Tragedy taints the triumph for Joseph

Among the many wonderful storylines of the West Indies triumph over England in Antigua, the courage of Alzarri Joseph is surely the most moving.

Joseph, the 22-year-old fast bowler playing on his home ground, lost his mother overnight between the second and third days of this Test.

The Windies wrapped up a 10-wicket win in Antigua that gives them a 2-0 lead in the three-Test series, having skittled England for 187 and 132 in completing the victory inside three days.

The West Indies camp announced the news on social media before play, writing: "Our young fast bowler Alzarri Joseph's mother, Sharon Joseph, passed away earlier today. Please join us as we express our heartfelt condolences to Alzarri and his family during this difficult time."

The Test match had started like a fairy tale for Joseph. Playing in his first Test on home soil, he took the wicket of England's latest opening batsmen with his first ball.

But it turned to personal tragedy after Sharon Joseph lost her long battle with a brain tumour.

As news filtered through to the team, it had a galvanising effect as the young bowler bravely stepped out with his team and took part in the pre-match warm-ups, even while being understandably in floods of tears.

Windies captain Jason Holder said their teammate's angst could not help but inspire his side.

"It's difficult to describe the feelings. We started the day with a daunting task, trying to push on our lead, and then we got the news about Alzarri's mum so we all wanted to rally around one another and we wanted to do it for her," Holder said.

"I just want to say condolences to him and his family, it is a tough loss. I came here two or three years ago and visited his mum, she wasn't doing well at that stage but fought through, so I felt it personally this morning when I got the news that she had passed away.

"To see him in tears this morning was even harder, and we came together in the huddle and we just wanted to do it for him and we dedicate this day to him, his mum and his family.

In such circumstances, a young man could be forgiven for not having the clearest decision-making capabilities. Instead of being sent home, Joseph was given the option to play on.

He chose to pay tribute the best way he knew how: by taking the field and putting in a performance that proved pivotal to his team's victory.

"It was up to him if he played. I didn't want to deprive him of the opportunity to take the field," Holder explained.

"If he felt he could manage and take the field for the West Indies and perform then I wasn't going to deprive him of that.

"For sure I knew he wanted to do something special for his mum and credit to him, he held his hand up high and did an exceptional job for us."

As Darren Bravo put on a masterclass of batting patience, Joseph's arrival at the crease as the West Indies' No.10 was greeted with long and sympathetic applause from the crowd and, sportingly, the England players on the field. Both teams wore black armbands as a mark of respect at his loss.

He smashed James Anderson down the ground with a high elbow in a textboox straight drive that belied his tailender status, but soon edged a Ben Stokes deliver to slip in making seven from 20 balls to help the home side extend their first-innings lead to 119.

But it was with the ball where he really made his impact felt.

He delivered a scintillating seven-over spell late in the second session, claiming two key wickets that put paid to England's hopes of a fightback.

He first prised out England captain Joe Root, caught behind after an inside edge with the wicket coming after an excellent review by Holder.

And he then dismissed Denly again, this time comprehensively bowling the Test debutant with an inswinger as he shoulder arms, placing his palm on his chest in stony-faced celebration.

Joseph later had Stokes dropped in the slips for what would have been a second-ball duck.

"Alzarri was exceptional," Holder said. "It took a lot of heart for him to be on the field today.

"I think a lot of people wouldn't have been able to, but credit to him.

"The way he ran in this afternoon was exceptional and with a bit more luck he could have got three or four more wickets and could have put in a man-of-the-match performance."