England crash to humiliating defeat

England dramatically crashed to an innings and 23-run defeat at the hands of West Indies in the opening Test on Saturday at Sabina Park in the face high-class fast bowling from Jerome Taylor.

England, trailing by 74 runs on first innings, collapsed to 51 all out in their second innings, five minutes before tea break on the penultimate day.

It was England’s third lowest total in Tests, and was wrapped up when Steve Harmison was bowled trying to sweep a delivery from spinner Suleiman Benn and dragged the ball into his stumps.

“We were entirely outplayed,” admitted England skipper Andrew Strauss.

“We haven’t done ourselves justice. I thought the bowlers stuck to their task pretty well. We batted pretty poorly today and we paid the price. “All credit to Jerome Taylor, he bowled pretty straight and fast but we didn’t react well.”

West Indies captain Chris Gayle, who hit a century in his team’s innings, looked forward to repeating the win in the second Test in Antigua and praised Taylor as well as spinner Suleiman Benn who took eight wickets in the match.

“Benn, with the ball, was tremendous picking up eight wickets, Jerome Taylor picking up five wickets was very good,” said Gayle.

Andrew Flintoff hit the top score of 24, but England’s batting was undermined by Taylor with a career-best five wickets for 11 runs from nine overs in which he was lethal in speed, length, and direction.

There was little respite for England from the other end, where Benn was steady, if not spectacular, and also collected a career-best four for 31 from 14.2 overs.

West Indies now take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series which continues in Antigua on Thursday.

England had made a shaky start to their second innings, when they lost vice-captain Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, and were 11 for two at lunch. But nothing could have prepared them for what transpired in the first hour after the interval.

Taylor produced the perfect out-swinging yorker and Kevin Pietersen was sensationally bowled off-stump for one in the second over after lunch.

Paul Collingwood joined Strauss, and for close to half-hour, they took some of the tension out of the air before Taylor struck again.

Strauss nibbled at a delivery outside the off-stump and was caught behind for nine. Taylor then struck twice in his next over. Collingwood was bowled off an inside-edge for one off the first delivery, and Matt Prior played right across a well-pitched leg-cutter and was bowled for a four-ball duck.

England slid further into the mire, when left-hander Stuart Broad turned a delivery to forward short leg and was caught for a two-ball duck off Benn that sunk England to 26 for seven.

Ryan Sidebottom came to the wicket and succeeded with Flintoff to get England past their lowest ever total of 45 against Australia at Sydney 122 years ago, and their second lowest total ever, against the West Indies of 46 at Port of Spain 15 years.

KINGSTON, AFP