Nottingham, July 21: England surged towards a series victory by blowing away West Indies in a single session on the fourth day of the second Test at Trent Bridge.
Set 385 to win or four sessions to save the game, West Indies disintegrated from 61-0 to 82-5 in a manic blur of five wickets in six overs.
Chris Woakes twice found the edge to remove openers Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite, and off-spinner Shoaib Bashir bowled a magical spell to claim 3-8 in 15 deliveries.
From there, the only question was whether the game would last until Monday. Mark Wood bounced out Kevin Sinclair, Gus Atkinson struck twice in three balls and Bashir took the final two wickets to end with 5-41. West Indies were 143 all out and beaten by 241 runs.
All this came after Joe Root and Harry Brook each made centuries to lay the platform for England’s victory push.
Root’s 122 was his 32nd Test hundred, one short of Sir Alastair Cook’s England record, while Brook added 109 for his first Test ton in this country.
West Indies’ target might have been larger had England not lost 7-96, but the regular fall of home wickets also gave Ben Stokes’ side enough time to wrap up the game with a day to spare.
It gives England their first series win since the tour of Pakistan in 2022. They will look for a 3-0 clean sweep when the final Test begins at Edgbaston on Friday.
Swift end to superb contest
The rapid way this match unravelled in the final session of the fourth day was at odds with everything that came before, when these teams had wrestled for control.
Even with the runs Root and Brook scored in the morning session, there was still a ray of light for West Indies, who clung on by taking 3-19 just before lunch.
In the end, the target always felt likely to be well beyond them, despite the great spirit they have shown in responding to a heavy first Test defeat at Lord’s and the fact the pitch showed no huge sign of deteriorating until West Indies began their chase.
Suddenly, England were getting the ball to shoot and spit, particularly from the new Stuart Broad End. Woakes exploited some uncertain footwork, while Bashir hinted at why England have chosen him ahead of Somerset team-mate Jack Leach. (Agencies)
