England Close in on Series Sweep with Strong Performance at Edgbaston

England moved closer to completing a series sweep against the West Indies, taking three crucial wickets on the third morning of the final Test at Edgbaston. Shoaib Bashir, Ben Stokes, and Gus Atkinson each claimed a wicket, leaving the West Indies at 151 for five in their second innings, holding a narrow lead of just 57 runs.

Resuming at 33 for two, the West Indies faced immediate pressure from England's varied attack. Bashir and Mark Wood led the charge, combining spin and pace to disrupt the visiting batsmen. Alick Athanaze fell early, mistiming a sweep off Bashir and was trapped lbw for 12, raising fears of another batting collapse similar to their second innings at Trent Bridge.

Mikyle Louis and Kavem Hodge provided some resistance, with Louis reaching a spirited half-century that included two sixes off Bashir. However, his innings ended when he edged a delivery from Stokes to Zak Crawley at slip. Hodge, who survived a couple of early scares, settled in to score 52 not out, displaying resilience in challenging conditions.

Ben Stokes bowled a particularly impressive spell, hitting his fastest recorded pace in four years and eventually dismissing Louis. Gus Atkinson continued his fine form, dismissing Jason Holder lbw after Crawley dropped a catch off Stokes' bowling.

The West Indies will need a substantial contribution from their remaining batsmen to set a challenging target for England. With England's bowlers in top form, the hosts are well-positioned to wrap up the series with a clean sweep, having already dominated the previous Tests at Lord’s and Trent Bridge. The visitors, meanwhile, will be aiming to restore some pride and push the match into a fourth day.