Walsh takes West Indies to victory at Edgbaston

Courtney Walsh took eight wickets as the West Indies beat England by an innings and 93 runs inside three days in the first Test at Edgbaston.

The match ended on 17 June, when England were bowled out for 125 in their second innings. Walsh, the veteran Jamaican fast bowler, was named man of the match after taking five for 36 and three for 22.

England blown away

England were bowled out for 179 in their first innings, struggling against the pace and accuracy of Walsh and Curtly Ambrose. The West Indies then batted steadily to reach 397, building a lead of more than 200.

In their second innings, England collapsed again. Walsh was almost unplayable, and the home batsmen had no answer to his relentless accuracy. The Test was all over on the third day.

A familiar feeling

England have not beaten the West Indies in a Test series since 1969, and this defeat suggests the wait could go on. The West Indies have dominated the contest for three decades, with a succession of great fast bowlers.

But this West Indies side is not as strong as some of its predecessors, and England had hoped that this could be the year they finally won the Wisden Trophy back. The defeat at Edgbaston has dented those hopes.

Walsh's greatness

Walsh, 37, is the leading wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket, with well over 400 wickets. He has played Test cricket since 1984 and remains one of the best fast bowlers in the world.

His partnership with Ambrose has been one of the most feared in the game, and the two are expected to play their last Tests in England this summer.

England's problems

England captain Nasser Hussain will be concerned by his side's batting. The top order failed in both innings, and the lower order could not rescue them.

The selectors face difficult choices before the second Test at Lord's, which begins at the end of the month. Some changes are likely, but England's options are limited.

Edgbaston crowd

Crowds at Edgbaston were good despite the one-sided nature of the game, and West Indies supporters, many from Birmingham's large Caribbean community, created a carnival atmosphere in the stands.

Edgbaston has a strong following among the city's West Indian community, and games against the West Indies are always among the most colourful of the summer.

A long summer

The five-match series has four more Tests to run, and England will need to improve quickly. The West Indies, captained by Jimmy Adams, will be confident after such a convincing win.

This summer is also the first in which England's leading players are on central contracts, which the England and Wales Cricket Board hopes will help them perform better at Test level.

For now, the West Indies lead the series 1-0, and Walsh has once again shown why he is one of the great bowlers of his generation.