Latest update February 14th, 2025 8:22 AM
England apply finishing touches to series win over West Indies
Samuels hung around for a fifty, but the 108-run target posed no threat to England
AFP – England beat West Indies by nine wickets to win the second Test with more than a day to spare at Trent Bridge here on Monday and take an unbeatable 2-0 lead in this three-match series.
Set 108 for victory on the fourth day, England finished on 111 for one.
England players celebrate Tim Bresnan's breakthrough
England captain Andrew Strauss, who made 141 in the first innings to follow his hundred in the five-wicket first Test win at Lord’s, was out for 45 when he chipped part-time spinner Marlon Samuels to short extra-cover with his side just 19 runs short of victory.
But fellow left-hander Alastair Cook (43 not out) and Jonathan Trott (17 not out) completed the win. “We’re delighted to get over the line,” said Strauss. “It was quite hard work at times. It’s been a hot, hard four days and there were some really good performances from the lads.”
West Indies were all out for 165 in their second innings shortly after lunch. Samuels made a dashing 76 not out, top-scoring for the tourists for the second time in the match after his first innings 117.
However, he merely delayed the inevitable and this loss extended West Indies’ winless run in England to 16 Tests, with 14 defeats and two draws. Man-of-the-match Tim Bresnan took four wickets for 37 runs in 17 overs for a Test-best match haul of eight for 141, while James Anderson was close behind his fellow paceman with a second innings return of four for 43 in 20.1 overs.
This victory meant Bresnan, who made a useful 39 not out in England’s first innings, had been on the winning side in all his 13 Tests. “Tim Bresnan was fantastic,” said Strauss. “He showed what a good contributor he is for the side in both innings, and he chipped in with the bat as well.”
Bresnan added: “It’s quite difficult at times when you’ve got a soft ball and a flat pitch but that’s when you’ve got to step up and do it. “Consistency is my major weapon and to keep banging in that length.”
Considering West Indies resumed on their overnight 61 for six, their second innings total represented a considerable recovery. “We’ve really got to consider how we go about playing Test cricket, something has got to be done,” said West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who made a maiden Test hundred in the first innings. “We just have to be more focused and put a higher price on our wickets. We’ve been lacking top order runs for a while and it has set us back.”
Samuels started the day on 13 not out and Sammy nought not out.
They started positively, with Samuels clipping Bresnan for a legside boundary while Sammy drove him through extra-cover for four. But Bresnan had Sammy lbw — his fourth leg before wicket of the innings — for 25.
Sammy reviewed the decision and replays showed the ball, which hit him on the back leg, would have just clipped the top of the stumps. As Aleem Dar had already given Sammy out, the Pakistani umpire’s call was upheld and West Indies were now 110 for seven after their two best batsmen of the match had only added 49 this time around.
Kemar Roach struck several fours before he was lbw to Anderson for 14, although England had to review umpire Asad Rauf’s original not out decision. Samuels, on 58, survived a sharp chance to Cook at short leg off the bowling of off-spinner Graeme Swann, who did dismiss Shane Shillingford for nought. But Swann then conceded 16 in an over to Samuels, who drove him for a four and a six in successive deliveries before, two balls later, lofting him for a huge straight six.
Anderson wrapped up the innings when he had No 11 Ravi Rampaul caught in the slips by Bresnan, with Samuels unbeaten after facing 160 balls with two sixes and nine fours.
The third Test at Edgbaston starts on June 7.
Scores: England 428 and 111 for 1 (Cook 43*, Trott 17*) beat West Indies 370 and 165 (Samuels 76*, Bresnan 4-37, Anderson 4-43) by nine wickets.
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