Near-centurion Blackwood regrets walking off field before getting West Indies across line

For Windies' Jermaine Blackwood, getting out before he could make his Test century wasn't as heartwrenching as walking off the field before he could get his side across the line in the first Test at Southampton. A top-notch 95-run knock with the bat from Blackwood saw the Men in Maroon fight back from Campbell retiring hurt to a successful run-chase on the final day of the game at the Ageas Bowl, allowing Windies to go up 1-0 in the three-match series. Blackwood's disappointment stems from the fact that he was dismissed when the Windies were just 11 runs short of victory and not five runs short of his century instead.

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'Very disappointed'

Speaking to Jamaica Observer, Blackwood revealed that he was really disappointed that he had to walk off the field before he could get his team across the line. The Windies batsman confessed that it was emotional for him -- not because he got out but because of the stage at which he was dismissed. Further, Blackwood said that the century was never on his mind and that winning the game was all that mattered to him during the run-chase.

"When you know that the captain has all confidence in you it just makes you feel good. I know Jason from way back from my Under-15 days, so he knows what I'm capable of doing," he said.

"At no point in time when I was going to bat in the second innings I felt pressure. Just before I went out to bat, the coach (Phil Simmons) and the captain both told me just to play my natural game, but just be selective." 

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Windies to be rewarded with bonuses if they win series

As per reports in the Daily Mail, the West Indies cricketers will be getting a maximum bonus of £1,875 each if they manage to win the ongoing ENG vs WI Test series. The current contracts as issued by Cricket West Indies does not grant win bonuses to the players. However, if they win the upcoming ENG vs WI second Test, a total of £23,800 will be awarded to the entire West Indies team. 

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The report indicates that around half of the bonuses will be shared equally among the 15-man West Indies squad. Meanwhile, the other half will be divided among the players who featured in the playing XI at some stage of the ENG vs WI Test series. If all 15 cricketers end up participating in at least one of the Test matches, then the allotment of £1,875 per person will drop down to £1,600 per cricketer. On the other hand, the England Test squad will be receiving approximately 17 times more than their visiting opponents if they manage to stage a comeback through the remaining matches.

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