‌ENG vs WI | Bashir fifer coupled with Root and Brook tons thump Windies as England takes unassaisable lead 

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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England beat West Indies by 241 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the Botham-Richards Trophy after losing in 2021. Centuries from Harry Brook and Joe Root were backed by Shoaib Bashir’s maiden fifer on home soil, leaving West Indies short of surmounting the 385-run target in Trent Bridge

The overnight batters Joe Root and Harry Brook started from where they left of the third day as the latter smashed a four in the first over of the session itself. He followed it up with a couple of more boundaries in the coming overs to move to the nineties and eventually notch up maiden Test ton at home. Brook’s partner, Root knitted a fifty within the first hour with England touching the 300-run mark. Soon the sky turned gloomy, assisting Jayden Seales to extract hint of seam movement and breaking the 189-run fourth wicket stand in the 69th over. Ben Stokes and Jamie Smith followed suit at the stroke of Lunch with England’s score reading 348/6 in 76 overs. 

Post resumption Chris Woakes accompanied Root for a 30-run mini-partnership before he fell prey to the second new ball. However, the latter continued his elegance reaching his 32nd Test century with a glorious extra cover drive. Soon, Root tried to switch gears, and eventually losing his wicket to Jason Holder after the team’s 400-run mark. The tail failed to negate the bowlers for long as Seales hit the final couple of nails in the coffin to fold England for 425, leaving the visitors 385 to chase for a win.

Following an early Tea, skipper Kraig Brathwaite opted for an uncharacteristic approach by replicating England’s aggressive form of cricket. With Mikyle Louis’ assistance, the first-wicket partnership grew to 54 by the tenth over before Chris Woakes drew the first blood in the 14th over by removing Louis. Surprisingly, a wicket each fell in the next four overs followed by Kevin Sinclair’s unfortunate departure off Mark Wood, leaving Windies reeling at 91/6 by the 24th over. Joshua Da Silva’s brief resistance was outshone by Gus Atkinson followed by Alzarri Joseph falling in the same over. Shoaib Bashir concluded Holder’s valiant 37 in the next over. The English skipper persisted with the finger spinner from one end and it was just a matter of time before he snared a maiden fifer at home soil, leaving West Indies short by 241 runs.



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