WI vs ENG: Collapse sends Windies to 113-run defeat in second test, series tied 1-1
Shamarh Brooks and Jermaine Blackwood
carved out polished half-centuries but West Indies’ fragile top order was again
cruelly exposed, as England levelled the three-Test series with a 113-run
victory on the final day at Old Trafford on Monday (July 20).
Set an improbable 312 to win the second
Test after the hosts declared their second innings on 129 for three an hour
into the morning, West Indies collapsed in a heap at 25 for three at lunch
thanks to veteran seamer Stuart Broad (3-42) who produced a lethal burst with
the new ball.
Brooks then top-scored with 62 while
Blackwood stroked 55, the pair posting an invaluable 100 for the fifth wicket
to revive the innings and the Caribbean side’s hopes of forcing a stalemate in
the pivotal contest.
But once Blackwood perished in the final
over before tea, West Indies wobbled again, losing their last six wickets for
61 runs to be all out for 198, with 14.5 overs and three-quarters of an hour
left to survive in England’s northwest.
Fast bowling all-rounders Ben Stokes (2-30) and Chris Woakes (2-34), along with off-spinner Dom Bess (2-59), all finished with two wickets each, firing England to a crucial victory and keeping alive their hopes of recapturing the Wisden Trophy, ahead of the third and deciding Test beginning this Friday.
Man-of-the-match Stokes had earlier set the
tone for England’s dominance after they resumed on 37 for two, as he blasted an
unbeaten 78 from 57 deliveries, to stun West Indies in the morning session.
Dropped on 29 in the second over of the day
by John Campbell at deep extra cover off speedster Shannon Gabriel, the
left-hander shredded the Windies attack with four fours and three sixes as
England frenetically increased their lead.
Once the declaration came on the stroke of
the first hour, it left West Indies with a minimum of 85 overs to survive in
order to save the game and retain the Wisden but things quickly went awry.
Records tumbled Ÿ“— England Cricket (@englandcricket) Milestones reached Ÿ™ŒA memorable Test in Manchester! Ÿ
Records tumbled Ÿ“— England Cricket (@englandcricket) Milestones reached Ÿ™ŒA memorable Test in Manchester! ŸJuly 21, 2020
Campbell completed a poor match when he
fell to the fifth ball of the innings for four, nicking a loose drive behind
off Broad and England having to resort to DRS to have the initial not out
decision overturned.
His senior opening partner Kraigg
Brathwaite followed about 20 minutes before lunch when he was pinned on his
crease by Woakes for 12 in a clear lbw decision and five balls later in the
next over, Shai Hope was comprehensively bowled by Broad for seven by one that
came back.
Needing to start well after lunch, West
Indies suffered even more disappointment in the fourth over when Roston Chase
shouldered arms to Broad, was struck on the back leg, and sent on his way lbw
for six.
Brooks and Blackwood then joined forces to
stabilise the Windies innings, in a partnership which blunted England’s attack,
albeit temporarily.
Already with a half-century in the first
innings, Brooks exuded class and confidence in a knock consuming 136 balls in
just under 3-½ hours, and which included four fours and two sixes – both
elegant straight hits off Bess.
Blackwood, meanwhile, punched seven fours –
including three in one over from left-arm seamer Sam Curran – in an innings
requiring 88 balls and a shade under two hours.
He appeared set to reach tea safely when he
fended off a short delivery from Stokes and was taken low down by wicketkeeper
Jos Buttler running around to the leg side, off the fourth ball before the
break.
That dismissal put England firmly in
command and they pressed home their advantage after the interval taken at 137
for five, Woakes trapping Shane Dowrich on his crease in the first full over
after the resumption to ensure the diminutive right-hander completed a “pairâ€
in the game.
Unbeaten on 52 at tea after authoritatively
reaching his third Test half-century with the second of his two sixes in the
penultimate over before the break, Brooks desperately tried to repair the
innings in a 23-run stand with captain Jason Holder who made 35.
However, his resistance finally ended when
he lazily played back to Curran and was plumb lbw.
Holder belted five fours and a six in a
62-ball knock, attempting to inspire a last ditch rescue effort but once he was
bowled through the gate by Bess, all hopes of salvaging a stalemate perished
with him.
