While an England win was welcome, the fact that it was achieved inside three days didn’t fit well with a group of Cockermouth cricketers.
They had planned a trip to Birmingham to meet up with former team-mate Mikyle Louis, who has been the West Indies opening batsman in this three-Test series.
Although he scored his maiden Test half century yesterday it did not prevent England sweeping to a 10-wicket win, courtesy of a whirlwind 50 from another ex-Cockermouth player in captain Ben Stokes.
It was a remarkable feat – two former Cockermouth players scoring half-centuries in the same Test match.
The Cockermouth lads did travel to Birmingham today and hope to meet up with Louis before he flies home.
Louis was an overseas amateur with Cockermouth in 2022 and was a popular member of the side.
A native of St Kitts his selection for the tour made him a celebrity on the island not used to producing players for the West Indies Test team as he was actually the first to represent the team.
Although beaten 3-0 the West Indies will regard Louis as a success as an opener. Alongside his captain Kraigg Brathwaite he has made 162 runs in his six visits to the crease at an average of 27.00.
He had a top score of 57 and made consistent starts, posting scores of 21, 17, 27 & 14.
The trend continued at Edgbaston, too, as the 23-year-old nicked one off Gus Atkinson after grinding it out and getting to 26 before getting to 57 in the second innings.
It was considered after the dust had settled that the visitors have found a real silver lining in the form of a brand new opening pair in Brathwaite and Louis.
Heading into this series, the two had never opened together. It was, in fact, in the first Test of this series at Lord’s that Louis made his debut and became the first-ever Kittitian Test cricketer.
Brathwaite and Louis then become the first West Indian opening pair since Allan Rae and Jeffrey Stollmeyer in 1950 to post three consecutive 50+ run opening stands in Tests in England.
They are the first West Indian opening pair in seven years to post a hat-trick of opening stands in Tests. The last to do so were the duo of Brathwaite and Kieran Powell back in 2017. Before that? Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds back in 2002.
Brathwaite and Louis, in fact, are the first away opening pair since David Warner and Chris Rogers in 2015 to post three consecutive 50-plus run stands in England.
All good signs ahead of the West Indies’ next assignment which is a home series against South Africa starting early next month.
