England stormed to a comfortable ten-wicket win in the third and final Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, Birmingham on July 28 — taking the series by an emphatic 3-0 margin.
After tear away seamer Mark Wood broke the back of the Windies batting lineup with a terrific return of five for 40 after lunch on the third day, the English were set a meagre 82 runs for victory. With regular opening batsman Zak Crawley absent due to an injury he sustained in the West Indies' second innings, English skipper Ben Stokes strode to the middle with Ben Duckett.
Ever the showman, Stokes put on a brute display of hitting, racing to an unbeaten 57 off just 28 balls as the hosts knocked off the 82-run target after just 7.2 overs. Stokes hit nine fours and two sixes in his innings — including a disdainful pull off opposing skipper Kraigg Brathwaite to bring up the winning runs and put an authoritative stamp on the series sweep.
A belligerent Stokes brought up his fifty off just 24 balls with a six off Shamar Joseph in the previous over, notching the fastest fifty by an Englishman in Test cricket in the process. Duckett finished unbeaten on 25 off 16 balls with four boundaries.
The West Indies began the third day's play on 33 for two — still needing 61 runs to force the hosts to bat a second time.
Alick Athanaze (12) was the first man to go when he was trapped lbw by Shoaib Bashir (one for 41) to leave the West Indies on 53 for three.
West Indies then got a fruitful 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket between opener Mikyle Louis (57) and Kavem Hodge (55), with the former getting to his maiden Test fifty. It would be the last high point of the series for the visiting team.
Louis was dismissed by Stokes, with new batsman Jason Holder (12) being trapped lbw by player of the series Gus Atkinson (two for 28) to see the Windies going to lunch at 151 for five — boasting a 57-run lead at that stage.
After lunch, though, man of the match Wood took the game into his own hands with a tremendous spell of fast bowling to take the last five wickets as West Indies' resistance lasted for roughly an hour in the afternoon session.
Regularly bowling over 90 mph with reverse swing, Wood grabbed the wickets of Joshua Da Silva (five), Windies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph (two), Hodge, Jayden Seales (duck) and Shamar (four) as the Caribbean team were bowled out for just 175. It was the fourth time the West Indies were bowled out for under 200 in the series.
Set just 82 for victory, Stokes led the vicious charge as the English made light work of the chase.
Brathwaite and the West Indies will have little time to rest, as they will host South Africa in a two-match Test series which will bowl off at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad on August 7.
Summarised Scores:
WEST INDIES: 282 (Kraigg Brathwaite 61, Jason Holder 59; Gus Atkinson 4/67, Chris Woakes 3/69) and 175 (Mikyle Louis 57, Kavem Hodge 55; Mark Wood 5/40, G Atkinson 2/28) vs ENGLAND: 376 (Jamie Smith 95, Joe Root 87; Alzarri Joseph 4/122, Jayden Seales 3/79) and 87/0 (Be
