Kensington Oval: Test cricket returns to the Kensington Oval in Barbados after a long gap of three years. Home team West Indies will play host to the first Test against Australia in Barbados over the next five days.
It is the first game of the three-match series, with all three fixtures being a part of the ICC World Test Championship. West Indies struggled a lot in the previous editions of the WTC, which is why they will be keen to make a winning start and gain some momentum in the new cycle.
Ahead of the first Test match between Australia and the West Indies, here’s a look at the pitch history of the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Kensington Oval, Barbados Test records
55 Test matches have happened in Barbados so far. Home team West Indies have a decent win-loss record of 25-12, while 18 Tests at this venue have ended in a draw.
This is one of the oldest venues in Test cricket history. Back in 1958, Pakistan’s Hanif Mohammad scored a triple hundred on this ground.
Test matches played: 55
Won by teams batting first: 17
Won by teams batting second: 20
Drawn: 18
Highest individual score: 337 – Hanif Mohammad (PAK) vs West Indies, 1958
Best bowling figures (innings): 8/38 – Lance Gibbs (WI) vs India, 1962
Best bowling figures (match): 11/120 – Malcolm Marshall (WI) vs New Zealand, 1985
Highest team total: 749/9 dec – West Indies vs England, 2009
Lowest team total: 77 – England vs West Indies, 2019
Highest successful run-chase: 311/9 – West Indies vs Australia, 1999
Average first innings score: 334.
Kensington Oval, Barbados Pitch report
Barbados pitch report will be broadcasted live before the toss happens in the first Test between the West Indies and Australia. The pitch has been slow in the past, but batters have managed to score big in the red-ball matches at this venue.
Kensington Oval, Barbados Last Test match
The last Test at this venue happened in March 2022, where the West Indies and England played out a draw. It was a high-scoring game. Both teams crossed the 400-run mark in the first innings.
West Indies received a 282-run target in the fourth innings. The home team was 135/5 after 65 overs when the match ended. Here’s a summary of scores:
Brief scores: England 507/9 dec (Joe Root 153, Veerasammy Permaul 3/126) & 185/6 dec (Dan Lawrence 41, Veerasammy Permaul 2/29) vs West Indies 411 (Jermaine Blackwood 102, Jack Leach 3/118) & 135/5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 56*, Jack Leach 3/36) – Match drawn.
