First Test, Day 3: England 371 (Crawley 76, Smith 70, Root 68; Seales 4-77) beat the West Indies 121 & 136 (Atkinson 5-61) by an innings and 114 runs
LORD’S — England started their Test summer with a comprehensive innings-and-114-run win against the West Indies – but this final day was dominated by an emotional goodbye to James Anderson.
Needing four wickets to clinch victory on the third morning, it took Ben Stokes’ team 65 minutes to get the job done against a Windies team sadly lacking the quality to make this a real contest.
But the real story here was the retirement of Anderson, England’s greatest bowler ending his 21-year international career with 704 Test wickets at an average of 26.46 after bowling 40,037 deliveries.
Walking out to a guard of honour from both teams, the 41-year-old was close to tears as he received a standing ovation from a sold-out Lord’s that included his entire family.
The big screens at the ground flashed up an image of England’s all-time leading wicket-taker with the words: “JIMMY ANDERSON” on one side and “THE GREATEST” on the other.
He then took the first wicket of the morning, swinging one away from Joshua Da Silva, with his seventh ball of the day to reduce the Windies to 88 for 7.
Anderson’s third scalp of the innings kept alive hopes he could finish his career with a 33rd five-wicket haul.
But those were ended by Gus Atkinson, whose dismissal of Alzarri Joseph saw him become the first England Test debutant to take 10 wickets in a match for 48 years and only the seventh overall.
Atkinson then took his tally for the match to 11 when he bowled Shamar Joseph.
And he finished things off to claim the second-best-ever figures for an England Test debutant when he had Jayden Seales caught on the deep midwicket boundary just as the session crept into the second hour.
Anderson, though, had blown the chance for the perfect ending a few minutes earlier when he dropped Gudakesh Motie off his own bowling to loud gasps from the crowd.
In the end, it didn’t really matter. What a player, what a career, what a man.
Here’s how England’s players rated out of 10 in this grotesquely one-sided Test match.
England player ratings
Zak Crawley – 7/10
Scoring 76 from 89 balls in his only innings was pretty much regulation for the opener. Shame he couldn’t kick on to get a century.
Ben Duckett – 3/10
One mark for each of his runs. It was one innings. There’ll be plenty of chances for Duckett to fill his boots this summer.
Ollie Pope – 7/10
Kicked off series with a half-century but there were still scratchy moments in his 74-ball 57. Took a screamer of a catch at point off Chris Woakes to dismiss Kavem Hodge on day one.
Joe Root – 7/10
Classic Root as he played at his own assured pace to pass fifty for the 93rd time in Tests before falling short of three figures thanks to the spin of Gudakesh Motie.
Harry Brook – 7/10
Catch of the summer contender already with his absurd one-handed grab at third slip to get rid of Mikyle Louis on day one. Another who made fifty without converting.
Ben Stokes – 8/10
Failed with bat but breath of fresh air to see England’s captain back fully fit with the ball as he pounded in for 18 overs, taking three wickets.
Jamie Smith – 8/10
Near-faultless with gloves and assured with the bat during innings of 70. Wicketkeeper couldn’t have asked for a better Test debut.
Chris Woakes – 6/10
Will have been disappointed not to have taken more than his one wicket. Proved again he’s a reliable No8 batter.
Gus Atkinson – 9/10
What a start for the fast bowler. His haul of 12 for 106 were the second-best figures for an England Test debutant.
Shoaib Bashir – 1/10
Off-spinner didn’t bowl and got run out for a 17-ball duck. Also looked a little nervy in the field. Better times will come.
James Anderson – 6/10
England’s greatest bowler signed off with four wickets but was upstaged by Atkinson. The right time to retire.