England Win The 2nd Npower Test Beating The West Indies By An Innings And 283 Runs!
England avoided the rain for long enough to complete a comprehensive victory over West Indies on day four of the second npower Test at Headingley.
Ryan Sidebottom picked up two more wickets, taking his match tally to eight, before a charged-up Steve Harmison wrapped things up with three much-needed scalps to boost his morale.
Dwayne Bravo did show some fight for West Indies with 52, but his hand was a lone one as the tourists crumbled to their heaviest ever defeat, the final margin being by an innings and 283 runs.
They now have a break from the international action ahead of the Old Trafford Test, which starts on June 7, though they may have to try and bounce back without skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan, whose damaged shoulder meant he did not bat.
England have no such worries after an excellent all-round display that saw their domination only broken by bad weather.
For new coach Peter Moores it is a first win and he can take great delight in his success at promoting another player out of county cricket with immediate results.
After wicketkeeper Matt Prior's debut hundred at Lord's, Sidebottom justified Moores' faith in recalling him after a six-year spell in the wildneress by taking four wickets in both innings.
Only 15 minutes of action were seen in the morning session before the bad weather which wiped out Sunday's play returned, though that was long enough for Chris Gayle to edge Liam Plunkett to a diving Prior, who had dropped the same batsman way back on Saturday evening.
That breakthrough came just before the heavens opened, and no more play was possible again until 2pm.
The rain didn't dampen Sidebottom's spirits though as he trapped Sylvester Joseph lbw with an inswinger and then had Devon Smith (16) caught by first slip Andrew Strauss at the second attempt.
At that stage it seemed unlikely West Indies would get beyond tea but, coming to the crease with his team in dire straits at 57-5, Bravo showed his colleagues what could be achieved with a tight technique and a little bit of hard graft.
The all-rounder played well against the swinging ball to share a 63-run stand for the sixth wicket and deny Sidebottom - playing his first Test since going wicketless on his debut at Lord's - a five-wicket haul.
Bravo's ally in the partnership, Runako Morton, was surviving more by luck than judgement, swinging and missing on several occasions before finally top-edging a bouncer from Harmison straight up in the air for Prior to take.
The Durham paceman went on to account for Dinesh Ramdin lbw after the interval, though he was helped by a generous decision from umpire Asad Rauf as it appeared the ball was going on to miss leg stump.
Left with the tail, Bravo's brave innings came to an end when he looked to take on Monty Panesar, his attempt to repeat his earlier lofted straight six only reaching Plunkett at mid-off.
Jerome Taylor deflected a Harmison short ball back onto his leg stump in the first ball of the next over to end the match and give England skipper Michael Vaughan a dream return to Test cricket after his 18-month injury nightmare.
