England desperate to avoid Test series whitewash against Windies in St Lucia

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  • England are staring at a 3-0 whitewash.

    West Indies will have the chance to complete a 3-0 whitewash over England when the two sides meet for the third and final Test at St. Lucia beginning on Saturday.

    The hosts lead the series 2-0 after emphatic victories at Barbados and Antigua and will be looking to make it three in a row against Joe Root’s England.

    As the hosts search for another victory while England look to salvage some pride, we look at the key talking points heading into the third Test.

    ENGLAND ON THE BRINK

    Not since the mid-1980s have England been so completely outclassed by the West Indies on Caribbean shores. That was when the Caribbean side was still at its peak before going into freefall.

    For the first time in 33 years, England face the prospect of a Test series whitewash in West Indies. Only eight times in history have England ever been whitewashed in a Test series with the most recent one coming against Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes Down Under.

    Since the turn of the 21st century, England have suffered that ignominy on three occasions. Joe Root and his men will be desperate to not become the first English side to suffer that fate in the Caribbean since David Gower’s side were blanked 0-5 in 1986.

    The tourists are facing the wrong side of history.

    The tourists are facing the wrong side of history.

    TOURISTS GRAPPLE WITH MULTIPLE INJURY CONCERNS

    As if the daunting task of preventing a humiliating series whitewash isn’t enough, England also have injuries to some key players to worry about.

    Ben Foakes and Chris Woakes were already struggling with injuries but the alarm bells were well and truly ringing for England on Thursday with Ben Stokes being forced to sit out of training with a bruised heel.

    The star all-rounder has been one of England’s busiest bowlers in the series so far with only James Anderson sending down more overs than him in the two Tests so far.

    The tourists still remain hopeful of Stokes’ participation in St. Lucia with the all-rounder set to undergo a late fitness test. Meanwhile, Woakes looks unlikely to feature in the final Test as he continues to recuperate from his knee injury while wicketkeeper Foakes remains a doubt with a bruised hand.

    Stokes is a doubt for the third Test.

    Stokes is a doubt for the third Test.

    HOLDER-LESS WINDIES LOOK TO CHANGE ST.LUCIA RECORD

    As West Indies seek to apply the finishing touches to what has been a fantastic series for them, they will have to do it without inspirational skipper Jason Holder.

    The talismanic all-rounder was handed a one-match suspension for his side’s slow over-rate in the second Test and it will now be Kraigg Braithwate who leads the hosts at St. Lucia.

    Holder has been key for the Caribbean side in the series with his stunning double ton in the first Test paving the way for a comfortable win. While he has average over 114 with the bat in the series, Holder has also picked up seven wickets with the ball with an average of less than 18.

    The skipper’s absence will no doubt be felt by the hosts who have so far won only one of the six Tests they have played at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St. Lucia.

    The pitch at St. Lucia has traditionally been a batting paradise and as such, the hosts will have their work cut out if they want to enforce a result. However, they will be still confident of doing that job given the fact that their bowlers have bowled England out for under 200 in three of the four innings so far.

    The hosts will have to do it without Holder.

    The hosts will have to do it without Holder.

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