England Win Second Test by 241 Runs

England clinched the series with a stunning collapse of the West Indies in a single session on the fourth day of the second Test at Trent Bridge. Facing a daunting target of 385 or four sessions to save the match, the West Indies crumbled from 61-0 to 82-5 in just six overs. Chris Woakes made early breakthroughs, removing openers Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Brathwaite while off-spinner Shoaib Bashir took 3-8 in a spell of 15 deliveries.

Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and Bashir dismantled the West Indies’ batting lineup, resulting in a total of 143 all out with England winning by 241 runs. England’s victory was set up by centuries from Joe Root and Harry Brook. Root scored 122, his 32nd Test hundred, closing in on Sir Alastair Cook’s England record while Brook added 109 for his first Test century in England.

Despite England’s middle-order wobble, losing 7-96, they managed to set a challenging target. The rapid decline of the West Indies on the final day contrasted with their earlier resistance in the match. After Root and Brook’s contributions, the West Indies struggled against England’s bowlers, especially on a pitch that began to misbehave. England’s bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly, highlighted by Shoaib Bashir’s five-wicket haul.

Bashir became the youngest England bowler to achieve this at home and the first spinner to do so at Trent Bridge since 2006. The result gave England their first series win since the 2022 Pakistan tour. They will aim for a 3-0 sweep in the final Test at Edgbaston. West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite acknowledged the loss was disappointing, while England’s Ben Stokes praised the team’s resilience and looks forward to future matches.