MANCHESTER, England (CMC) — Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick has underscored the importance of the decisive Test match starting here today, reminding West Indies that history was within their grasp once they managed to produce a “big performance” to trounce England at Old Trafford.

West Indies have not won a series on English soil in over three decades but are poised to end that unfortunate spell after capturing the opening Test by four wickets and losing the second by 113 runs here Monday, to leave the three-Test series tied 1-1.

Pointing out that the Test possessed the aura of a final, Estwick also reiterated that controlling the game from early in each innings would be critical if West Indies were to emerge dominant.

“Obviously this a big, big Test match not only for the people who are here in England, but for people in the Caribbean [and] all our supporters all around the world,” Estwick said.

“This is a really big Test match, there will be a lot of people tuned and we’ve got to be really up for it,” West Indies Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick.

“The key thing is if you look at the first innings [of the first Test] we got early wickets, when we won in Southampton we got off to a decent start in the first innings with the bat so for me those are two key areas.

“If we can blunt that new ball and stop England from getting early wickets and also get early wickets ourselves, that could put us in a position to control the game and try and put them under some added pressure.”

He continued: “We’re constantly reminding them they have the chance to change something that hasn’t happened in 32 years.

“We played them over the last two or three years and we’ve won the odd Test matches. We’ve obviously won in the Caribbean — we want to go one step better here in England. We really want to win that Test match.

“We have to be up for it. Obviously England is going to be up for it because it’s a final — when you look at this game it is a final for both teams and whoever puts in a big performance also will win the game.”

West Indies entered the series with their batting under the microscope and found that area cruelly exposed in the second Test, suffering collapses in both innings.

Replying to England’s first innings 469 for nine declared, the Windies were cruising at 242 for four before losing their six wickets for 45 runs.

And chasing 312 for victory on the final day, the tourists tumbled from 137 for four to 198 all out, their last six wickets going down for 61 runs.

And with Ben Stokes (176) and Dom Sibley (120) getting hundreds for England in the game and a West Indies batsman yet to register triple figures in the series, Estwick said it was important the Caribbean players carried on after passing fifty.

“We’re not concerned in terms of their form because we think they’re hitting the ball quite well, they’re getting into positions,” Estwick explained.

“What we’re concerned about is that people have gotten starts and not gone on to get big hundreds and that’s been the difference.

“If you look at the last game, Stokes and Sibley got big hundreds and that’s been the big difference in the last Test match so we’re hoping that players once they get in can keep going and keep getting big partnerships.

“Partnerships are the key. We’re getting starts, we’re looking good but we’re not going on so that’s the concern that nobody is going on to get big hundreds but we’re not worried about the form.”