England fell to a five-wicket defeat in an absorbing final Test as West Indies tied the three-match series at 1-1.
England resumed in Barbados 107 ahead at 39-5 but, despite an unbeaten 35 from Jos Buttler, were all out for 123.
Windies seamer Jason Holder took 3-16, leaving the hosts with a target of 192.
Left-hander Darren Bravo struck three sixes in a magnificent 82, sharing 108 with Jermaine Blackwood, who was 47 not out, as the Windies beat England for only the second time in 29 Tests.
After a wretched World Cup campaign, when they lost to Bangladesh and failed to progress beyond the initial group stages, defeat at the Kensington Oval is likely to leave the England coaching staff with some difficult questions to answer from the hierarchy at the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves said before the start of the series that there would be "some enquiries" if they failed to win in the Caribbean, and he takes up his post on 15 May.
Yet having scrambled for runs in frantic style at the end of a remarkable second day on which 18 wickets fell, England had calmly added 23 without alarm on the third morning.
The introduction of slow left-armer Veerasammy Permaul soon saw Gary Ballance caught at slip, but Stokes played in positive fashion, unleashing some effective reverse sweeps to add 33 with Buttler, who got off the mark in fine style with a six off Permaul.
However, Stokes skewed the spinner to cover and tall seamer Holder struck in successive balls.
The destructive Buttler blazed four fours and a six from the next seven balls he faced but the number eight was again left not out at the other end when last man James Anderson was lbw after a review.
The home team's reply began one over before lunch and the afternoon soon appeared ominous for England when, for once, Anderson was unable to trouble the batsmen.
Debutant Shai Hope was dropped by Joe Root at third slip off Stuart Broad, with star catcher Chris Jordan inexplicably positioned in the outfield, and both reviews were wasted within the opening 11 overs.
But Jordan trapped Hope lbw with a full delivery angling in, upheld after a review, and then produced another astonishing reflex catch at slip in the next over to snaffle Kraigg Brathwaite off the spin of Moeen Ali.
The Windies added 35 and appeared to be in command again, but England restricted the scoring and Broad nipped one back to rattle through the defence of Marlon Samuels.
Things fluctuated once again after tea, as Bravo launched the first ball of the session from Root for six, but in the next over the veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul chopped Anderson onto his stumps, ending a disappointing series for the 40-year-old.
With 105 needed, Blackwood was way out of his ground having danced down the pitch to Root, but Buttler was unable to gather a sharply turning ball down the leg-side and the stumping chance went begging.
It proved a key moment as Bravo and Blackwood mixed defence and attack with great assurance to punish England's tiring attack.
Having reached his 11th Test fifty, Bravo edged Anderson through a vacant second slip area and, though he was well caught by Broad at mid-off with only four needed, the work had been done and the Windies soon completed a famous victory under the floodlights.
No comments:
Post a Comment