In a thrilling conclusion to the second Rothesay Test at Trent Bridge, England decisively defeated the West Indies by 241 runs on the fourth day. The match saw England take an unassailable 2-0 series lead after a spectacular final-session performance.
Set a daunting target of 385 runs or four sessions to survive, the West Indies collapsed spectacularly from 61-0 to 82-5, losing five wickets in just six overs. Chris Woakes struck early, dismissing openers Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite by finding the edge twice. Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir delivered an outstanding spell, claiming 3-8 in just 15 balls.
The only remaining uncertainty was whether the match would extend into Monday. However, Mark Wood’s bouncer dismissed Kevin Sinclair, Gus Atkinson struck twice in quick succession, and Bashir took the final two wickets to complete his five-wicket haul, with West Indies bowled out for 143.
Earlier in the match, centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook set the stage for England’s victory. Root's 122 marked his 32nd Test hundred, while Brook scored his first Test century on home soil with 109 runs.
Despite a late collapse where England lost 7-96, the home team had enough time to secure the win with a day to spare. This victory marks England’s first series win since their tour of Pakistan in 2022. They aim for a 3-0 clean sweep in the final Test at Edgbaston, with an unchanged squad.
The final session's rapid conclusion contrasted sharply with the earlier phases, where both teams competed fiercely for control. Even after Root and Brook’s contributions in the morning, the West Indies saw a glimmer of hope by taking 3-19 just before lunch.
However, the West Indies’ target seemed out of reach, especially after their heavy defeat in the first Test at Lord’s. Despite the pitch showing no significant signs of deterioration, England’s bowlers found ways to exploit the conditions, particularly from the new Stuart Broad End.
Woakes capitalised on uncertain footwork from the batsmen, while Bashir demonstrated why England chose him over his Somerset teammate Jack Leach. By the time the West Indies began their chase, the fifth day's free entry offer for spectators was already in place, reminiscent of England's dramatic win against New Zealand at the same venue in 2022.
Though the fifth day was ultimately unnecessary, the outcome was familiar: an England win and a 2-0 series lead. The conditions suggested a prolonged struggle, similar to the first innings, where England needed almost 112 overs to dismiss the West Indies for 457.
Instead, England’s bowlers produced a collective masterclass, dismantling the West Indies in just 36.1 overs after tea. Brathwaite looked solid during his 47 in the opening stand with Louis, but the collapse began once Louis edged to Woakes.
Kirk McKenzie edged a Bashir half-tracker to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, and Brathwaite’s dismissal mirrored Louis’s, exposing the tourists. Kavem Hodge was lbw to Bashir, who then drew an edge from Alick Athanaze with a beautiful turn. The West Indies lost 5-21 in no time.
Any hopes of resistance ended with Sinclair’s dismissal by a brutal Wood bouncer. Atkinson then pinned Joshua da Silva lbw and bowled Alzarri Joseph, setting the stage for Bashir’s final flourish. Bashir’s turning delivery ended Jason Holder’s resistance at 37, and Shamar Joseph’s swipe led to his dismissal, making Bashir the youngest England bowler to take a five-wicket haul in a home Test and the first spinner to achieve this at Trent Bridge since 2006.