NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) — The unflappable Nkrumah Bonner once again proved his weight in gold, combining with all-rounder Jason Holder to nullify England’s attack and secure West Indies a draw on a compelling final day of the opening Test here Saturday.

Arriving at the crease half-hour before tea when West Indies lost both openers in successive overs to slip to 59 for two in search of an improbable 286, Man-of-the-Match Bonner followed up his first innings 123 with an unbeaten 38 to navigate a potentially precarious last session at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.

Crucially, Bonner found an ally in Holder, who was unbeaten on 37 at the end, the pair putting on an invaluable 80 for the fifth wicket, as West Indies ended on 147 for four.

The 33-year-old, in only his 10th Test, batted time, consuming 138 balls in a shade under three hours at the crease, and striking eight fours.

“I like to bat at this venue. I think it’s a very good wicket. Obviously we wanted the win but we’re happy with the draw,” said Bonner, who batted just over 9 ¼ hours in the first innings.

Holder followed the Jamaican example, facing 101 deliveries in nearly 2 ½ hours and punching three fours, surviving a few anxious moments to frustrate England’s bowlers, and send the three-match series to Barbados next week still level at nil-all.

Earlier, fast bowler Alzarri Joseph claimed three for 78 and seamer Kemar Roach two for 53 as England, resuming the morning on 217 for one, declared their innings on 349 for six, 20 minutes before the interval.

Zak Crawley, starting the day on 117, made 121 while Captain Joe Root, unbeaten overnight on 84, completed his 24th Test century with 109.

Dan Lawrence chipped in with a breezy 36-ball 37 as England gathered 132 runs and lost five wickets during the session.

With England hoping to push on for quick runs, Holder set them back when he bowled Crawley in the fourth over, ending a 201-run, second-wicket stand with Root.

However, Lawrence arrived to raise the tempo, lashing four fours and a six in a 70-run, third wicket stand with Root, who faced 204 balls in just under 5 ¾ hours and counted half-dozen fours.

Joseph pulled things back when he had Lawrence taken at point by Veerasammy Permaul, triggering a slide that saw the touring side lose four wickets for 19 runs in quick time.

He bowled Root with a full length delivery and got Ben Foakes to play on for one, dismissals which came on either side of Roach’s 235th Test wicket Ben Stokes held in the deep for 13, drawing the Barbadian alongside the legendary Sir Garry Sobers at seventh on the all-time West Indies list of wicket-takers.

Chris Woakes (18 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (15 not out) added a busy 35 in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership before the declaration came.

Having survived the four overs before lunch to be four without loss, Brathwaite (33) and John Campbell (22) blossomed afterwards to post 59 for the first wicket — their second half-century stand of the encounter.

England were beginning to fret when Brathwaite played back to one from seamer Stokes which kept low and was lbw, and Campbell followed in the very next over with no runs added, recklessly lofting a simple catch to mid-on off left-arm arm spinner Jack Leach (3-57).

Scoreboard

ENGLAND 1st Innings 311

WEST INDIES 1st Innings 375

ENGLAND 2nd Innings

(overnight 217 for one)

A Lees lbw b Roach 6

Z Crawley b Holder 121

*J Root b Joseph 109

D Lawrence c Permaul b Joseph 37

B Stokes c Brooks b Roach 13

J Bairstow not out 15

+B Foakes b Joseph 1

C Woakes not out 18

Extras (b15, lb4, w2, nb8) 29

TOTAL (6 wkts, 88.2 overs) 349

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-225, 3-295, 4-310, 5-312, 6-314.

Bowling: Roach 19-3-53-2 (nb1), Seales 13-2-57-0, Holder 16-2-56-1 (nb3), Joseph 23.2-3-78-3 (w2, nb1), Permaul 12-0-64-0, Brathwaite 4-0-14-0, Bonner 1-0-8-0 (nb3)

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings

*K Brathwaite lbw b Stokes 33

J Campbell c Overton b Leach 22

S Brooks c Crawley b Leach 5

N Bonner not out 38

J Blackwood lbw b Leach 2

J Holder not out 37

Extras (b4, lb4, nb2) 10

TOTAL (4 wkts, 70.1 overs) 147

Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-59, 3-65, 4-67

Bowling: Woakes 9-1-22-0, Leach 30.1-14-57-3, Overton 10-2-23-0, Root 2-0-6-0, Stokes 13-3-24-1 (nb2), Lawrence 6-3-7-0.

Result: Match drawn.

Series: Three-match series level 0-0.

Player-of-the-Match: Nkrumah Bonner.

Toss: England.

Umpires: Joel Wilson, Gregory Brathwaite

TV umpire: Nigel Duguid.