Thu. Nov 14th, 2024
Occasional Digest - a story for you

Given the conditions, England might have been expecting a similar slog to the first innings, when they needed almost 112 overs to dismiss West Indies for 457.

Instead, this was a collective display of brilliance by the home attack, who dismantled the Windies in 36.1 overs of mayhem after tea.

Brathwaite in particular had looked in solid touch for 47 in his opening stand of 61 with Louis, but once Louis was drawn into an edge by Woakes, the implosion was swift and dramatic.

Kirk McKenzie somehow edged a Bashir half-tracker to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, while Brathwaite’s edge off was almost a replay of Louis’ dismissal to really expose the tourists. Kavem Hodge was lbw playing back to Bashir, who then found gorgeous turn to draw the edge of left-hander Alick Athanaze. West Indies had lost 5-21.

The four-day finish was a possibility, made a reality when fleeting resistance from Sinclair was ended by a brutal bouncer in another terrifying spell from Wood.

Atkinson pinned Joshua da Silva lbw and scuttled one through Alzarri Joseph before Bashir produced his best, one that turned to end Jason Holder’s defiance on 37.

When last man Shamar Joseph was bowled having a swipe, 20-year-old Bashir became the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a home Test and the first spinner to take five in an innings at Trent Bridge since 2006.

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