Cricket / Fourth Test: England stand Test history on its head: Caddick and Tufnell complete the demolition as West Indies' 59-year unbeaten run at Kensington Oval is reduced to rubble

England . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .355 and 394-7 dec

West Indies . . . . . . . . . . . . .304 and 237

England win by 208 runs

AN ENGLAND victory here would have been an eyebrow-raiser in almost any context, but to win at a West Indian citadel unbreached since George V was the reigning monarch, when they had lost 12 of their previous 14 Tests (most by traumatic margins) and had already conceded the series, almost beggared belief.

It is perhaps pertinent to point out that England's only two victories in their last 15 Tests have both been consolation prizes in lost rubbers, and they were fortunate to be playing the kind of opposition temperamentally unsuited to playing for nothing more than a draw.

In circumstances such as yesterday's, the West Indies do not so much run a tightly disciplined ship, as set sail with an 'any more for the Skylark' approach. Furthermore, on the subject of discipline, the West Indies would have had precisely 60 runs fewer than 446 to win if their no-ball count had been removed from the extras column.

However, England have been so truly hapless on so many occasions in recent memory that they are entitled to dwell on the hearteningly good cricket they have played over the past five days, and temporarily revel in the moment. Not since 1935 have the West Indies lost here, and yesterday's result broke a sequence of 12 consecutive home wins at the Kensington Oval.

Victory arrived - by 208 runs - five minutes into what was scheduled to be the tea interval, with Chris Lewis, who had not had much of a role to that point, plucking out Curtly Ambrose's middle stump. Whoever thought that the West Indies did not care about losing with the series already won might have thought again when Ambrose then delivered such a blow to a stump that it travelled all the way to Alec Stewart at square leg. It certainly ensured that Stewart did not lose out in the dogfight to secure a memento, and no one deserved one more.

One of the bigger peculiarities of Test cricket is that the crowd is traditionally at its thinnest on the day scheduled to reveal the outcome of all the various twists and sub-plots, but this was certainly not the case yesterday. The ground was packed, mostly with English supporters, whose mood gradually shifted from silent tension to raucous delirium as the day went on.

Resuming at 47 for 2, the West Indies required another 399 to score more runs to win batting last than any other team in Test history, and even though they batted as though this was a serious possibility, it had rather more to do with the fact that gritty trench warfare is totally alien to their nature.

Brian Lara and Keith Arthurton got stuck into Angus Fraser and Philip Tufnell with such relish that they certainly would have made the runs had they batted all day, but once they were separated at 128, the innings followed an almost laughable pattern. Batsman after batsman spent 10 minutes studiously blocking, and the next 10 with revolving eyeballs attempting to hit the bowler out of the ground. Courtney Walsh, in fact, achieved this three times in one over, but by then the game had long since been up.

Lara's wicket was the crucial one, and having missed stumping him the previous evening, England gave him another life on 38 when Mark Ramprakash, whose fielding on this tour has borne little relation to his reputation, dropped a routine catch at short extra cover in Caddick's first over of the day.

Lara then rubbed it in by hitting Caddick for three consecutive fours, before getting carried away and skying an attempted pull high over mid- on. When Lara spotted that the man chasing after it was Tufnell, he probably thought he had got away with it, but Tufnell astounded everyone - himself included, perhaps - by taking a beautifully judged catch. His black-humoured Australian fan club with the Tufnell Fielding Academy banner would never have believed it.

Arthurton then only just cleared Graeme Hick at long-on heaving at Tufnell, but when Hick was brought on just before lunch to turn the ball away from the left-handers, his first delivery spun just enough for Shivnarine Chanderpaul to get an edge, and Nasser Hussain - temporarily on as sub for Stewart - took a sharp catch at slip.

Richie Richardson, having retired the previous evening with a pulled hamstring that is almost certain to rule him out of the final Test, emerged with a runner, and in the customary confusion Arthurton would have been comfortably run out had Hick's return to the bowler been remotely on target.

However, Arthurton then played fatally back to a ball from Tufnell that turned and kept low to clip the off stump, and when Caddick returned for another spell he first had Junior Murray edging to first slip, then Richardson caught at square cover. Whether the fact that Ramprakash caught it was stranger than Richardson blazing away with abandon is a moot point, but Winston Benjamin then made his captain look Boycottian by slogging Tufnell (who bowled beautifully) straight up in the air to long-off.

