England won by an innings and 209 runs
PLAYER OF THE MATCH : Sir Alastair Cook
Batter
Bowler
'Very disappointed' and 'Very remarkable day' were the words used by the Windies and the England captains respectively. There's no better way to put things in perspective. The day-night ordeal is over for the Windies, they will face up England next at Headingley on 25th August. Friday. Hope to see you then! This is Raju Peethala, taking great pleasure in having covered 4 Day-Night Tests, bidding goodbye on behalf of the rest of the team; Kumar Abhisekh Das, Abhinand, Srivathsa, Sreenivas and a couple of newbie scorers.
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A few stats from this game before signing off:
- Alastair Cook's 243 is the highest individual score where a batsman was adjudicated OUT with the help of DRS.
- Highest scores at Edgbaston:
294 A Cook v Ind, 2011
285* P May v WI, 1957
277 G Smith v Eng, 2003
274 Z Abbas v Eng, 1971
243 A Cook, this Test
- Most Test wickets for England after this Test:
James Anderson - 492
Stuart Broad - 384
Sir Ian Botham - 383
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Summary: Reading out a rehearsed script is no fun. This game was one such affair for the Englishmen. There were apprehensions of this game being one-sided and indeed has been one and how! Day 1 belonged to Cook and Root. Centuries from the former and current skipper helped England to end day 1 at 348/3. Cook burgeoned his tally and ended with 243 on day 2. England ended their only essay at 514/8. When West Indies came out to bat, it was all about meek capitulation from their end. Wickets kept falling like ninepins and their misery ended late on day 3. This despite the final session being washed out on day 2. England still have not had their second opener scoring runs. Westley still has to cement his spot. Malan did come good with a fifty but will have to bite the bullet time and again to prove his mettle. But a performance like this despite in slight transition will hold all of them in good stead. For Windies, a fiery Roach sending few good spells was like a splinter in a dark dungeon. They have to quickly find a way out!
"I have enjoyed batting here. Pretty unusual. To get another double at a ground where you got your highest score and...especially after the South Africa series was pleasing. That South Africa series the pitches doing all sorts and some quality bowling...so it was really tough for the top order. First day, it was a good toss to win and the sun was out. Just needed to see through the first half-an-hour and from thereon I just carried myself. The pitch was quite helpful here and it's always nice to get some runs. Experience keeps you grounded. You do like thinking that you cannot go wrong and that keeps you grounded. The way I hit the throwdowns is the same way I hit in the middle. To cash in like the way I did, it was really pleasing. I have really enjoyed the summer so far. I loved spending time with Essex, my county side and I enjoyed my break after the series in India. To get away from captaincy for 7 months was quite pleasing. You bide your time a little bit and then you plan how to go about it. Rooty and I have known well each other for very long. He is my mate and I always love batting with him. You cannot ignore anything he says. You can say whatever you want and take no offence. I was probably terrible with that (regarding the reviews)," says Alastair Cook who's been awarded the Man of the Match
"Very remarkable day. Very pleasing. I thought the way we batted was excellent. We were ruthless. He (Broad) had a fantastic career today sure there's many more in the tank. It's one of those days he will remember for a very long time. He has got the ability to turn the game on its head and today is a fine example of that. He is very skillful and got different deliveries. As a whole squad we are finding ways to improve and continue to get better. It's great to see the senior guys leading from the front. We have got some runs here. It's been an exciting week for us and we have got some time before the next game," says Joe Root.
"Very disappointed. We didn't show any fight. Need to work on our lengths when bowling. England are a quality side and we were outplayed. We got to just believe, we need to formulate plans on how to counter England's plans. It's not all lost now. We just got to believe in ourselves, regroup and come back strong for the next Test. Maybe a bit of nerves on the first day, but a great partnership between Cook and Root took the game away from us. Blackwood is playing his first Test match after quite a while. He was positive and that's the way he plays. We have just asked him to be selective and play his natural game. Hopefully Shannon (Gabriel) is fit to play for the next game. We will look at what changes we should make in the next few days," says Jason Holder.
This was an extremely poor display from West Indies. An inexperienced team they may be but they showed hardly any fight or determination today and their play was well short of Test match standard. England were good but didn't have to be much more than that to finish off the visitors. If West Indies don't improve, the next two Tests could be carnage. -- Rob from the venue in a prophetic and critical voice sums it up.
21:00 local: The Windies have lost 19 wickets in a day. That sums it up. Nothing went their way. Lost the toss, bowled some shoddy stuff against the class of Cook and Root and got the treatment they deserved. The fielding standards, fitness standards, some of the batting techniques. The worries continue to multiply. England though are becoming incomparable at home. What's good to see about this line-up is that everyone who bowls is a wicket-taker. You always sense there's a wicket round the corner. One area that needs a bit of tailoring is their batting. But until Cook, Root, Bairstow, Stokes are present, it's a tough task to get past them.
An air of nonchalance and contentment among the England group. They trudge back with their heads held high. Beaming smiles all around. The coach is a happy man in the balcony. And, as ever, the customary handshakes follow....
Roland-Jones to Alzarri Joseph, out Caught by Stokes!! Toby Roland-Jones rolls Windies' final wicket over to end the proceedings. Third biggest victory margin - win by 209 runs - for England against West Indies. Offers a length one to Joseph and asks him to have a crack at it, Joseph obliges and snicks an edge to the slip cordon. Flew low to the right of Stokes at third slip who did well to grab it inches above. Alzarri Joseph c Stokes b Roland-Jones 8(24) [4s-1]
Roland-Jones to Alzarri Joseph, THATS OUT!! Caught!!
Roland-Jones to Alzarri Joseph, no run, a swing and a miss outside off
Roland-Jones to Alzarri Joseph, no run, nips away late from a fuller length and takes Joseph's outside edge on the drive. Falls just short of Anderson at fourth slip
Roland-Jones to Alzarri Joseph, no run, comes across to get behind the line of the delivery. Blocked
END OF OVER 45
0 Runs
WI: 137 - 9
0 0 0 0 W 0
Alzarri Joseph
8 (20)
Miguel Cummins
0 (1)
James Anderson
7-2-12-2
Anderson to Miguel Cummins, no run, full and tailing in towards off, Cummins blocks and draws a huge round of jeers from the crowd. Well done!
Miguel Cummins, left handed bat, comes to the crease
No point mentioning the number of slips. It looks like a crowded pub on a Saturday night
Anderson to Roach, out Bowled!! The typical Jimmy Anderson celebration. Finger pointing upwards while gliding across the turf. They should make a statue of that pose once he retires. England closing in. Anderson kept it pretty simple for Roach: Full and straight, with a cunning late movement inwards to sneak through Roach and the Windies' mediocrity. Clllllling go the stumps. Roach b Anderson 12(33) [4s-2]