Brathwaite and Louis script history with third consecutive fifty-run stand

West Indies might be trailing 0-2 in the ongoing three-Test series against England, but the visitors have found a real silver lining in the form of a brand new opening pair in Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle 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.

Now, five innings in, Brathwaite and Louis have 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+ run stands in England.

In the second Test at Trent Bridge, the duo registered twin fifty-run partnerships: 61 in the first innings and 53 in the second.

Winning the toss and batting first today in the third Test at Edgbaston, Brathwaite and Louis had to really dig in and negate the swing and seam that was on offer. It was a real struggle initially for Louis, who was on 4 (27) at one point.

But both the batters rode their luck and then cashed in, bringing the fifty-run opening stand immediately after drinks. 

Prior to this series, 23-year-old Louis had only played seven first-class games in total. But the selectors preferred him over the left-handed Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who was axed following a poor series against Australia. 

Across the first two Tests, Louis did not cash in but 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. 

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