Windies beat England by 381 runs in the first Test
West Indies thrashed England by 381 runs with a day to spare in the first Test at Kensington Oval as part-time offspinner Roston Chase took a career-best 8-60 on Saturday to see off visitors England in fashionable style.
England wasn't expected to win, not with a target of 628. But the English were expected to fight for two days to survive on a placid pitch, with the added motivation of the humiliation of 77 all out in the first innings.
Instead, they were all out again for 246 less than an hour after tea on the fourth day.
The score was better, but the batting wasn't, as England gifted wickets and made the allrounder Chase an unlikely star.
He came into the Test having taken 42 wickets in 36 innings, averaging more than 47. He didn't even bowl in the first innings.
But after taking out opener Rory Burns, England's high-scorer with 84 just before lunch, he began receiving wickets, claiming the last seven. He averaged less than three.
Chase earned West Indies its third biggest Test win by runs, and its biggest in 39 years.
"Credit to Roston, he was patient and got the ball in the right areas," said captain Jason Holder, named man of the match for his 202 not out on Friday.
England started the day 56 without loss, and Keaton Jennings was first to go. On 10 overnight, he added four runs before he gave a thick edge to the handily tall Holder in the slips. Medium-pacer Alzarri Joseph took the first wicket since Thursday.
Burns cruised on, hitting 15 boundaries until a first Test century was in sight at 84 off 133 balls. Then Chase knocked over his off stump. That brought on lunch at 134-2.
Jonny Bairstow on 30 was next, caught behind after being bounced by Shannon Gabriel.
England captain Joe Root needed to make a stand, but on 22 guided a harmless delivery by Chase straight to Darren Bravo at slip. Root chastised himself walking back to the pavilion.
Ben Stokes was the fifth down, and Chase's third wicket, when he was leg before after fighting through 82 balls for 34. The video review confirmed it.
Like Root, Moeen Ali gave away his wicket when he steered another nothing delivery by Chase straight to Holder right on tea. Ali scored a pair in the Test.
At 217-6, England lasted only 10 more overs.
John Campbell, on debut, made a good diving catch to dismiss Jos Buttler on 26, and Ben Foakes swept at Chase only to hit the ball straight to short leg, where Shimron Hetmyer turned away to protect his face but kept his hands low.
Adil Rashid tried hitting Chase over the midwicket boundary, but Kraigg Brathwaite juggled the ball safely on the boundary.
The end came when Sam Curran charged Chase and was stumped on 14.
"We're bitterly disappointed," Root said. "We're a far better side than that. We've got to keep remembering how well we have played in the past and bounce quickly and strongly in Antigua."
The second Test of the three-match series starts on Thursday in Antigua.
(With AP Inputs)
