Sidebottom puts Poms upfront

Stephen Harmison wrapped up the innings when he bowled Jerome Taylor for nought after Dwayne Bravo, who top-scored with 52, had holed out against left-arm spinner Monty Panesar. West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan was still unable to bat after sustaining a shoulder injury fielding on Friday and that meant the match was over with the tourists8217; nine wickets down.

Left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom was the star of England8217;s attack with match figures of eight for 86 from 27 overs. The 29-year-old was only playing his second Test, six years after his debut, because Matthew Hoggard was injured.

England8217;s victory had been set up by man-of-the-match Kevin Pietersen8217;s Test best 226 and captain Michael Vaughan8217;s 103, in his first Test after 18 months out injured, in a huge total of 570 for seven declared.

England were held up by a sixth-wicket stand of 63 between Runako Morton 25 and Dwayne Bravo, an impressive 50 not out. But that ended shortly before tea when Morton top-edged a hook off a short, straight ball from Harmison and was caught by wicketkeeper Matthew Prior.

Bravo, undaunted, hooked England8217;s quickest bowler for four to bring up a 61-ball fifty with a six and six boundaries.

However, Harmison found some form late to finish the innings with three for 37 although Sidebottom led the way with four for 44.

Vaughan, with West Indies on 104 for five, switched today to Panesar.

But his first ball was confidently on-driven for four by Bravo, one of the few West Indies8217; batsman to use his feet against Panesar in the drawn first Test at Lord8217;s, where the spinner took a career-best six for 129.

Bravo followed that up with a six over long-off. West Indies, 31 for three at lunch, declined to 47 for four when Sidebottom, who began his career at Headingley with Yorkshire before moving to Nottinghamshire three years ago, had Sylvester Joseph lbw for one.

Sidebottom saw Devon Smith become the latest flat-footed West Indies batsman to lose his wicket against him when he edged to first slip where Andrew Strauss held on at the second attempt. West Indies suffered a major blow even before the match started when senior batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, withdrew because of a knee injury.

Scoreboard

England 1st Innings 570-7 decl

West Indies 1st Innings 146

West Indies 2nd Innings

overnight: 22/2

C Gayle c Prior b Plunkett 13

D Ganga lbw Sidebottom 11

D Powell lbw Sidebottom 0

D Smith c Strauss b Sidebottom 16

S Joseph lbw Sidebottom 1

R Morton c Prior b Harmison 25

D Bravo c Plunkett b Panesar 52

D Ramdin lbw Harmison 5

J Taylor b Harmison 0

C Collymore not out 0

R Sarwan absent hurt

Extras:b1, lb12, nb5 18

Total all out, 42.1 overs 141

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-22, 3-30, 4-47, 5-57, 6-120,7-141, 8-141, 9-141.

Bowling: Sidebottom 15-4-44-4, Plunkett 8-1-27-1, Harmison 13.1-3-37-3, Panesar 6-1-20-1.