Wednesday 30 January 2019 15:00, UK
As Windies and England move on to Antigua for the second Test, we look at the history of a ground on which the hosts are unbeaten against their current opponents.
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will be best remembered by the visitors' fans for the ill-fated red-ball match in 2009 that lasted just 10 balls before being called off due to an unfit pitch.
There have been happier memories on the ground for Windies, on which they have beaten New Zealand and Bangladesh, and England will undoubtedly be wary - as Kemar Roach has very fond recent memories!
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was awarded a prestigious first Test in its history as Windies hosted Ricky Ponting's Australia, with the visitors opting to bat first.
Opener Simon Katich and Michael Clarke both struck centuries as the away side declared on 479-7 and the hosts were then indebted to Shivnarine Chanderpaul during their first innings, as his unbeaten hundred helped him battle to 352 with Brett Lee having swept aside the lower order to claim 5-59.
The Baggy Green set Windies 372 for victory and despite collapsing to 19-2 and 84-3, captain Ramnaresh Sarwan's 128 and another impressive unbeaten knock from Chanderpaul (77 not out) the hosts battled for a respectable draw.
The overly-sandy conditions at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium meant Windies seamers Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards were unable to get a steady footing and despite much prodding, poking and pitchforkery from the ground staff, match referee Alan Hurst called off the contest on safety grounds after just 10 balls.
The clash, therefore, became the shortest Test in history, taking that unwanted accolade from another England-West Indies encounter, the first Test at Sabina Park in 1998 that lasted only 61 balls due to fears for batsmen's welfare on a decidedly uneven track.
It was a big blow for the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, which was subsequently banned from hosting international fixtures for the next 12 months.
Three years after a disastrous and very brief showing, the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium saw a return of Test cricket to its turf as New Zealand turned up.
A hard-earned 97 off 249 balls from Martin Guptill helped the Black Caps make 351 all out after spinner Sunil Narine claimed a five-wicket haul having bowled a mammoth 43 overs.
In reply, Chris Gayle struck a breathtaking 150, in an innings that included 21 boundaries, and fellow opener Kieran Powell scored 134 as the pair put on 254 for the opening stand, as the Windies made an impressive 522.
New Zealand then suffered a dramatic final day collapse, having started the day 199-3, as a magical spell from Kemar Roach saw them bowled out for just 272, with the hosts' pace bowler finishing with figures of 5-60.
With license to hit out requiring just 102 runs for victory, Gayle cracked eight fours and two sixes in an unbeaten knock of 64 from 49 balls as the Windies cruised to a nine-wicket win.
Following the ill-fated 2009 Test, England returned to the ground where they managed to face just 10 balls hoping for a better outing.
The visitors suffered an all too common collapse as they slipped to 34-3 but Joe Root and Ian Bell shared a brilliant 177-run fourth-wicket partnership - the latter made a striking 143 in England's first innings total of 399.
Windies struggled in response, with Chanderpaul (46) the only other player to make over 40 aside from Jermaine Blackwood - who made an unbeaten 112. England spinner James Tredwell did most of the damage, taking 4-47 to restrict the hosts to 295 all out.
A brilliant century from Gary Ballance and half-centuries from Root and Jos Buttler allowed Alastair Cook's side declare on 333-7, setting the Ramdin's side an unlikely 483 to win.
However, despite reducing Windies to 189-6, England were met with stubborn resistance from captain Ramdin (57) and Jason Holder (103 not out) - with the latter's century ensuring his side held on for a well-earned draw.
It was a Virat Kohli special when India visited the gilded stadium in Antigua two-and-a-half years ago, as the visitors' captain struck his first Test double century.
All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin also scored his third red-ball hundred for his country as the away side posted an imposing first innings total of 566-8 dec.
Pace bowlers Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami then both picked up four-wicket hauls as they rattled through Windies' batting line-up with only Kraigg Brathwaite (74) and Shane Dowrich (57 not out) making half-centuries in their team's 243.
Forced to follow-on, things only got worse for Holder's side as Ashwin spun India to a resounding victory, picking up 7-83 to help dismiss Windies for 231 in innings and inflict a heavy loss.
A little over seven months ago, Windies pace bowler Roach took a blistering five wickets in 12 balls to blow away Bangladesh's top-order during a sensational spell.
Across three overs the seamer had Tamim Iqbal caught behind, Monimul Haque snaffled at gully and then dismissed Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan and Mahmudullah for ducks in the same over as the visitors were bowled out for 43 - their lowest Test total.
Opener Brathwaite's (121) attractive century coupled with fifties from Devon Smith (58) and Shai Hope (67) helped the hosts rack up 406 in their first innings, with the only negative a hamstring injury that Roach picked up.
Despite being without their talisman for the second innings, the hosts wrapped a comprehensive win inside three days with Shannon Gabriel taking on the mantel of spearing-heading the attack with his 5-77 helping to bowl Bangladesh out for 144 in their second innings - wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan the only player to offer any resistance with a counter-attacking 64 off 74 balls.
Watch day one of the second Test between Windies and England, in Antigua, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 1.30pm on Thursday.
You can also follow over-by-over commentary and in-play clips on our rolling blog on skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.
