Windies regain Wisden Trophy
CRAIG Cozier
West Indies endured nervous moments to cling on for a
series-clinching draw against England with eight wickets down on the
last day of the fifth and final test at the Queen's Park Oval on
Tuesday.
The home team, set a target of 240 to win off 66 overs, preferred to
defend and just avoided defeat at 114-8.
West Indies won the five-match series 1-0 and regained the Wisden
Trophy for the first time since 2000. The series victory was West
Indies' first against any opponent since June 2004 when it defeated
Bangladesh at home. Defying England at the end were vice captain Denesh
Ramdin with an unbeaten 17 off 87 deliveries in two hours, and Fidel
Edwards, who helped save the third test in Antigua with a similar
last-gasp effort. He was 1 not out off eight balls.
West Indies captain Chris Gayle admitted there were some tense
moments in the dressing room during the closing overs.
"We were definitely nervous. Everyone was biting their fingernails,"
Gayle said. "But we've been in this situation before. Fidel Edwards was
in this situation before and he brought us home.
"We worked really hard for this. It means a lot to us, not only to
the players but also the fans." Offspinner Graeme Swann took 3-13 while
fast bowler James Anderson (3-24) and left-arm spinner Monty Panesar
(2-34) were also impressive for England.
In a thrilling finale featuring seven centuries, England declared
twice at 546-6 and 237-6, while West Indies finished with 544 and 114-8.
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, AP
ENGLAND
1st Innings 546 for 6 dec
WEST INDIES 1st Innings 544
ENGLAND 2nd Innings
(overnight 80 for three)
A. Strauss c and b Gayle 14
A. Cook c wkpr Ramdin b Hinds 24
O. Shah c wkpr Ramdin b Baker 01
K. Pietersen c (sub) Bravo b Edwards 102
P. Collingwood c and b Hinds 09
M. Prior b Baker 61
S. Broad not out 13
Extras (b2, lb6, w1, nb4) 13
TOTAL (6 wkts dec) 237
Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-27, 3-72, 4-101, 5-207, 6-237
Bowling: Edwards 11-.4-1-67-1 (nb4); Baker 8-1-39-2; Gayle 3-0-16-1;
Hinds 8-0-57-2; Simmons 5-0-29-0; Nash 3-0-21-0
Overs: 38.4
WEST INDIES 2nd Innings
D.S. Smith lbw b Swann 17
L. Simmons c Collingwood b Anderson 08
R. Sarwan c Collingwood b Swann 14
R. Hinds c Collingwood b Panesar 20
S. Chanderpaul lbw b Swann 06
B. Nash lbw b Anderson 01
D. Ramdin not out 17
C. Gayle lbw b Panesar 04
D. Powell b Anderson 00
F. Edwards not out 01
EXTRAS 26
TOTAL (8 wkts) 114
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-25 , 2-31, 3-58, 4-80, 5-85, 6-90, 7-107, 8-109
Bowling: Anderson 16-7-24-3; Broad 5-3-9-0; Swann 21-13-13-3; Khan
4-0-11-0 (nb2, w1); Panesar 19.5-9-34-3 |
