Lara: We are not beaten yet

England retained the Wisden Trophy yesterday after they won the second cricket Test against the West Indies by seven wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of Spain. When Mark Butcher struck the winning boundary, it marked the first occasion that England had taken a 2-0 Test lead in the Caribbean. Chasing a modest 99 runs for victory the Englishmen resumed on 71 for one wicket and lost a wicket in the second ball of the day when Nasser Hussain was caught behind off Adam Sanford for five. In the same over new batsman Graham Thorpe was dropped by wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.

He went on to thump three boundaries in one over from the Antiguan policeman to remain 13 not out when the match was won after just 22 minutes into the fifth and final day. Butcher was left unbeaten on 46. England fast bowler Steve Harmison was named “Man-of-the-Match” for his seven wickets in the match, including that of West Indies captain Brian Lara twice. Lara, speaking after the loss, said he was very disappointed. “But we cannot just sit back and lick our wounds. We need to fight back and draw the series at 2-2. We have to work hard at our game and we will get the results.” Speaking on his form, which has been disappointing of late Lara said: “I intend to work very hard in the nets to get my game back on track. I will also use the time between the Tests to nurse my finger back to full fitness so that when we turn up at Kensington I will be ready for runs.”

When quizzed as to the reasons why the batsmen are not making runs as they did in South Africa, Lara’s replied: “The pitch at the Oval is very difficult for batting and this is why you get a result every time we play here.” The West Indies have now lost their last four Test matches at the Queen’s Park Oval. Last year the Australians won, two years ago South Africa got a close victory and in 2001 India also ran away winners. English captain Michael Vaughan, looking to lead his team to a series victory for the first time in the region in 36 years, was very happy. “I am elated with the win and must thank my team for the hard work they have put in for this tour. We need to work still to take the series and we are going to Barbados full of confidence and looking to defeat the West Indians once again,” he said. The Third Test in the three-match series begins on April 1 at Kensington Oval, Barbados.

Second Test Scoreboard

WEST INDIES VS ENGLAND
West Indies 1st Innings 208
England Ist Innings 319
West Indies 2nd Innings 209
England 2nd Innings
(Overnight 71/1)
M Trescothick b Best 4
M Vaughan lbw b Sanford 23
M Butcher not out 46
N Hussain c Jacobs b Sanford 5
G Thorpe not out 13
EXTRAS (B4, LB3, NB1) 8
TOTAL (For 3 wickets —- 15 overs) 99
Did not bat: A Flintoff, C Read, A Giles, M Hoggard, S Jones, S Harmison.
Wkts. at: 8, 59, 71.
BOWLING: T Best 4-0-27-1, Collins 4-0-25-0, Sanford 4-1-32-2, Collymore 3-1-8-0 (NB1).