MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

England were granted an immediate opportunity to avenge their defeat in the Test series out in the Caribbean. To say they capitalised on it is something of an understatement.

It was a quip doing the rounds in the Sky commentary box: “You wait around ages for a series against the West Indies and then two come along at once.” And Botham and his disgruntled pals had a point, because barely had the dust settled on England’s tour of the Caribbean before the West Indies were arriving in the UK to play two Tests and three ODIs.

After a winter of almost constant frustration, England’s cricketers were handed an immediate morale boost by the announcement that Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss had been confirmed as director of cricket and Test and ODI captain respectively, and it rapidly became apparent that they were prepared to shake up the status quo in the pursuit of a successful side.

Consequently, the England team that took the field for the first Test at Lord’s was a fascinating one. Ravi Bopara was rewarded for his excellent century out in Barbados with the coveted number three berth, Graeme Swann was confirmed as first-choice spinner ahead of Monty Panesar, and in the absence of Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison – the former due to injury, the latter due to a loss of form – Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan were drafted in to provide seam bowling support to Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad. It was felt in certain quarters that Strauss and Flower had tried to do too much, too soon, but the England think tank’s boldness was swiftly rewarded by numerous outstanding individual performances.

The West Indies started the first match in exciting fashion, with Fidel Edwards working up an impressive head of steam whilst claming 6-92, but an excellent 143 from Bopara, an unbeaten half-century from Swann and spritely innings from Broad (38) and Matt Prior (42) helped England post 377 in difficult conditions. Chris Gayle (28) and Devon Smith (46) responded positively, but the off-breaks of Swann (3-16) and the hostility of the debutant Onions (5-38, including four wickets in seven balls) prompted a collapse of epic proportions, which saw the tourist bowled out for 152 and asked to follow on.

Fighting half-centuries from Brendan Nash (81) and Denesh Ramdin (61) ensured the Windies put up more of a fight second time around, but England were not to be denied and wrapped up a comfortable 10-wicket victory on the third day, Swann (3-39) and Broad (3-64) sharing the spoils.

Worse was to follow for the West Indies during the second Test at Chester-le-Street. England won the toss and promptly racked up an imposing 569-6 declared, with both Alastair Cook (160) and Bopara (108) pillaging a lacklustre attack. From what point on it was always a matter of saving the game for the tourists, but Anderson was irresistible, claiming match-figures of 9-125. England’s other seamers all chipped in, with Broad impressing many observers with his stamina and aggression, as Gayle’s team were routed to the tune of an innings and 83 runs.

England were understandably elated to have redressed the ignominy of their winter defeat, admittedly against opponents who resembled a pale shadow of the side that battled so valiantly in the Caribbean, and whilst Strauss and Flower were quick to point out that sterner tests lay ahead, undeniably England had kicked off the summer in ideal fashion.