England (308 and 299) beat Rest of the World (339 and 223) by 45 runs, to square series at 1-1
scorecard

England squared the CMJ Wisden Test series with a close-fought victory at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. Ian Botham, after a quiet first Test, came good with two rapid innings of 73 and 102 not out, while the old firm of Fred Trueman and Brian Statham combined to great effect with the ball on a bouncy, quick pitch.

Garry Sobers won the toss and decided to field, but initially England made steady progress. Dennis Lillee removed Len Hutton for 10 and Graham Gooch for 36, before Ted Dexter took advantage of some loose bowling from Malcolm Marshall – over-stretching in front of his home crowd – to spank a memorable 58 off only 80 balls, with seven fours. Sobers had to bring himself on and, swinging the ball well from that easy loose-limbed action, pinned Dexter in front then had Colin Cowdrey caught behind for 5.

Peter May was now joined by Botham, who set about the bowling with an abandon he rarely showed in a West Indian setting. There was little in the pitch for the spinners, who went wicketless, and Botham romped to a rapid half-century, which included a vast six off Muralitharan and a death-defying hook off Lillee.

The stand had reached 106 when Marshall moved one back in to Botham to trap him leg-before. Botham's 73 occupied only 98 balls, and he rifled seven fours as well as those two sixes. England had been 248 for 4, but now that flimsy tail collapsed again, as the last six wickets tumbled for 60. Only May could resist Marshall and Lillee, who finished with four wickets apiece. May was beached high and dry on 92, with nine fours.

For once the World XI's tail malfunctioned, too – their last five wickets went down for 39. Before that a muscular century from Viv Richards – he faced only 103 balls and powered 11 fours and two sixes – seemed to have ensured a handy lead, but in the end it was just 31. Statham was the pick of the bowlers, straight and quick as ever. After the early scalp of Barry Richards for 29, he returned to dispose of Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Marshall. Meanwhile Trueman, after a wayward start, chipped in with three wickets.

Anything Statham can do, said Marshall ... and he raced in to have Gooch caught behind in his second over. May followed for 13, and shortly afterwards Hutton (30) misjudged a late inducker from Lillee, a rare pitched-up delivery as the bouncers flew. Dexter counter-attacked for a sparkling 46, but when Cowdrey and Alan Knott departed England, 188 for 6, were only 157 in front.

But now Botham cut loose, tucking into Lillee and Muralitharan, and trying to protect the tail from the rampaging Marshall. Occasionally he failed – Derek Underwood (13) and Trueman (7) flashed to Warne at slip after some dogged defence – but Botham roared on in a passable impersonation of his Headingley '81 heroics. The crowd rose to acclaim a great century, which included 11 fours and three rousing sixes from only 142 balls. In the next over Statham was athletically caught by Sobers, and England were all out for 299. Marshall's six wickets gave him the fine match figures of 10 for 148.

Needing 269 to win, the World XI reached 100 for the loss of Gavaskar. Barry Richards attacked spiritedly for 62, but after Trueman had him caught behind the World fell apart to 155 for 6. There were two more wickets for Statham, and Underwood and Laker chipped in with a welcome wicket apiece. Laker's – Tendulkar squirting a sharp offbreak to Hutton at leg slip – was probably crucial.

Sobers remained defiant, and ended up with 53 not out from 129 balls. But, amid rising tension, the pacemen worked their way through the lower order. Fittingly, Statham made the final incisions. After Murali snicked a catch behind, last man Lillee missed ... and Statham hit, to finish with eight wickets. But the Man of the Match award went to Botham.

The teams moved to South Africa for the third Test at Cape Town (report tomorrow).

This series was played using a computer simulation devised for Wisden.com by Y Ananth Narayanan of Hallmark Software in Bangalore, India.

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