Desmond Haynes, who came in at 179 for 6 because of his finger injury, was then caught at silly point, and although Tufnell suffered the indignity of Walsh smashing him three times over a roof in his last four balls, Ambrose's cartwheeling stump then produced similar gyrations from England's pitch-invading hordes.

----------------------------------------------------------------- WEST INDIES RECORD IN BARBADOS ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1930 v England (drawn); 1935 v England (lost by 4 wkts); 1948 v England (drawn); 1953 v India (won by 142 runs); 1954 v England (won by 181 runs); 1955 v Australia (drawn); 1958 v Pakistan (drawn); 1960 v England (drawn); 1962 v India (won by an innings and 30 runs); 1965 v Australia (drawn); 1968 v England (drawn); 1971 v India (drawn); 1972 v New Zealand (drawn); 1973 v Australia (drawn); 1974 v England (drawn); 1976 v India (won by an innings and 97 runs); 1977 v Pakistan (drawn); 1978 v Australia (won by 9 wkts); 1981 v England (won by 298 runs); 1983 v India (won by 10 wkts); 1984 v Australia (won by 10 wkts); 1985 v New Zealand (won by 10 wickets); 1986 v England (won by an innings and 30 runs); 1988 v Pakistan (won by 2 wkts); 1989 v India (won by 8 wkts); 1990 v England (won by 164 runs); 1991 v Australia (won by 343 runs); 1992 v South Africa (won by 52 runs); 1993 v Pakistan (won by 10 wkts); 1994 v ENGLAND (LOST BY 208 RUNS). -----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------- SCOREBOARD FROM BRIDGETOWN ----------------------------------------------------------------- (West Indies won toss) ENGLAND - First Innings * M A Atherton c Lara b K Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . . . 85 (222 min, 165 balls, 14 fours) A J Stewart b W Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118 (347 min, 221 balls, 18 fours) M R Ramprakash c Murray b W Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . . 20 (63 min, 52 balls, 3 fours) R A Smith c Murray b W Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 (23 min, 17 balls, 2 fours) G A Hick c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 (91 min, 58 balls, 7 fours) G P Thorpe c sub (Simmons) b K Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . 7 (34 min, 23 balls) R C Russell c Chanderpaul b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . .38 (88 min, 56 balls, 5 fours) C C Lewis c Murray b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 (1 min, 2 balls) A R Caddick b Ambrose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 (34 min, 24 balls, 1 four) A R C Fraser c Chanderpaul b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . .3 (26 min, 15 balls) P C R Tufnell not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 (2 min, 1 ball) Extras (lb8 nb24). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355

Fall: 1-171 (Atherton), 2-223 (Ramprakash), 3-242 (Smith), 4-265 (Stewart), 5-290 (Thorpe), 6-307 (Hick), 7-307 (Lewis), 8-327 (Caddick), 9-351 (Fraser). Bowling: Ambrose 24.2-5-86-4 (10nb); Walsh 24-3- 88-1 (17nb); W K M Benjamin 22-4-76-3 (1nb); K C G Benjamin 20-5-74-2 (4nb); Chanderpaul 10-4-23-0.

WEST INDIES - First Innings D L Haynes c Atherton b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 (61 min, 51 balls, 6 fours) * R B Richardson c Atherton b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . 20 (67 min, 31 balls, 3 fours) B C Lara c sub (N Hussain) b Lewis. . . . . . . . . . . . 26 (60 min, 45 balls, 5 fours) K L T Arthurton c Russell b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . .0 (2 min, 3 balls) J C Adams c Thorpe b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 (112 min, 68 balls, 3 fours) S Chanderpaul c Ramprakash b Tufnell. . . . . . . . . . . 77 (301 min, 231 balls, 10 fours) J R Murray c Thorpe b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0 (2 min, 2 balls) W K M Benjamin c Hick b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 (15 min, 13 balls, 1 four) C E L Ambrose c Hick b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 (115 min, 74 balls, 5 fours) K C G Benjamin not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 (119 min, 87 balls, 4 fours, 1 six) C A Walsh c Tufnell b Fraser. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 (28 min, 18 balls, 2 fours) Extras (lb1 nb11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Total. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304

Fall: 1-55 (Richardson), 2-55 (Arthurton), 3-95 (Lara), 4-126 (Adams), 5-126 (Haynes), 6-126 (Murray), 7-134 (W K M Benjamin), 8-205 (Ambrose), 9-263 (Chanderpaul). Bowling: Fraser 28.5-7-75-8; Caddick 24-2-92-0 (2nb); Lewis 17-2-60-1 (7nb); Tufnell 32-12-76-1 (2nb).

