England win dramatic Test

Dominic Cork celebrates after hitting the winning runs

Dominic Cork made a sensational return to the international arena to steer England to a dramatic two wicket win in the second Test at Lord's.

The all-rounder, recalled to the side after an 18 month absence, hit an unbeaten 33 to guide England home when the match looked lost.

When Andy Caddick fell with the score on 160 England still needed 28 runs to win and the topsy-turvy Test had appeared to have swung the West Indies' way.

But in a fitting finale to the 100th Test match at the home of cricket Cork drove Courtney Walsh to the cover boundary with the scores tied to claim a nail-biting triumph on the third day.

Atherton keeps out Rose

The Derbyshire captain had adopted a one-day approach to the run chase and he and Darren Gough hustled singles to put pressure back on the West Indians.

Cork attacked Franklyn Rose and heaved him over square leg for six to take 12 off an over as the full house roared England home.

The result was a bitter pill to swallow for veteran paceman Walsh who had earlier claimed six wickets to get his side back into the match.

In what was the 37-year-old's final Test at Lord's he again proved why he is Test cricket's leading wicket-taker to claim match figures of 10-117.

He grabbed the first six English wickets to fall but could not find the delivery at the end to remove Cork.

Body blow

England had started the day at 0-0 but lost Mark Ramprakash in the sixth over before Michael Vaughan and Mike Atherton steadied the ship.

They shared in a second wicket partnership of 92 to put the home side in the box seat but Walsh atruck shortly before tea to remove Vaughan for 41.

After going to the tea break at 109-2 Walsh tore through the line-up after the interval to snare four wickets to have England rocking at 140-6.

Walsh claimed Graeme Hick and Atherton in the same over and then repeated the dose later to remove Alec Stewart and Craig White in the space of three balls.

Determined

Atherton had batted with grim determination in making 45 before Walsh got a ball to jag back into his pads.

Franklyn Rose and Curtly Ambrose chipped in with the wickets of Nick Knight and Caddick before Cork's' heroics sealed England's win.

Earlier in the day it appeared rain would deny England the chance of an historic win when the start of play was delayed for 50 minutes and then when the players were forced from the field after just 40 minutes in the opening session.

But the showers abated to allow the match to reach its fever pitch finish for England to level the five-Test series 1-1.