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Oh, what a bashing! England beaten in three days in Barbados

Alastair Cook is the youngest man to score 10,000 Test runs. (AFP PHOTO / GREG WOOD)
Expert
4th May, 2015
27
1347 Reads

Australia beware, the Windies have tasted flesh and appear hungry to take on Michael Clarke’s men next month.

Although England under Alastair Cook retained the Wisden Trophy, it will take them a long time to forget their five-wicket loss to the lowly ranked West Indians at Bridgetown in Barbados on Sunday.

More humiliating, they were thrashed with two days to spare.

After the first Test was drawn, England showed their class in the second Test at St George when they won comfortably by nine wickets. It seemed the wheels were back on the wonky World Cup-smashed wagon ‘Britannia’.

Then the third and final Test started in Barbados on Friday, May 1.

With opener Cook scoring a century and fast-medium seamer James Anderson capturing 6 for 42, England took a 68-run lead in the first innings. But for Jermaine Blackwood’s polished 85, the English lead would have been more convincing.

Then the Windies’ quickies Jerome Taylor and Jason Holder and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul spoilt the party for the visitors. At stumps on Day 2, the smiles were wiped off English faces as they lost five of their best batsmen for 39.

The third day brought no recovery for the tourists as they plummeted to 9 for 98, only 166 runs ahead. Their wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler remained unbeaten on 35, adding 25 runs for the last wicket as England struggled to 123.

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Needing 192 to win, the Windies were in trouble, losing 4 for 80. The game was evenly poised but Darren Bravo (82) and man of the match Blackwood (47 not out) guided the home side to a morale-boosting five-wicket victory which tied the series one-all.

The consolation for England was Anderson (17 wickets at 18.00) being adjudged the man of the series.

With the Windies on a high, expect an exciting tussle for the Frank Worrell Trophy between West Indies and Australia commencing on June 3.

Australia has won the Worrell Trophy in the last nine consecutive Test series, from 1994-95 until now; five times in West Indies and four times in Australia. Australia won their last three-Test series in the West Indies 2-1 in 2011-12 under Michael Clark.

Will the 2015 World Cup champions Australia exercise their authority on the West Indians at Test level as well and continue their 20 year supremacy? Of late, Australia’s record overseas has been disappointing.

Will the $100 million bait to lure Australian cricketers – Clarke and David Warner in particular – by the Essel Group be a diversion for their performances for the Frank Worrell Trophy and the Ashes in the next few months?

We should have an answer come September.

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