Eight-wicket Chase stars as Windies humiliate England by 381 runs

Roston Chase proved the unlikely bowling hero as the off-spinner destroyed England with career-best figures of eight for 60 as the West Indies crushed the visitors by 381 runs to win the first Test at Kensington Oval on Saturday.

Set the improbable target of 628 to win, the tourists slid to ignominious defeat in bright sunshine on the fourth day, losing their last six wickets for 31 runs either side of the tea interval to be dismissed for 246, ending a winning streak of five matches.

It was the largest margin of victory by the West Indies on home soil and third largest anywhere in their 91 years as a Test-playing nation.

Chase made the most of a fourth day pitch showing more signs of wear but also benefited from poor shot selection by an England side that looked shell-shocked from the events of the previous two days when they were routed for just 77 in their first innings.

They then saw the West Indies mass 415 for six declared in the second innings with captain Jason Holder starring with an unbeaten double-century and wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich contributing 116 not out in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 295.

It was left to stand-in wicketkeeper Shai Hope to complete the dismissal which sealed the result, stumping Sam Curran down the leg-side off Chase 40 minutes into the final session.

"To come back the way we have as a team and for me personally after the last few months is really satisfying," said Holder after victory was formalised. "This is just the first Test of three and there is a lot of work to be done. Achieving consistency continues to be the key."
"We are a far better side than we have played in this match and we need to remember that going into the next match," said disappointed Root. "We could have gone down a different route in team selection but the important factor is that we can do a lot better than this."