England vs West Indies: England won the series by 2-1
On the last day on Tuesday at Old Trafford, England won the first cricket series in four months when it beat the West Indies in the deciding 3rd test by 269 runs.
After losing the first Test by 113 runs in Southampton, England snatched the bio-secure series by 2-1.
The West Indies, resuming the 5th and last day on 10-2, had a tall mission to bat out the day out to force a series-saving draw, all hope of making 399 to win long gone. The weather wouldn’t save the West Indies, either, though play was stopped three times due to rainfall.
Highlights of Day 5
During the morning session, the visitors lost three wickets, and the rest within 90 minutes after lunch to be all out for 129.
The first wicket of the day from fast bowler Stuart Broad made him the seventh man in test history to claim 500 Test wickets. The series-winning last wicket provided Broad 4-36 in the innings and 10 for the game, his first 10-for since 2013.
Chris Woakes bowled for 11 straight overs and took 5-50 in between the milestones. The other West Indies wicket was bagged with a run out.
Stuart Broad is England’s second pacer to grab 500 Test wickets.
It was a bad ending for the West Indies, but the team deserved kudos for deciding to fly to one of the world’s worst pandemic hotspots, following the health guidelines and contributing to a gripping competition.
The first international cricket action since March saw the West Indies win the 1st test, and England the second. Both sides went down to the last day.
England chose a four-man pace attack for this third test and the West Indies couldn’t resist, falling for 197 and 129 against 369 and 226 declared by England.
This was the first time since 1912 that pacers from England took 50 wickets in a three-match series.
Stuart Broad, angry at being dropped for the 1st test, proved his point on Sunday by setting up this victory. He took 4 wickets to finish off the first innings of West Indies, then the first two of the second innings in the evening to end the slim hopes of batting to win at West Indies.
Instead, West Indies were made to bat to survive.
Monday’s washout merely slowed England’s march to victory and there was an air of inevitability on the last day.
Brief scores:
England first innings 369 (OlliePope 91, Jos Buttler 67, Stuart Broad 62, Rory Burns 57; Kemar Roach 4-72); West Indies first innings 197 (Stuart Broad 6-31); England second Innings 226-2 dec (Rory Burns 90, Joe Root 68 no, Dom Sibley 56); West Indies second Innings 129 (Chris Woakes 5-50, Stuart Broad 4-36)
Result: England won by 269-run
Series: England won the three-match series by 2-1
