ENG v WI 2024, ENG vs WI 2nd Test Match Report, July 18 – 21, 2024 – Bashir, Root, Brook give West Indies a 241-run hammering

England 416 (Pope 121, Duckett 71, Stokes 69) and 425 (Root 122, Brook 109, Duckett 76, Pope 51, Seales 4-97) beat West Indies 457 (Hodge 120, Da Silva 82*, Athanaze 82, Woakes 4-84) and 143 (Brathwaite 47, Bashir 5-41) by 241 runs

Shoaib Bashir’s first five-wicket haul on English soil sealed victory inside four days for the hosts, after Joe Root and Harry Brook had set England up against West Indies in the second Test at Trent Bridge.

Root and Brook each scored centuries before the hosts were bowled out for 425 in their second innings – the first time in England’s history that they had scored 400 in both innings of a Test – setting West Indies a target of 385.

Then, at 20 years and 282 days, off-spinner Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test at home, beating the previous record of just-retired seamer James Anderson. His 5 for 41 gave England the win, by 241 runs, and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series being played for the Richards-Botham Trophy.

On a flat batting track and with a monumental run-chase at Headingley nearly seven years ago still in the recesses of some memories – certainly captain Kraigg Brathwaite’s – the task was still steep, not to mention in light of an innings defeat at Lord’s in the first Test of this series, even if Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis made a bright start by taking West Indies to 61 without loss.

But Chris Woakes and Bashir put it out of reach as West Indies lost 5 for 21 in the space of 35 balls and Bashir finished things, West Indies losing 10 for 82 in all as they were bowled out for 143.

Woakes struck with the first ball after the evening drinks break, a length ball outside off stump that lured a faint edge behind from Louis. Moments later, Kirk McKenzie fluffed an attempted drive off a Bashir short ball and fell to a sharp catch by Jamie Smith behind the stumps.

Brathwaite, on 47, edged Woakes to the keeper and Bashir drew another edge to Root at slip off Alick Athanaze with one that dipped and turned appreciably. In between, Bashir had pinned first-innings centurion Kavem Hodge lbw, and after three overs, Bashir had 3 for 8.

Mark Wood, who had bowled with jaw-dropping speed in West Indies first innings, produced venom of a different kind to remove Kevin Sinclair, his short ball spitting up higher than the batter expected and, as Sinclair put his hands in front of his face, it rapped the wristband of his glove and was taken at second slip.

Joshua Da Silva, who had scored an unbeaten 82 in the first innings, started playing some shots, pulling Gus Atkinson through midwicket for four and crunching Bashir over the fence at wide long-on. But Atkinson responded in his next over with one that moved back in from outside off to strike Da Silva on the back pad in line with middle stump and, two balls later, he put England on the brink of victory by bowling Alzarri Joseph.

No sooner had Jason Holder taken him for six and four to move to 37, and Bashir rattled off stump with a gem that turned in and beat the edge as Holder pressed forward, leaving West Indies nine down.

Bashir then bowled Shamar Joseph with a fuller ball on middle stump to the absolute delight of his captain, Ben Stokes, who grinned broadly as his young charge took a third five-wicket haul in just his fifth Test.

Earlier, Root was serene in posting 122, his 32nd Test century having moved to eighth on the all-time Test run-scorers’ list with 11,940 during the course of his innings.

Brook had reached 109 in similarly unruffled style, the pair putting on 198 runs for the fourth wicket. That was after Ollie Pope and Ben Duckett had fallen in quick succession on the third day, themselves having each passed fifty and put on 119 runs together.

Seales broke through with a double-strike on the fourth morning and another wicket on the last ball before lunch to Sinclair lifted West Indies from a position where the match looked to be slipping beyond their reach as Root and Brook settled into their stand. They added 100 runs to England’s overnight score but the hosts lost three wickets for 19 runs in 7.2 overs.

Brook brought up his fifth Test ton – and first on home soil – nudging Alzarri Joseph for a single to mid-on and, two balls later, Root clipped one to the leg side to bring up his fifty, and the 150 partnership.

But, after a near-flawless innings, he fell wafting at a Seales delivery that moved away slightly off the seam, found the edge and sailed through to Da Silva behind the stumps.

Seales struck again when he removed Stokes cheaply, turning a short ball straight to Alzarri Joseph at backward square leg.

That brought Jamie Smith to the crease and he managed only 6 before Sinclair drew a faint edge with a delivery on off stump and Da Silva collected.

Moments after Woakes edged a rising Shamar Joseph delivery towards second slip, where the towering Holder took a strong catch moving to his left with arms stretched above his head, Root raised his century with a thumping drive through deep point for four off Alzarri Joesph.

Holder returned to the attack with great effect, Root smashing a full, wide delivery straight to Kirk McKenzie at cover. Root departed to hearty applause from the crowd and handshakes from his opponents.

Seales saw two slips catches put down off Wood in successive balls, but made no mistake with the third when he bowled Wood for a duck with the next, a fuller ball just outside off which seamed in and clattered into the top of off stump. Seales’ fourth wicket ended England’s innings, Bashir the last man out, bowled by a yorker.

Source: ESPNcricinfo