australia in the second Test at The Gabba, Brisbane, in January.

"This isn't the first time we've lost the first Test in a series. We've got to fight back strongly and we've got to work extremely hard," Brathwaite said.

"Obviously, we came to win the first Test and it didn't happen. There are two Tests still remaining in this series and we still have six Tests remaining for the year. It's all a build-up, and we can't believe because of this game we're out of it or anything like that...it's easy to give up and say we can't get it done. We've got to keep believing and keep supporting one another."

Brathwaite said there are lessons to be taken from the devastating Lord's defeat, and he believes building blocks have been laid with the team's bowling and fielding efforts.

"Batting first, you want to put runs on the board in the first innings especially – everything has to click. We know where we went wrong and where we need to be better.

"It's Test cricket. You can go through successful periods and tough periods. You just have to be strong and believe in your ability."

WIth the Trent Bridge Test less than a week away, Brathwaite and his West Indies team will have to adjust on their feet quickly to stop the English from claiming the Richards/Botham trophy.

Summarised scores:

WEST INDIES 121 (Mikyle Louis 27, Kavem Hodge 24, Alick Athanaze 23; Gus Atkinson 7/45 and 136 (Gudakesh Motie 31 not out, A Athanaze 22, Jason Holder 20; Gus Atkinson 5/61, James Anderson 3/32) vs ENGLAND 371 (Zak Crawley 76, Jamie Smith 70, Joe Root 68; Jayden Seales 4/77, Gudakesh Motie 2/41). England won by an innings and 114 runs.