England blow Windies away

England's cricketers moved a step closer to ending more than 30 years of hurt at Headingley yesterday when they completed one of the most memorable Test victories in recent years.

England's cricketers moved a step closer to ending more than 30 years of hurt at Headingley yesterday when they completed one of the most memorable Test victories in recent years.

The West Indies, who have not lost a series against England since 1969, were dismissed for just 61 in the second innings as Nasser Hussain's side won by an innings and 39 runs, and took a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series with one match left to play.

It was the first two-day finish to a Test in this country since Australia beat England by 10 wickets at Trent Bridge in 1921 and the first anywhere in the world since 1946.

To the unconcealed joy of the packed galleries around Headingley, England's crushing victory was largely inspired by the efforts of three Yorkshiremen representing their country on their home ground.

Craig White had taken five West Indies first-innings wickets on Friday as the visitors were dismissed for 172. The Yorkshire batsman Michael Vaughan then compiled an innings of 76 - that earned him the man-of-the-match award -to steer England to a first-innings lead, before the pace bowler Darren Gough tore through the West Indies' top-order batsmen to finish with secondinnings figures of 4 for 30.

Towards the end, Andrew Caddick briefly threatened to steal the honours by taking 5 for 14, including four wickets in one over, to polish off the West Indies' tail, but in Headingley's eyes there was no disputing the heroes of the hour. "It is a great day for Yorkshire and for England," Gough said.

Hussain was fulsome in his praise for the Yorkshire contingent. "The Yorkshire lads did really well," he said. "I was so pleased with the way we batted, the way we bowled and held our catches."

England can now look forward to what Gough described as "the most important five days of the summer" - the final Test at The Oval, on 31 August, where a draw will be enough to earn England a series victory.