St. George's, Grenada--England ended a wait of two-and-a-half years and 10 matches for Test success away from home with a nine-wicket win over the West Indies in the second Test on Saturday.
Set a modest target of 143 after the home side folded for 307 in their second innings just after lunch, Gary Ballance (81 not out) and skipper Alastair Cook (59 not out) eased to the target with an unbroken 142-run second-wicket partnership after Jonathan Trott fell without scoring to Shannon Gabriel.
This first away win since a series-clinching seven-wicket triumph over India in Kolkata in December, 2012 means that England have retained the Wisden Trophy -- the symbol of supremacy in Test series between the two nations since 1963 -- going into the final Test in Barbados starting next Friday.
"To get a win on this surface, to get 20 wickets to win the Test was a great effort," said Cook.
"That second new ball this morning was really crucial. Once we got that one wicket we felt it would be testing for the West Indies the way our bowlers were coming in with real intensity."
James Anderson starred with the ball and in the field at Grenada's National Stadium on Saturday.
He triggered a collapse which saw the home side lose eight wickets for 83 runs after they resumed in the comfortable position of 202 for two with opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite on 101 and first innings century-maker Marlon Samuels at the crease.
His country's leading wicket-taker in Tests, Anderson made full use of the second new ball in the morning session, removing Brathwaite for 116 with a sharp lifter that was fended to man of the match Joe Root at gully.
AFP
