England v West Indies
Published on: 18th May, 2009
England v West Indies | Related News
Second npower Test Match
Riverside
England 569-6 dec (A N Cook 160, R S Bopara 108, M J Prior 63,P D Collingwood 60 no) v West Indies 310 (R R Sarwan 100,D Ramdin 55, J M Anderson 5-87) & 176 (C H Gayle 54,J M Anderson 4-38)
England beat West Indies by an innings and 83 runs
England steamed through a lacklustre West Indies batting line-up to claim victory in the second Test by an innings and 83 runs – the hosts wrapping up a 2-0 series victory in the process.
The tourists resumed the final day at the Riverside on 141-3 but Tim Bresnan and James Anderson needed just 22 overs between them as they swept up seven wickets for just 35 runs.
Anderson returned figures of 4-38, while Bresnan claimed his first Test scalps in his 3-45 as the West Indies mustered just 176 – England’s victory coming just three overs after lunch.
Although they started the day with a decent chance of saving the Test, the West Indies lost three wickets for five runs in just 15 balls, and despite Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s battling 47 there were no other innings of note.
Andrew Strauss needed just two bowlers to get the seven wickets he needed to secure victory and regain the Wisden Trophy they lost in the Caribbean just over two months ago.
Rain intervals
It looked like being a frustrating day for England as they lost half of the first hour after two rain showers forced the players off the field.
However, the showers seemed to freshen up the pitch and the ball started to move about for the bowlers soon after, with Anderson getting the breakthrough when Lendl Simmons spooned the ball up to substitute fielder Scott Borthwick at point.
Brendan Nash followed in the very next over as Bresnan celebrated his first wicket in Test cricket, the left-hander clipping an in-swinger to Borthwick again – this time at square leg.
Bresnan made it two wickets in three balls when Denesh Ramdin edged a beautiful outswinger to Anderson at third slip – the West Indies keeper going for a duck.
After losing three quick wickets the West Indies were reeling but Chanderpaul responded by going on the attack and smashing ten off a Bresnan over to move them on to 163-6 and reduce the deficit to 96 runs.
Jerome Taylor never looked like offering any lengthy support to Chanderpaul though, and he went for five when Anderson sent his off stump tumbling with another fine delivery that swung just enough to get through the batsman.
Lunch strike
It had already been a superb session for England but Anderson made it even better with the final ball before lunch when he repeated the dose to Sulieman Benn – ripping the left-hander’s off-stump out of the ground with another perfectly executed delivery.
With the West Indies trailing by 92 runs at lunch, it now seemed just a matter of when and not if for England to clinch victory.
Chanderpaul was trying to farm the strike after lunch, but the plan backfired as he was sent back to the hutch in the second over with another Anderson beauty finding his outside edge.
Paul Collingwood – again standing in for the injured Matt Prior – was delighted to take the catch, although the Durham man came close to letting it bounce out of his gloves.
In the next over, just the 22nd of the day, victory was clinched as Fidel Edwards skied the ball high into the air off Bresnan’s bowling, and substitute fielder Kyle Turner took the catch down at fine leg.
Yorkshireman Bresnan claimed a third wicket, leaving Anderson stranded on nine for the match but looking good for the summer ahead.
England walked off with another thumping victory over the Windies under their belts and in high spirits for the challenges that await with the Ashes.
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