Bashir bowls England to series-clinching win over West Indies
Cricket
England thrashed the West Indies by 241 runs to secure a series-clinching win at Trent Bridge.
Nottingham (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Shoaib Bashir took his Test-best figures as England thrashed the West Indies by 241 runs to secure a series-clinching win at Trent Bridge on Sunday after the tourists suffered a spectacular collapse.
The 20-year-old off-spinner finished with a superb return of 5-41 -- his third five-wicket haul in just five Tests but first in England -- as the West Indies, set 385 to win, slumped to 143 all out in the second Test.
The West Indies made a steady start to their stiff chase to be 61-0 only to collapse in stunning style, with all 10 of their second-innings wickets lost in 23 overs.
Victory, secured with more than a day to spare, gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in a three-match series following their innings and 114-run win at Lord's.
"I felt I was a bit inconsistent in the first innings," Bashir told Sky Sports.
"In the second, I saw a couple spun from a bit wider and Joe Root told me to bowl an attacking line. I reaped the rewards."
'TOP-CLASS'
England captain Ben Stokes hailed Bashir by saying: "On a wicket that has not necessarily offered a lot for the spinners in the game, the ability he had to change his pace, change his line, manipulate how he wanted the ball to react out of the surface, was top-class."
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West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite and opening partner Mikyle Louis came through some testing early overs from an England attack without retired pace greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first time in a home Test since 2012.
But when Chris Woakes (2-28) had Louis caught behind off the first ball after the drinks break, it was the start of a spectacular top-order slump that saw six wickets lost for just 30 runs.
"We were good with the bat in the first innings but didn't follow it up in the second innings," said Brathwaite, whose side led by 41 runs after making 457 in reply to England's initial 416.
Bashir struck with his third ball Sunday, dismissing Kirk McKenzie cheaply for the second time in the match when wicketkeeper Jamie Smith held a good catch off an edge from a dragged down delivery.
Brathwaite, for the second time this match, fell in sight of a fifty when the experienced opener was caught behind off Woakes.
And 74-3 became 75-4 when Kavem Hodge, fresh from his maiden Test hundred in the first innings, was plumb lbw for a duck to Bashir as he played back.
Bashir struck again with a classic delivery that drifted and turned to have Alick Athanaze, who made 82 in West Indies' first-innings 457, caught at first slip by Joe Root for just one.
Gus Atkinson's two wickets in three balls left the West Indies on the brink of defeat at 113-8.
But it was Bashir who finished the match, bowling Jason Holder (37) with a full and flatter ball before knocking over the stumps of No 11 Shamar Joseph.
West Indies were all out inside 37 overs, with 17 wickets having fallen in the day on a blameless pitch.
England's Ollie Pope was named player of the match after scoring 172 runs in total, including a first-innings hundred.
Both Root and Harry Brook hit hundreds earlier Sunday as England made 425 in their second innings.
Root struck 122 and Brook 109, with the Yorkshire duo sharing a partnership of 189 after they had come together on Saturday when England were just 99 runs ahead at 140-3.
Root's century left him one shy of the England record of 33 Test hundreds held by the retired Alastair Cook.
England started Sunday's play on 248-3, already 207 runs in front, with Brook 71 not out and Root unbeaten on 37.
Brook's quick single off Alzarri Joseph saw the 25-year-old to a fifth hundred in 14 Tests -- but first in England -- in just 118 balls, including 12 fours, before he was caught behind off Jayden Seales.
Root's typically stylish square-driven boundary off Alzarri Joseph -- just his seventh four in 158 balls -- took the former England captain to a sedate but valuable century.
The third Test at Edgbaston starts on Friday.
