England in West Indies: Tourists subside to 381-run defeat in first Test
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Roston Chase's figures are better than Australia legend Shane Warne's best in Tests
First Test, Kensington Oval, Barbados (day four) |
West Indies 289 (Hetmyer 81, Anderson 5-46) & 415-6 dec (Holder 202*, Dowrich 116*) |
England 77 (Roach 5-17) & 246 (Burns 84, Chase 8-60) |
West Indies won by 381 runs |
England subsided to a 381-run defeat in the first Test against West Indies as part-time off-spinner Roston Chase took 8-60 in Barbados.
Needing to bat out the final two days for a draw, or score an improbable 628 to win, the tourists were bowled out for 246 on the fourth evening.
England reached 134-1 on a still reliable pitch before opener Rory Burns fell for 84 on the stroke of lunch.
They lost their last six wickets for 34 runs amid a flurry of poor shots.
Unlike the first innings, when England were skittled for 77, all of the top order made starts but failed to go on to make a score that would have at least taken the game into the final day.
The humiliating defeat is England's joint seventh-heaviest in terms of runs in Tests, against a team five places below them in the International Cricket Council rankings.
The second Test of the three-match series starts on Thursday in Antigua.
Chase is dismal England's unlikely tormentor
After a brilliant display in the first innings, the main threat was supposed to come from West Indies' fast bowlers.
Instead, Chase, who averaged 47 with the ball before the match, went on to claim the best figures by a West Indies spinner against England.
Chase was, however, given significant help by batsmen who repeatedly gifted him wickets on a pitch that offered little spin.
Burns, having defended solidly and scored freely off his pads for his highest Test score, was bowled playing down the wrong line off the final ball of the morning session.
After lunch, captain Joe Root flicked a short ball to slip to depart for 22, Ben Stokes was lbw to another one that did not spin and Moeen Ali guided a wide, short delivery tamely to slip.
That left England 217-6 at tea - and they lasted another 10 overs in the final session, with Chase taking all four wickets.
Jos Buttler chipped to mid-wicket, Ben Foakes was perhaps unfortunate to hit a powerful sweep into Shimron Hetmyer's midriff at short leg, and Adil Rashid chipped straight to Kraigg Brathwaite at deep mid-wicket.
Chase, fittingly, claimed the final wicket as Sam Curran was stumped down the leg side as he came down the pitch.
England's top six all batted for at least an hour
What now for England?
In the first innings England could argue West Indies claimed wickets thanks to good bowling, but the same cannot be said about their showing on day four.
There were positives: runs for Burns should secure his place at the top of the order for the time being, and the fact they batted for the majority of the day.
But the manner of the second-innings dismissals will surely disappoint, even if they were always likely to lose after being bowled out for 77 on Thursday.
As well as the gifting of wickets to Chase, opener Keaton Jennings was again out in familiar fashion, edging a drive at Alzarri Joseph to second slip.
Little went right for England in the game since deciding to leave out Stuart Broad, preferring Rashid as the second spinner and Curran as the new-ball bowler, both of whom were ineffective.
England's first-innings showing was their third alarming collapse in the last 12 months, following on from being bowled out in a session by both New Zealand and India in 2018.
The loss ends a run that saw them beat India at home and win 3-0 in Sri Lanka for the first time, but they have little option for wholesale changes to the batting, with uncapped 32-year-old Joe Denly the only spare batsman in the squad.
'We haven't underestimated West Indies' - reaction
England captain Joe Root: "We have played way below our potential.
"We have to remember that there are still two games left in this series and we have to come back very strong very quickly and learn a few lessons.
"At no point will we underestimate these guys; we haven't so far. It just shows how difficult it is to win away from home.
"There are some guys that are hurting. It doesn't make us a bad side overnight. It's about picking ourselves up very quickly. We've got to learn very quickly."
West Indies captain Jason Holder told Sky Sports: "Roston Chase bowled extremely well. I couldn't ask any more of him and he got the ball in the right area.
"We've got two Tests to play and it's important to close out the series. Consistency is the key. We ticked a few boxes in this match but we need to turn up in Antigua and do it again."
England coach Trevor Bayliss told Sky Sports: "We've got to work out the difference when we lose one wicket and the next wicket puts on a partnership, and when we lose the next eight or nine very quickly.
"Before a game it's no different to when we've been successful. I can't really explain it. We'll try and get to the bottom of it."
Roston Chase has taken one five-wicket haul in 26 Tests before this game