England secured a dominant 10-wicket win against the West Indies in the third Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Sunday (July) 28 and also won the series ultimately by a 3-0 margin.
The star of the show was Mark Wood, who delivered a sensational performance by taking a stunning five-wicket haul to bowl out the West Indies for 175. His remarkable spell of 5/9 in six overs dismantled the visitors’ batting lineup in the first session of Day 3. This exceptional display of fast bowling not only left the West Indies reeling but also electrified the Edgbaston crowd, setting the stage for England’s emphatic victory. Wood’s ability to consistently bowl at high speeds and extract bounce made him virtually unplayable, highlighting his crucial role in England’s comprehensive win.
West Indies struggles against fierce pace against Mark Wood
Starting the third day at 33/2, the West Indies found it difficult to post a competitive total despite individual fifties from Mikyle Louis and Kavem Hodge. Louis scored his maiden Test fifty, showing promise with his composed batting, while Hodge played a measured innings to provide some resistance. However, their efforts were not enough to withstand Wood’s fiery spell. Gus Atkinson also contributed significantly, capping off his debut series with two wickets for 28 runs. The combined pressure from Wood and Atkinson proved too much for the West Indies, as their innings folded at 175, leaving England with a modest target to chase. The lack of support for Louis and Hodge from the rest of the batting lineup underscored the West Indies’ struggles against high-quality pace bowling.
Also READ: ECB chief gives final verdict on Pakistan hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 amid India’s uncertain stance
Ben Stokes’ record-breaking fifty
Chasing a target of 82 runs, captain Ben Stokes promoted himself to open the innings alongside Ben Duckett due to regular opener Zak Crawley‘s finger injury. Stokes delivered a blistering performance, smashing an unbeaten 55 runs off just 28 balls. His knock included 10 fours and one six, showcasing his aggressive approach and fearless batting style. Stokes reached his fifty in just 24 balls, recording the fastest-ever Test half-century for England. This remarkable feat, part of the ‘Bazball’ approach emphasizing aggressive and dynamic cricket, thrilled the spectators as Stokes led his team to victory in just 7.2 overs.
Here’s how Fans reacted:
Mark Wood’s spell after lunch: 6-0-9-5 😱#EngvWI
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) July 28, 2024
Ben Stokes has a half-century from 24 balls, the fastest for England in Test cricket.
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) July 28, 2024
Ultimately West Indies deserved to lose 3-0 but they will reflect on moments at Trent Bridge (1st innings lead) and Edgbaston 55/5 where they could/should have pressed home the advantage.
But they didnt because they simply lack the requisite test match nous & experience.
— Caribbean Cricket Podcast (@CaribCricket) July 28, 2024
Below us, England are lifting the Wisden Tr…. sorry, the Botham-Richards Trophy following their 3-0 win.
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) July 28, 2024
Well deserved MoM for @MAWood33 and hopefully we see him play a full part in the Sri Lanka series #EngvWI
— Mark Denholm 📻 (@markdenholm) July 28, 2024
England complete 3-0 series whitewash. Hardly a competitive series, England won all 3 games by 241 runs, an innings and 114 and by 10wkts! #ENGvWI #bbccricket
— Ashley Parker (@Ashleypp1986) July 28, 2024
Ben Stokes opened and scored 58* (27) second Time he opened in Tests, last time was also against West Indies in 2020 and smashed 79* (57) and even last time he replaced Zak Crawley.
England hammered Windies 3-0#ENGvWI pic.twitter.com/058kTNWVrh
— Abhijeet ♞ (@TheYorkerBall) July 28, 2024
Stokes comes out to open the batting and send a statement articles coming soon.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) July 28, 2024
England’s Gus Atkinson wins the Player of the Series award. #Cricket #GusAtkinson #England #Test #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/72N8uq05MR
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) July 28, 2024
That’s it for the match and series.
Well fought by @englandcricket to win by 3-0.#ENGvWI | #MenInMaroon | #Apex pic.twitter.com/NWnkLWAYB6
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) July 28, 2024
Also READ: ECB comes up with lucrative offers for IPL owners to invest in The Hundred
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
