By Clayton Goodwin
England 416 (Ollie Pope 121, Ben Duckett 71, Ben Stokes 69) & 425 (Joe Root, 122, Harry Brook 109, Ben Duckett 76, Ollie Pope 51, Jayden Seales 4-97) beat West Indies 457 (Kavem Hodge 120, Joshua Da Silva 82 n.o., Alick Athaneze 82, Chris Woakes 4-84) & 143 (Shoaib Bashir 5-41) by 241 runs
Suddenly the dream was over. For just over two sessions West Indies fought as if they could – and even would – score the 385 runs to square the series. Then the opening batsmen were prised apart and the vulnerable middle-order batting succumbed to off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. And the lower-order followed with their eponymous tail between their legs. Centuries by Harry Brook and Joe Root earlier in the day had seemed to set up a tense and historic finish on the morrow, Alas, the morrow never came. For West Indies, sadly, it was service as usual.
Harry Brook and Joe Root batted England into a strong position throughout the morning session. They took few risks, took the runs that were there, and, on a pitch which still suited the batsmen well, seemed to have assured that, whatever the outcome, England would not lose. West Indies bowled well, gave few chances, but the batting was up to the challenge. Then in the run-down to lunch the game shifted course. Within a few minutes Jayden Seales had both Brook and Ben Stokes caught – the former by Alzarri Joseph and the latter by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva. Brook’s century was his first in England and the fourth-wicket stand was worth 189 runs. From the last ball before lunch Jamie Sith edged off-spinner Kevin Sinclair to Da Silva. The lunch score was 348-6.
Root reached his 32nd Test century and, in spite of Woakes being caught by Holder from Shamar Joseph, continued to build a strong position. Once he had reached his hundred Root was more free with his strokes. Then the tide turned suddenly and the innings was ended in a spectacular flurry after Root had hit Jason Holder straight to Kirk McKenzie. Three consecutive deliveries from Jayden Seales produced two dropped catches and his clean-bowling of Mark Wood. Four runs later Seales dealt with Shoaib Bashir in similar manner. With England all out for 425 the players came in for tea. West Indies needed to score 385 runs to win the Test and square the series.
West Indies started as if they were going to make a fight for it. Top-scorer Kraigg Brathwaite and near-novice Mikyle Louis batted with confidence to take the score to 61 before the first wicket fell. Then the roof fell in on the innings. Chris Woakes had both openers caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir spun through the suspect middle-order batting, Kirk McKenzie, Kavem Hodge and Alick Athenaze, including the two century-makers of the first innings – all by the time the score reached 82-5. It was not over yet as Kevin Sinclair evaded a short-pitched delivery from Mark Wood the ball flicked his wrist-band and ballooned up to Zak Crawley. Six wickets were down for 30 runs. Jason Holder, striking two consecutive sixes, maintained defiance at one end while wickets toppled at the other. Gus Atkinson had Joshua Da Silva l.b.w and bowled Alzarri Joseph within three deliveries. Bashir bowled Holder and Shamar Joseph to bring down the final curtain.