ENGLAND - Second Innings * M A Atherton c Lara b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 (56 min, 43 balls, 2 fours) A J Stewart b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 (475 min, 319 balls, 20 fours) M R Ramprakash c Chanderpaul b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . .3 (20 min, 12 balls) R A Smith lbw b K C G Benjamin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 (46 min, 41 balls, 1 four, 1 six) G A Hick c Lara b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 (186 min, 126 balls, 8 fours) G P Thorpe c Arthurton b Walsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 (188 min, 129 balls, 9 fours) R C Russell not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 (33 min, 18 balls, 1 four) C C Lewis c Walsh b Adams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 (6 min, 7 balls, 1 four, 1 six) Extras (b8 lb6 nb36). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Total (for 7 dec). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 394

Fall: 1-33 (Atherton), 2-43 (Ramprakash), 3-79 (Smith), 4-194 (Hick), 5-344 (Stewart), 6-382 (Thorpe), 7-394 (Lewis). Did not bat: A R Caddick, A R C Fraser, P C R Tufnell. Bowling: Ambrose 22-4-75-0 (14nb); Walsh 28-5-94- 5 (9nb); W Benjamin 22-3-58-0 (5nb); K Benjamin 20- 1-92-1 (12nb); Chanderpaul 10-3-30-0; Adams 6.5-0- 31-1.

WEST INDIES - Second Innings * R B Richardson c Ramprakash b Caddick. . . . . . . . . .33 (121 min, 95 balls, 5 fours) J C Adams c Russell b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 (81 min, 49 balls, 1 four) B C Lara c Tufnell b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 (118 min, 90 balls, 12 fours) K C G Benjamin c Hick b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 (7 min, 5 balls) K L T Arthurton b Tufnell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 (146 min, 116 balls, 8 fours, 1 six) S Chanderpaul c sub (N Hussain) b Hick. . . . . . . . . . .5 (42 min, 29 balls) J R Murray c Thorpe b Caddick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 (30 min, 21 balls, 1 four) D L Haynes c Thorpe b Tufnell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 (60 min, 45 balls, 2 fours) W K M Benjamin c Stewart b Tufnell. . . . . . . . . . . . .3 (9 min, 8 balls) C E L Ambrose b Lewis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 (44 min, 35 balls, 2 fours) C A Walsh not out. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 (12 min, 12 balls, 3 sixes) Extras (b1 lb7 nb10). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Total (344 min, 82.2 overs). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237

Fall: 1-43 (Adams), 2-43 (K Benjamin), 3-128 (Lara), 4- 150 (Chanderpaul), 5-164 (Arthurton), 6-179 (Murray), 7-195 (Richardson), 8-199 (W Benjamin), 9-216 (Haynes), 10-237 (Ambrose). Bowling: Fraser 17-7-40-0 (8-3-17-0, 6-3-14-0, 3-1-9- 0); Caddick 17-3-63-5 (1nb) (2-0-15-0, 3-2-1-2, 5-0-27- 1, 7-1-20-2); Tufnell 36-12-100-3 (8nb) (17-6-46-0, 19- 6-54-3); Lewis 8.2-1-23-1 (2nb) (6-1-17-0, 2.2-0-6-1); Hick 4-2-3-1 (one spell). Progress (final day): Overnight: 47-2 (Lara 10, Arthurton 0) 22 overs. 50: 101 min, 23.3 overs. 100: 151 min, 36.3 overs. 150: 212 min, 49.5 overs. Lunch: 150-4 (Arthurton 39) 50.1 overs. 200: 302 min, 72.4 overs. Innings closed: 2.54pm. R B Richardson retired hurt 18 (injured hamstring) 32-0, 11 overs. He returned after fall of fourth wicket (Chanderpaul). Lara's 50: 103 min, 82 balls, 9 fours. Arthurton's 50: 146 min, 115 balls, 8 fours, 1 six. Umpires: L H Barker and D B Hair. ENGLAND WIN BY 208 RUNS Match Referee: J R Reid. Man of the match: A J Stewart. Adjudicator: M D Marshall. -----------------------------------------------------------------

Tony Cozier on Atherton,

New season begins, page 38

(Photograph omitted)