Last Updated on 3 years by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: Kraigg Brathwaite faces most balls in a Test by a West Indian | West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite faced 673 balls in Test vs England

Kraigg Brathwaite has written himself in the history books after facing a whopping 673 deliveries in the drawn Barbados Test against England. His 673 deliveries is now the most faced by any West Indian in a single Test, going past Brian Lara’s 582 in the 2004 Test against England where he made the highest score in Test history.

Brathwaite thwarted England in both innings. First, he batted over 710 minutes in the first innings for his 482-ball 160, which saw England out in the field for a total of 187.5 overs. Jack Leach himself toiled away for nearly 70 of those. In the second, he held firm as England pushed for victory, batting 184 deliveries for his 56* to guide the home side to safety.

Kraigg Brathwaite faces the 13th-most deliveries by a player in a single Test

When it comes to all-time Test records, Brathwaite’s 673 puts him in 13th place for most deliveries faced by a player in a Test match. He went past Andy Flower’s 670 for Zimbabwe against South Africa in 2001. Only New Zealand’s Stephen Fleming has batted more deliveries in a Test this century, with 710 against Sri Lanka in 2003.

Also, Brathwaite fell just short of 1,000 minutes batted. He was at the crease for a total of 955 minutes across both innings, with Joe Root’s men surely sick at the sight of the West Indian captain.

WI vs ENG Test series moves to a decider

As is the case in the Pakistan-Australia Test series, the West Indies-England showdown will move to a decider with the series locked at 0-0.

England have won just one Test series in the Carribean since 1968 and will need to win in Grenada to taste rare success in this part of the world. The third Test begins on Thursday 24 March.