England beat Lanka, end series with consolation win
Gros-islet (Saint Lucia), Feb. 13: England ended a disappointing Test series with the consolation of a comprehensive victory over the West Indies on the fourth day of the third and final Test in St Lucia on Tuesday.
Thrashed in the first two matches of the series to surrender the Wisden Trophy after ten years in English possession, the tourists gained a measure of consolation in completing a 232run victory with a day to spare. Set an improbable target of 485 after Joe Root declared his side’s second innings at 361 for five following his dismissal for 122, the home team were eventually dismissed for 252 deep into the final session when Ben Stokes had Keemo Paul caught and bowled.
Paul, hobbled by a leg injury which prevented him from bowling throughout most of the England second innings, only came out to bat as last man to allow Roston Chase to complete a deserved fifth Test century. Chase was on 97 when Shannon Gabriel was ninth out, but the young allrounder hung around long enough for the tall righthander to reach three figures, cutting Joe Denly to the backward-point boundary to achieve the landmark. He finished unbeaten on 102 off 191 balls with 12 fours and one six embellishing his innings. James Anderson had no more success with the ball but his devastating early impact ensured that it was only a matter of when, not if England would have completed a massive victory on the fourth day.
Brief scores: England 277 &
325/4 decl. bt West Indies
154 & 252 in 69.5 overs (Chase 102*, Anderson 3/27, Moeen 3/99).