Rest of the World (616 for 4 dec) beat England (282 and 282) by an innings and 52 runs, and take the series 3-2
scorecard series home

A stunning batting display by the Rest of the World XI overpowered England at Eden Gardens, and they took the CMJ Wisden Test series 3-2. It had been a long time coming, but the World XI's batting finally clicked into top gear. England, dismissed relatively cheaply in their first innings, never stood a chance – and their series-levelling effort in the previous match at Sydney came to nothing in the end.

Prior to this final Test Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar and Garry Sobers had made some decent scores, but none of them had managed a century. Now all three roared to three figures – and Tendulkar delighted his millions of Indian fans by motoring to 200. It was a feast of batting, but as usual the Calcutta pitch was at its most docile in mid-match. Peter May probably erred in batting first after winning the toss.

The World XI's pacemen extracted some movement on the first day, and finished with three wickets apiece. Sobers made the first breakthrough, swinging one back into Graham Gooch, and then Muttiah Muralitharan outfoxed the prolific Len Hutton.

Ted Dexter took command, driving the fast men on the up, then hooking when they dropped short. He advanced serenely to 132, from 283 balls. He stroked 12 fours, and also hooked Dennis Lillee for a breathtaking six. However, wickets tumbled regularly at the other end.

There was a sublime hour in which Dexter and Ian Botham, free spirits and clean hitters both, added 62. But then Botham chipped a return catch to Lillee, and the tail collapsed in familiar fashion. Dexter was ninth out, early on the second morning.

England's total of 282 was disappointing ... and was soon looking dismally inadequate. Barry Richards treated the bowling mercilessly, setting the tone for the feast to come. He purred to 93 from 98 balls, with 13 fours, before Dexter sneaked one through a lazy backward defensive. Dexter was the surprise bowling star: his energetic medium-pace also dismissed Sunil Gavaskar, for a studied 51, while Viv Richards holed out for 21.

That was 181 for 3, and just about the end of English hopes. Lara's loopy backlift contrasted with Tendulkar's economical movements, but the pair combined in a stand, eventually worth 261, that occupied most of the third day. Fred Trueman, who finished with 0 for 132, was heard to remark that the shirtfront pitch explained why he had never quite got round to touring India before.

Lara eventually departed for 106 – he hit ten fours and two sixes – but Tendulkar just tucked in for more. Sobers loped in, at 442 for 4, and took charge. He collected 12 fours, and clattered Botham for six, on his way to 102 not out. Sobers eventually called a halt shortly after lunch on the fourth day, when Tendulkar stroked his 16th four (he also hit two sixes), to reach the most popular double-century at Eden Gardens since VVS Laxman's against Australia in 2001. The final reckoning was 616 for 4 – and the World XI led by 334 runs.

It proved to be enough. Malcolm Marshall was again too good for Gooch, and Sobers trapped a tired-looking Dexter in front. Hutton briefly threatened his fifth century of the series, but was bamboozled by Shane Warne, whose only wicket of the match was a vital one. Hutton, who made 56, finished with 744 runs overall at an average of 82.67. May made 541 runs in the series, Tendulkar 446 and Gavaskar 429 – but Sobers (351 runs at 87.75) had the best average.

May delayed the inevitable, putting on 87 with Cowdrey (47) and going on to a cultured century of his own. He hit eight fours, six of them scudding through the covers before the fielders could move – but it was never going to be enough, as once again the England tail folded. Muralitharan, who ended with 21 victims in the series, finally fooled May, but it was fitting that Marshall – who topped the wicket-taking lists with 32 – finished off the match.

Tendulkar's supporters were unimpressed by the decision to give the Man of the Match award to Sobers, for his hundred and five wickets. But Sobers himself was delighted with a series win, to go with the one his World XI managed on the field in England in 1970.

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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