West Indies spinner reveals background of unique wicket celebration

England v West Indies, Scorecard

West Indies spinner Kevin Sinclair has explained the background of his trademark wicket celebration as the Caribbean side fought back strongly late on the opening day of the second Test against England on Thursday.

Sinclair was among the West Indies' best bowlers on the first day of the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest in Nottingham, with the inexperienced off-spinner claiming two wickets - including the big scalp of England young gun Harry Brook - as the hosts amassed 416 after being sent into bat first.

It was Sinclair's dismissal of Brook that caught the eye most, with the Guyanese spinner dashing off to perform his now trademark celebration that consists of backflips and somersaults as the West Indies fought back hard to reduce England to 201/4 during the middle session.

It wasn't the first time Sinclair has produced the eye-catching celebration on the field, with the 24-year-old having performed the acrobatic feat during last year's ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe and then again on Test debut against Australia at The Gabba earlier this year.

Sinclair was quizzed on the background of the unique celebration after the opening day's play and the right-armer revealed the act had been perfected from years of practice at home.

"That's my trademark celebration, from where I come from," Sinclair said.

"Whenever I get a wicket, I just do it for everyone from there.

"It all started at the tender age of eight, practicing it over and over in the back garden. I know what I'm doing, I've perfected it over the years."

Sinclair wasn't even meant to be in the West Indies’ XI for the second Test, with the spinner only earning a reprieve on the morning of the opening day when first-choice tweaker Gudakesh Motie was ruled out of the clash due to illness.

Sinclair's enthusiasm on the field helped inspire his fellow bowlers, with Alzarri Joseph (3/98), Jayden Seales (2/90) and Kavem Hodge (2/44) all picking up multiple wickets as England threw away a fast start to be dismissed late in the day.

Right-hander Ollie Pope was the mainstay of England's innings, with the top-order batter riding the luck provided by a bevy of dropped catches by the West Indies to notch his sixth Test century for his country.

Pope acknowledged the luck he received while batting, but said it was a welcome change from a recent stint at domestic level in England when everything seemed to go against him.

"I'm happy with the way I went about my stuff and obviously there was a nice couple of drops, which always helps," Pope said.

"No one means to drop them but cricket goes in swings and roundabouts. The luck wasn't with me in my County stint. I wouldn't say I had doubts but sometimes you think, 'Why's everyone else in the country scoring runs in County cricket but England's No.3 isn't going out and averaging 50 this summer?'

"That's just cricket for you, you want to go and score a hundred every day but sometimes it doesn't work that way."