The Independent Voice of West Indies Cricket

Root, Woakes guide England to series win

Sun, Mar 5, '17

 

Windies v England

Joe Root scored an unbeaten 90, his first innings of note since being appointed as England's Test captain last month, to help England defeat the West Indies by four wickets despite a careless middle order collapse. They now have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.

Although not captain in the shorter formats, Root's calmness under pressure, taking responsibility to lead England to victory bodes well for his Test captaincy which will begin in July against South Africa. His innings was a lesson in calm accumulation - he only hit three boundaries - and he looked in total control throughout except for one chance, off a spinning Devendra Bishoo leg-break, which went through Ashley Nurse at slip.

Chasing a below-par 226 to win, it required an unbeaten partnership of 102 between Root, the only England player to look comfortable against spin, and Chris Woakes, who finished 68 not out, for England to avoid an embarrassing defeat following a collapse of five wickets for 37 runs at the hands of the West Indian spinners Ashley Nurse and Devendra Bishoo.

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