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England win a nail-biter

Tuesday, February 17, 1998 Published at 22:08 GMT

image: [ England celebrate their first ever Test victory in Trinidad ]

England win a nail-biter
England have secured a memorable victory in the third Test against the West Indies after a nail-biting finish.

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The match could have gone either way until the last few deliveries. England went in for lunch needing just seven runs for victory while the West Indies needed to take three wickets.

But Mark Butcher and Dean Headley held their nerve until the winning run - a leg bye.

The six-match series is now level at 1-1.

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Uppermost in the England players' minds might have been two facts - first that they had never won a Test match in Trinidad, and secondly, the memories of Curtly Ambrose's performance in the last Test they played here four years ago.

On that occasion Ambrose destroyed England for 46 and on the final day of this Test it looked like he had every intention of attempting to repeat the performance.

England started the day needing 38 runs for victory with Surrey pair Butcher and Graham Thorpe at the wicket.

Although they looked relaxed and quickly lowered the target to 24, Ambrose created the tightest of finishes when he first dismissed Graham Thorpe, and then 12 runs later took the wickets of Jack Russell and Andy Caddick.

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That left Butcher and Headley to shoulder the responsibility for victory. Butcher finished with 24 not out and Headley unbeaten on seven.

Butcher was playing in only his seventh Test and would not have started but for the injury to Adam Hollioake and Mark Ramprakash's illness.

He was happy to take advantage of his opportunity. "It was fairly exciting to say the least," he said. "I didn't realise we had won the match till everyone started running off the pitch. I thought we needed one more."

Angus Fraser was given the man-of-the-match award, perhaps as much for his performance in the second Test as his nine wickets in the third. "It's knocked about five years off my life these last two weeks," he said.

He was relieved not to have to bat. "I was sat on the balcony nervously watching to say the least. I'm not a very good watcher," he confessed.

Michael Atherton was delighted to lay England's Sabina Park hoodoo to rest. "The last one was a close game, it was probably the most tense game I've played in," he said.

He had special praise for his bowlers. "The way I thought our seamers bowled on the third day kept us in the match."

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And even though England were running out of recognised batsmen, Atherton was confident that even last man Phil Tufnell would have scored the winning runs. "He went through about three packets of fags, but he was a confident boy," he said.

Brian Lara was disappointed to lose the match. "I fancied my bowlers to get them out, but the English openers Alec Stewart and Michael Atherton made a very good foundation."

But he praised his strike bowlers. "They have done us proud on many occasions, they have done a great job, and will continue to do that for us."

Scorecard:

West Indies first innings 159

England first innings 145

West Indies second innings 210

England second Innings