Though the Frank Worrell Trophy is no longer up for grabs, the stakes remain high for West Indies captain Roston Chase and his team as they gear up for the historic pink ball day/night Test at Sabina Park, which bowls off on Saturday.
With Australia holding an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, this final encounter is one about pride and vital World Test Championship (WTC) points that could shape the team’s long-term prospects.
While the Caribbean side has shown flashes of competitiveness in both Barbados and Grenada before they succumbed to batting collapses, this Test represents a chance to extend those moments across a full five-day match and finally get points on the board. With this being the first-ever day/night Test at Sabina Park—and only the second in the Caribbean—conditions remain a wildcard, and, as such, Chase pointed out that they are yet to decide on the starting team.
"The wicket has some grass, and it looks hard. In practice, the ball’s been moving around a bit, so it looks like a good cricket wicket. We still haven’t settled on our eleven. There are still some ongoing discussions about the top order being a bit of a concern, obviously not getting those good starts that we've been looking for, and then we are looking at the extra seamer going out and probably a spinner coming back in," Chase told reporters in a pre-game conference.
Chase admitted that the pink ball presents a fresh challenge, but in the same breath, he believes his squad is prepared.
"The guys are accustomed to playing with the pink ball. We had some first-class games with the pink balls, so the guys had a bit of experience playing with the pink ball, but the Test match is something different—different pressure, different style of play. But the guys are comfortable with it," Chase declared.
"I think the bowlers have held their own, so I'd like to commend them on that. We've been hitting the marks, and we've been getting wickets early on, so that's a plus for us. But it's just for us to keep that momentum going through the middle, especially with Steve Smith back and Travis Head and [Alex] Carey... these guys are the main batters on their side. So if we can just find a way to get them all as quickly as possible and stop that momentum and that aggressive batting style that they're bringing in that lower middle order, I think we'll find ourselves in a better position," he added.
However, the lights have drawn mixed feelings from Chase.
"I think they're a bit low for my liking. They seem a bit low, but it's what we have to work with. So we can't really come and complain about it; whatever is put in front of us, we have to deal with," he noted.
Still, this Test match will also offer the Jamaican fans their first opportunity in years to see Test cricket at home—and their first-ever under lights. It is an atmosphere Chase says the players relish.
"We always enjoy playing in Jamaica. There’s energy, there’s music, and there’s excitement. Wayne Marshall came and greeted us—it’s a vibe. So it's a good feeling. Obviously, it's the first pink ball Test, so the guys are really looking forward to that, and we hope that the crowd will come up and support the team," Chase shared.
Meanwhile, Australia will enter the match chasing their own history, as Mitchell Starc is set to play his 100th Test and is just five wickets away from becoming the eighth Australian to reach 400 wickets. Josh Hazlewood needs eight to reach 300, while Nathan Lyon is just two away from surpassing Glenn McGrath’s 563 on the all-time Australian list.
If Hazlewood gets there, this quartet—Starc, Cummins, Lyon, and Hazlewood—would be the first in history to all play together with 300 wickets apiece. But West Indies are determined not to let history be written entirely in Australia’s favour.
"Yeah, every game is important because there are points for the game. So it's not only about winning the series, but you have to win matches to get that percentage up so you can be in contention to go forward in the table," Chase ended.