CRICKET/First Test: Ashley Giles proved England are no longer a one-dimensional strike force by clinching a comprehensive 210-run victory over West Indies in the opening Test at Lord's yesterday.
Warwickshire's left-arm spinner ended his long wait to secure his name on the Lord's honours board with second innings figures of five wickets for 81 runs.
It gave him a haul over the two innings of nine wickets, earning him the man of the match award as well as a place with the greats on the honours board inside the home dressing room - which records outstanding performances with bat and ball at the ground.
Giles' first five-wicket haul in England, the best match figures of his career and the best figures by an English spinner at Lord's in 21 years helped England to their fifth successive Test win on home soil and their seventh in their last eight Tests.
His efforts ensured West Indies, who resumed the final day on 114 for three, still trailing by 363 runs, collapsed to 267 all out just before tea.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was unfortunate to end unbeaten on 97 - just three runs away from matching the achievement of England captain Michael Vaughan by scoring centuries in both innings.
Just months after considering giving up the game altogether because of the abuse he was receiving for his performances, Giles has now gone a long way towards winning successive Tests for England.
And the reaction of the crowd yesterday suggests he may even have won over his stern critics in the stands.
Toiling away almost unchanged from the Nursery End today, Giles made the key breakthrough of the day after 18 overs of frustration.
Chanderpaul and West Indies captain Brian Lara battled in such an impressive manner early on that a victory looked anything but inevitable.
But shortly before lunch Giles finally found the right length and as Lara stretched to drive at a full-length delivery, the ball spun fiercely out of the rough and hit middle stump.
Six overs later he took a simple return catch to outwit debutant Dwayne Bravo in the flight, and underline his value as England's most potent threat.
