Following England’s comprehensive series whitewash after winning the third Test by 10 wickets, Ben Stokes remarked that after lunch, with West Indies at 151 for five and leading by 57 runs, he “felt this was the moment to dismantle them.” He entrusted the ball to Mark Wood, who delivered an exceptional spell, claiming five wickets in six overs for just nine runs.
“I wasn’t feeling great actually at lunch, and I started to question if I was doing something wrong,” Wood admitted, who at that point was wicketless.
“I had an enlightening chat with Jimmy [Anderson] along with a few other members of the backroom staff. He suggested that instead of focusing on the results, I should concentrate on the skill aspect. The first wicket boosted my confidence significantly, enabling me to continue strongly from there.”
The ball began to reverse swing after West Indies opener Mikyle Louis struck Shoaib Bashir into the crowd. “That six landed right on the rough side, which is why it started moving so much. That hit couldn’t have landed more perfectly for us,” Stokes explained, and Wood took full advantage of it.
“That spell was simply outstanding,” Stokes said. “I believe that’s one of the finest reverse-swinging performances I’ve seen in a long while. It was a delight to watch, and there was almost a sense of relief because he has performed so well in this series yet hasn’t received the wicket count he deserves. He walked away with five wickets, but I still feel he hasn’t gotten the recognition he rightly earned.”
This led to a target of 81, and with Stokes promoted to open due to Zak Crawley sustaining a finger injury in the field, the captain achieved the fastest 50 in England’s Test history, reaching it in just 24 balls.
“I always intended to go out there and be ultra-positive,” he said. “The new ball has a better feel off the bat compared to an older, softer one. Once I connected with one, I thought, ‘I might as well give it a go.’ I wasn’t aware of the record; I was simply looking to hit every ball for four or six.”
Wood was named player of the match, with his performance on the final day overshadowing Jamie Smith’s 95 from Saturday. Gus Atkinson received the player of the series award, having also made his Test debut in the opening game at Lord’s, like Smith.
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“Gus and Jamie have both been absolutely remarkable,” Stokes remarked. “Jamie seems to possess everything. He has the power game and the technique to navigate through tough periods. He’s a genuine talent.”
