CHESTER-LE-STREET, England (CMC):

West Indies ended their briefest-ever grasp on the Wisden Trophy yesterday, when they crumbled to an innings and 83-run defeat in the second and final Test against England.

Trailing by 259 runs on first innings, West Indies were dismissed for 176 in their second innings about an hour after lunch on the fifth and final day at the Riverside.

Fidel Edwards was caught at deep fine leg essaying a hook at a short, rising delivery from Tim Bresnan, to signal the end of the Test.

The defeat for West Indies meant that England sweep the two-Test series 2-0 and take hold of the Wisden Trophy which they lost for just 69 days, following its 1-0 defeat in the preceding series between the two sides in the Caribbean.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit the top score of 47, but no other batsman suggested substance or stability, as West Indies again failed to negotiate England's seam and swing bowling in chilly conditions.

James Anderson collected four wickets for 38 runs from 16 overs and finished with match figures of nine for 125 to earn the Man-of-the-Match award.

Tim Bresnan, playing in only his second Test, after making his debut in the opening match at Lord's, took three for 45 from 14 overs.

Two stoppages for rain offered West Indies faint hope of salvaging a draw, after they continued from their overnight total of 115 for three.

Chanderpaul and Lendl Simmons extended their overnight fourth-wicket partnership of 52, before Anderson made the breakthrough and triggered a slide that saw West Indies lose their last seven wickets for 35 runs.

Blaming the cold

Embattled West Indies captain, Chris Gayle, has once again blamed the cold, blustery English conditions for his side's wretched display.

"They were very testing conditions and playing cricket in these sorts of conditions is a really, really big challenge for us," Gayle said after the embarrassing loss at the Riverside Ground.

"It's not about the ball nipping around. We all expect the ball to do something here in England, whether it's cold or not. And sometimes in the fielding department it's really, really hard to go out there with your hands burning, which made it difficult to catch.

"In the batting department, it's hard to concentrate for a long period of time in this cold, no doubt about it," he added.

In similar conditions last week, West Indies were beaten by 10 wickets inside three days in the first Test at Lord's.

Second-rate performance

Gayle, who struggled in the series, conceded that while the weather was trying, his side needed to take responsibility for their second-rate performance.

"I'm not finding too many excuses - they were difficult conditions. But at the same time, I'm happy we actually gained some experience out of this," Gayle pointed out.

"We played poor cricket and when we had our chances we didn't make the best use of it and England capitalised on it."

The result means that West Indies remain seventh, but are now only a few points above New Zealand, while England move into fifth spot above Pakistan in the ICC's World Rankings.

Ravi Bopara, who hit centuries at Lord's and Chester-le-Street, earned the Man-of-the-Series award for England and Edwards - with seven wickets in the two Tests - claimed a similar award for West Indies.

ENGLAND 1st Innings 569 for 6 dec. (A Cook 160; S Benn 2-146)

WEST INDIES 1st innings 310 (R Sarwan 100; J Anderson 5-87)

WEST INDIES 2nd Innings (following on)

D Smith lbw Swann 11

C Gayle c Strauss b Onions 54

R Sarwan lbw Onions 22

L Simmons c sub (SG Borthwick) b Anderson 10

S Chanderpaul c Collingwood b Anderson 47

B Nash c sub (SG Borthwick) b Bresnan 1

+D Ramdin c Anderson b Bresnan 0

J Taylor b Anderson 5

S Benn b Anderson 0

F Edwards c sub (K Turner) b Bresnan 4

L Baker not out 4

Extras (b8, lb5, w5) 18

Total (all out - 44 overs) 176

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Smith), 2-88 (Sarwan), 3-89 (Gayle), 4-141 (Simmons), 5-142 (Nash), 6-146 (Ramdin), 7-163 (Taylor), 8-167 (Benn), 9-168 (Chanderpaul), 10-176 (Edwards)

Bowling: Anderson 16-5-38-4; Broad 5-1-21-0; Swann 3-0-13-1; Onions 6-0-46-2 (1w); Bresnan 14-2-45-3 (4w).

Result: England win by innings and 82 runs

Series: England win 2-0

Man of the Match: James Anderson (England)

Man of the Series (West Indies) - Fidel Edwards

Man of the series (England) - Ravi Bopara

Umpires: S Davis, A de Silva; TV - P Hartley.