England defeat WI to win series
LONDON: James Anderson took thebestinningsfiguresofhisTest career as England completed a nine-wicket andseries-clinching victory against West Indies at Lord’s .
Anderson followed up his Friday feat of becoming the first Englandbowlerandonlysixthin historytotake500Testwicketsby finishing with a return of seven for 42 in 20.1 overs as West Indies were dismissed for 177 in their secondinningsonthethirddayof the third Test.
MEAGRETARGET
That left England with a meagre target of 107 and they finished on 107 for one off 28 overs as they took a three- match series 2-1.
MarkStonemanwas40notout andTomWestley44notoutinan unbroken stand of 72.
Anderson’s return just surpassed his previous best in 129 career Tests of seven for 43 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2008.
It was also the fifth time the 35-year-old Lancashire swing bowler had taken five or more wickets in a Test innings at Lord’s, with England all-round great Ian Botham’s eight such haulsthemostanyonehastaken in Tests at ‘the home of cricket’.
Shai Hope, whose twin hundredswerethebackboneofWest Indies’ series-levelling win at Headingley, top-scored in this innings with 62.
But no other batsman made more than opener Kieran Powell’s 45.
West Indies were 153 for six at lunch, with Hope 60 not out.
ButHope’sfourthballafterthe interval saw him undone by a superb Anderson leg-cutter and caught behind.
WRECKINGHAVOC
West Indies’ tail folded cheaply with Anderson, fittingly, ending the innings when he bowled Kemar Roach.
For the second time in the match, Anderson walked off to a standingovationfromacapacity Lord’s crowd.
WestIndiesneededeverything to go their way in the field if they weretorecordaremarkablewin yettheveryfirstballofEngland’s chase, from Shannon Gabriel, went for four byes.
Leg-spinnerDevendraBishoo struck first ball to have Alastair Cook (17) lbw but that merely denied England a 10- wicket victory.
PlaystartedSaturdayinbright sunshine, a marked contrast to the grey skies that had encircled Lord’s during the first two days.
But despite the improved batting conditions, it only needed fourballsonSaturdayforAnderson to take another wicket. Brief scores: West Indies 123 & 177 (K Powell 45, S Hope 62; J Anderson 7/42, S broad 2/35) vs England 194 & 107/1 (T Westley 44 n.o, M Stoneman 40 n.o)