West Indies can seal their first Test series win in England in 32 years by taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the second Test starting at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Jason Holder and Co put in a solid performance in the first Test at Southampton as Test cricket made it’s much-awaited return.
While England will be bolstered with regular skipper Joe Root making a comeback, the momentum will definitely be with the West Indies at the start of the second Test.
Here’s a look back at three West Indies Test triumphs at the Manchester ground ahead of the second match of the three-Test series:
1966: Sobers and Gibbs star
West Indies captain Garfield Sobers, arguably the finest all-rounder in the history of cricket, led from the front with 161 and Conrad Hunte hit 135 in a first-innings total of 484.
England managed just 167 in reply, with off-spinner Lance Gibbs taking 5 wickets for 37 runs, and the hosts were made to follow-on.
Test debutant Colin Milburn made 94 but another five-wicket haul from Gibbs saw the West Indies victory by an innings and 40 runs in the opening match of a five-match series they eventually won 3-1.
1976: Greenidge at the double
In a dramatic start to the match, West Indies collapsed to 19 for 3 wickets, with fast-medium bowler Mike Selvey marking his England debut by removing Roy Fredericks and Alvin Kallicharran for ducks either side of dismissing batting great Vivian Richards for just four.
But amid the clatter of wickets, opener Gordon Greenidge made a brilliant 134 that saw the West Indies to 211.
England then collapsed to 71 all out, with fast bowler Michael Holding taking 5/17.
West Indies piled up 411/5 declared in their second innings, with Greenidge (101) becoming the first batsman to score hundreds in both innings of a Test at Old Trafford and Richards 135.
England, needing a mammoth 552 for victory, saw veteran openers John Edrich and Brian Close, who suffered several bruises, somehow bat through until stumps on Saturday in the face of fiery bowling from Holding in particular.
But it was new-ball partner Andy Roberts, with 6/37, who did the bulk of the damage in England’s 126 all out as West Indies won by 425 runs.
After two draws, West Indies were now 1-0 ahead in a series they would win 3-0.
With a fractured hand and a smile: When West Indies fast bowler Malcolm Marshall destroyed England
1988: Marshall the master
A chaotic summer for the hosts saw England bowled out for 135 after John Emburey, one of their four captains in the series, won the toss. West Indies replied with 384/7 declared.
Malcolm Marshall, one of the greatest West Indian fast bowlers, then took a Test-best 7/22 as England slumped to 93 all out.
West Indies won by an innings and 156 runs to go 2-0 up in a campaign they took 4-0.
(With inputs from AFP)
