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• Windies Player of the Series Jayden Seales reflects on comeback and success with Sussex after 3-0 series loss to England

  Despite the West Indies' 3-0 series defeat to England, fast bowler Jayden Seales emerged as a standout performer, earning the Player of the Series award for his team. Seales, who recently returned to international cricket after a long injury layoff, expressed his pride in representing the West Indies once more and highlighted the role playing for Sussex played in his successful return.

  Seales, who took 13 wickets in the three-match Test series at an average of 27.23, spoke about the significance of his comeback. "I'm proud of being able to represent the West Indies again. Coming back and doing well for the team is rewarding. I'm just looking to improve going forward," he said.

  Reflecting on his time with Sussex, Seales noted that it was instrumental in preparing him for the series against England. "Playing for Sussex was great. It allowed me to understand the conditions and how they can help me. The experience was invaluable," he added.

  Seales joined Sussex in early April and impressed with his performance, taking 24 wickets in six matches, including two five-wicket hauls, at an average of 24.25. His stint in English county cricket undoubtedly played a role in his readiness for the West Indies tour of England.

  "England's attacking approach was tough at times. They take opportunities to score if you give them a chance, so you have to be on it all the time," Seales remarked about the challenges he faced against England's aggressive batting lineup.

  Despite the series loss, Seales remains optimistic about the future of the West Indies bowling attack. "I think once we grow and learn, we can be a force to be reckoned with," he said. "The body is not too bad, just trying to get some recovery in and looking forward to the series against South Africa at home."

  Seales' journey back to the West Indies squad began after he was sidelined with a knee injury in December 2022. His impressive performance for Sussex earned him a recall, and during the series against England, he reached a personal milestone by picking up his 50th Test wicket.

  While the series result was disappointing for the West Indies, Seales' performance provided a bright spot and a glimpse of the potential within the team. His contributions will be crucial as the West Indies prepare for their upcoming series against South Africa, where Seales hopes to continue his upward trajectory and help his team achieve success.

   

   

• Wood reveals Anderson inspiration before five-wicket haul

  Mark Wood revealed how a "great conversation" with James Anderson helped inspire his blistering wicket haul in England's final Test against West Indies.

  The Durham bowler took five wickets in a single spell for the first time in his Test career, as the hosts completed the 3-0 series sweep at Edgbaston.

  Wood, who had struggled to break through during the morning on day three of the third Test, was a man on a mission after lunch, dismissing five West Indies batsmen in just 21 balls for the loss of only nine runs.

  With the Windies bowled out for 175, Ben Stokes hit the quickest half-century by an England player in Test history to seal a commanding victory.

  And Wood said his fortunes in the crease changed following words of wisdom from his recently retired former team-mate.

  "I was in a bit of a bad fettle actually at lunch, and I was wondering if it was something I was doing wrong or if I wasn't quite getting the right length," he said.

  "I had a great conversation with Jimmy [Anderson], and a couple of the other backroom staff, and he just said, rather than thinking about the outcome, to start thinking about the skill element.

  "That first wicket gave me a lot of confidence, and I was able to push on from there."

  "I think that's one of the best reverse swing performances I've seen in a long time," Stokes added. "I know bowling at 93 miles per hour is tough, but when it is reverse swinging as well, it's going to be even tougher."

  Meanwhile, Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite was left to rue another disappointing Test from his side.

  "It was a tough series," he said. "We didn't show a lot of discipline with the ball. We let them off the hook a lot of times, and they were scoring way too fast. We didn't get enough second-innings runs in the last two Test matches."

• Wood and Stokes shine as England seal series sweep of West Indies

  Mark Wood and Ben Stokes played starring roles as England cruised to complete a series sweep of West Indies at Edgbaston.

  The Durham bowler took five wickets from just 21 balls as the hosts were bowled out for 175 before Stokes' swift knock of 57 completed his side's routine chase of 82 to wrap up a 3-0 win.

  West Indies resumed at 33-2 on day three, and Mikyle Louis (57) and Kavem Hodge (55) both hit half-centuries as the visitors sought a response.

  However, Louis, Jason Holder and Alick Athanaze all went to leave them at 151-5 at lunch.

  Wood then took centre stage upon the resumption, taking five wickets in a single spell for the first time in his Test career for the loss of just nine runs.

  That left England requiring just 82, and Stokes and Ben Duckett (25) wasted no time in sealing a comprehensive victory after just 7.2 overs.

  Data Debrief: Speedy Stokes hits historic half-century

  Since 1981, Ian Botham has held the distinction of scoring England's fastest half-century in Test cricket, taking just 28 balls to achieve the feat.

  Fast-forward 43 years and Stokes snatched that record in spectacular fashion, reaching 50 in just 24 balls.

  The skipper led from the front and finished in style with back-to-back sixes.