Wednesday 15 April 2015 23:58, UK
West Indies batting hero Jermaine Blackwood is hopeful Wednesday’s maiden Test hundred will be the first of many.
The 23-year-old Jamaica batsman is playing in just his sixth Test and produced a really battling effort to register his first ton, finishing unbeaten on 112 as West Indies were dismissed for 295.
The hosts are up against it after England finished the day on 116-3, to lead by 220, but the West Indies will be encouraged by the promise of Blackwood, who persevered well against a pretty impressive England attack.
“It’s a good feeling, I am extremely happy to get my first century,” he said.
“It was pretty hard. I took a couple of blows, on my hand and to my finger, but that is Test cricket, so you have to go out there and work hard.”
Blackwood had made three half-centuries in his previous Tests but agreed that reaching a century was a significant step forward.
"It's a very big difference," he said.
"Nobody is going to remember you for half centuries, people are going to remember you for hundreds, so I think it is a very important milestone for me.
“I am so happy and so proud, and this is just one. I am looking for many, many more.”
Blackwood rode his luck well, as he was put down on Wednesday and was particularly fortunate on Tuesday, when he was caught in the slips off a Ben Stokes no ball.
He laughed when asked if he would like to thank Stokes for over-stepping and said: “Me and Ben Stokes have been going at it since the World Cup in 2010, the under-19 World Cup.
“Ben Stokes is all right, he’s my boy.”
Spinner James Tredwell impressed for England, taking 4-47, and may retain his place for the second Test, even though Moeen Ali is flying out to join the squad after proving he has recovered from injury.
Asked about Moeen linking up with the tourists on Saturday, Tredwell said: "It's probably at the back of my mind but you try not to think too deeply about that.
"I wanted to give them (the selectors) a bit of a headache, shall we say, and hopefully I've done that now.
"So, it's over to the people who matter to make that decision going forward in the series. There's another important innings to come, so hopefully we can knock them over and get the win."
