England wrap up series and mull reshuffle
ENGLAND captain Andrew Strauss hinted that some of his pace attack would be rested for the third and final Test against West Indies after wrapping up a nine-wicket victory at Trent Bridge to clinch the series.
The tourists were bowled out for 165 just after lunch on day four and it took just two hours for England, for whom Strauss top-scored with 45, to pass their target of 108 and take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
With nine days until the third Test at Edgbaston, England’s key seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad have ample rest, but Strauss admits he is tempted to rotate with a busy summer schedule in mind.
“We’ll definitely think about changes,” he said. “We’ve always viewed resting and rotating as something you have to do on a case-by-case basis so we’ll speak to the seamers, see how they’re feeling and see how we’re looking for the rest of the summer.”
England have two fit and dangerous pacemen in Steven Finn and Graham Onions waiting for a Test chance, should Strauss decide to temper his desire to complete a 3-0 series whitewash with more far-sighted concerns.
“You have to look quite a long way ahead when it comes to potentially resting someone,” he added. “It’s always a balance to strike because primarily you want to win every Test you play – that’s the starting point. We’ll have a conversation about it in the coming days.”
A seventh successive home series win rarely looked in doubt, despite Marlon Samuels’ 76 not out dragging West Indies’ second innings into the afternoon under more brilliant Nottinghamshire sunshine.
Strauss and Alastair Cook (43 no) swiftly set about chasing a modest target and, after the skipper went to a catch from Darren Bravo off Samuels, Jonathan Trott (17 no) eased England to victory with a four.