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England in West Indies: Tourists slip to 10-wicket loss in Grenada to suffer another Test series defeat

Kemar Roach (2-10) claims final two wickets to fall on fourth morning, Jason Holder taking a terrific catch to dismiss Chris Woakes (19); England bowled out for 120 after adding 17 to their overnight score; West Indies chase 28 in 29 balls to triumph by 10 wickets and clinch 1-0 series win

Jason Holder celebrates after pulling off a stunning catch at leg slip to dismiss Chris Woakes on the fourth morning
Image: Jason Holder celebrates after pulling off a stunning catch at leg slip to dismiss Chris Woakes on the fourth morning

England were handed a 10-wicket hammering by the West Indies early on day four of the third Test in Grenada to go five Test series without victory.

The tourists, resuming on 103-8 and with just a 10-run lead, held on for 11.2 overs before being bowled out for 120, leaving the West Indies a routine run-chase of 28 - their openers firing them to the target in 29 balls.

England's defeat completes a miserable run of results in which they have only a solitary Test win to show from their last 17 matches stretching back to February 2021.

Prior to defeat in the Caribbean, Joe Root's side have lost in India, at home to New Zealand, away to Australia and were 2-1 down in last summer's home series against India before it was postponed due to Covid.

England's last-wicket pair of Jack Leach and Saqib Mahmood had heroically added 90 runs in the first innings, but a repeat performance from the tail on the fourth morning was always unlikely, and so it proved even though the pitch didn't offer quite as much for the bowlers as it had the day before when the England top-order subsided.

The West Indies' Saturday superstar Kyle Mayers couldn't add to his five-wicket haul, and looked much more harmless medium-pacer than the metronomic nightmare of the night before; it was the introduction of Kemar Roach (2-10) that ultimately ended England's futile resistance.

Roach struck first ball, albeit with a bit of a wayward loosener angled down leg that Chris Woakes (19) met with pretty much the middle of the bat, only for Jason Holder to pull off a sensational diving catch at leg slip.

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Woakes had survived a scare a couple of overs prior, given out on 18 caught at short-leg off Alzarri Joseph, but he immediately reviewed and the decision was overturned with no edge shown as he looked to work one away off his hip.

Woakes couldn't cash in on the reprieve, and with him back in the hutch, Leach (4) nicked off in Roach's next over to end the innings. Initially not given on the field, DRS again overturned the decision to end the England innings.

Kraigg Brathwaite (20no) and John Campbell (6no) then quickly and calmly knocked off the required runs for the West Indies to see them clinch a memorable series win a lift the new Richards-Botham Trophy.

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