Adams pays tribute to commitment of West Indies side

Critics have already praised West Indies’ new found hunger for success under Adams. Before arriving here Adams had already led West Indies in home series success over Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

On both occasions he led from the front and he was there again. He shifted the psychological advantage in favour of his side with an invaluable 98 runs scored over six and half hours. When the quicks were tired, he took the last two wickets with his spin to seal victory.

“It’s a reflection of the level of commitment we are trying to generate and we’re trying to improve upon,” said a soft-spoken Adams. “It’s good to get a start like this, especially in the first Test of the season.”

Adams spoke of the new found confidence within the team and felt not winning overseas had not burdened the side.

“We were not worried about not winning away for so long but it was something we would have wanted to correct. We have a group of fellows here who have committed themselves to doing that. What we achieved has motivated our players to get better and we have time to improve on a few areas of our game before Lord’s.”

“We can bat, bowl and field better than we did over the last three days. We are still making mistakes we should not be making and in different circumstances we would be made to suffer for these mistakes.”

West Indies’ victory charge was led by veteran fast bowlers Courtney Walsh, 37 and Curtly Ambrose, 36.

The pair in their last series together before Ambrose quits after the tour, bowled in tandem in a relentless exhibition of high class fast bowling. It was the same pair that handed England a similar beating five years ago.

While England bowlers failed to use the traditional varied bounce at Edgbaston to their advantage, the West Indians including the two understudies – Reon King and Franklyn Rose – made full use it patiently.

“I made it my responsibility to do well in the test and win it,” Walsh, who took a match bag of 8-58 said. “It’s not my type to blast people out. I try to work with the wicket patiently and by putting the ball in the right area.”

His figures in the Test was an improvement of his efforts here in 1995 when he took 8-99.