Windies whip Derbyshire

Inspite of curious tactics that preceded their delayed second innings declaration at lunch and the enforced absence of Franklyn Rose, the West Indies completed an emphatic victory by 224 runs with 5.4 overs to spare over Derbyshire yesterday.

It was the last first-class match before the fourth Test and a chance to assess the four fast bowlers to decide on the two who will be used in support of Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh at Headingley.

Little was gleaned from Derbyshire's first innings but there was more purpose to the effort after Sherwin Campbell's closure left his bowlers 60 overs to complete the job.

Reon King, Nixon McLean and Corey Collymore threw the county into disarray, sharing the wickets as the total declined to 81 for seven at tea.

Robert Bailey, captain for the match, followed his unbeaten 112 in the first innings with more defiance, batting through to the end for 65 to keep the West Indies waiting before he ran out of partners. It was sufficient to earn him the Man-Of-The-Match Award but not to avoid heavy defeat.

The target for Derbyshire was a virtually impossible 370 to win the match and the £11 000 on offer from the sponsors, Vodafone. It was never on.

148 in arrears

The extention of the West Indies' innings was an uncharitable response to the county's own declaration on the second day, 148 in arrears when they still had half their wickets in hand.

It certainly wasn't a vote of confidence for the attack that remained as Rose attended to a badly swollen right ankle.

He sprained it exercising on the outfield after Thursday's play but manager Ricky Skeritt said it was not as bad as it looked. Medical examination revealed only damage to the soft tissue, not bone, and he is expected to be ready again by Monday when the team returns to Leeds from its weekend in Glasgow for a One-Day match against Scotland.

Ridley Jacobs also turned his ankle the same way but his damage was not as pronounced, although he will miss tomorrow's match against Scotland.

When Derbyshire batted a second time, King quickly despatched Steve Titchard lbw, McLean uprooted the right-handed James Pymont's offstump and had Steve Stubbings fending off a bouncer for a lobbed catch to the keeper and King removed Matthew Cassar with a catch to third slip before giving way to Collymore.

There has been little chance for Collymore on tour. Rushed back in after his prolonged back trouble by over-eager selectors, he took some time to regain his rhythm and confidence.

His action has become necessarily more front-on, as Ian Bishop had to do following his similar disabilities, but he worked up good pace yesterday and swung the ball away in a spell of ten consecutive overs.

His first wicket was from a warm-up long-hop that the left-handed Matthew Dowman dragged back into his stumps. His next two were off pacy outswingers that found the outside edges of wicketkeeper Luke Sutton and Simon Lacey.

Bailey, the tailend and a couple of missed catches delayed the finish until quarter-to-six. Ambrose subbed for Rose and stood at first slip all day.

He only touched the ball once, with his finger tips off last man Lain Wharton's offered catch off King who soon had his man playing on.