Dominica: Kavem Hodge scored his maiden century in the second Test against England, lifting West Indies’ spirits. His century made him the first West Indian batsman to reach a Test century in England since 2017. England vs West Indies 5-day test match is currently being conducted at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, England.
Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit also took to social media to congratulate the cricketer for the achievement. The Prime Minister congratulated Hodge on his maiden Test century while also congratulating Alick Athanzea on hid maiden half century.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude in his post, saying: “On behalf of the government and people of Dominica, we offer our heartfelt congratulations!”
This crucial feat took West Indies to 351-5, leaving them behind by just 65 runs. Not only that, this century saw Hodge become the first Caribbean batsman to win a Test in England since 2017.
The cricketer said of his achievement: “It’s a dream come true, you play the game when you’re young, it’s something that you want to do, especially at the highest level – England against England, I’m really happy and satisfied with it, especially the position of the team, it’s always good to help the team
Hodge’s partner Alick Athanzea is also a Dominican cricketer, but unfortunately missed out on his century as he was dismissed at a score of 82.
In particular, the match provided a wholesome experience for the crowd, the highlight of the match was Hodge’s fight against Mark Wood, who shot bouncers at will. The ball even hit Athanzee on the back of his helmet once, leaving everyone worried.
Hodge explained the incident that “It was brutal. It’s not every day you swing up and face someone who plays every ball over 90km/h. There was one point, I joked to him and said, “Hey, I’ve got a wife and kids at home. But I think that made the century a lot more satisfying. Test cricket is brutal, challenging, mentally taxing.” He further stated that facing men like Mark Wood is tough and rewarding at the same time.