Following the unsuccessful tour of Australia a year earlier, the selectors opted for youth, with only May, Cowdrey, Trueman and Statham having had substantial Test experience.

Centuries by Barrington (his first Test hundred) and Dexter ensured that England made a big score.

West Indies had scored at under two and a half runs per over, and by the time that they declared England only had to bat for 140 minutes in their second innings.

[4] England lost three early wickets, but centuries by Barrington and Smith and 77 by Dexter ensured a competitive score, even though none of the last five batsmen managed more than 10.

England in turn found batting difficult, at one point being 133/7, before useful contributions from Illingworth (41) and Trueman (37 made in 30 minutes) enabled them to declare on day five, setting West Indies an improbable 501 to win.

However Sobers' early dismissal next morning triggered a collapse, and although McMorris was fit to resume his innings the West Indies led by only 76.

When Kanhai was out at 152/6 West Indies gave up the chase and England tried to get the four remaining wickets in the forty-five minutes that were left.

During the first day part of a tin roof collapsed from the weight of spectators standing on it, and several people were injured.

With May too ill to play and being forced to fly home, Cowdrey took over the England captaincy and Subba Row came into the side.

Lance Gibbs was the intended replacement, but he had damaged his spinning finger, so that Scarlett was retained and Singh was included as a second spinner.

Thanks to centuries by Dexter and Subba Row (his first in Tests), England had no difficulty in saving the game, reaching 320/3 at one point before there was a flurry of wickets when it was too late to matter.

With Andrew, the other wicket-keeper in the party, having few pretensions as a batsman, Parks – who had been coaching in Trinidad – took Swetman's place.

Hunte, who had retired hurt when the total was 24, returned to make 72* by the time that West Indies declared 55 behind in the hope of forcing a win.

However Smith and Parks then put on 197, which remains England's seventh wicket record partnership against all countries.

Though the tour was less acrimonious than that made by England six years earlier, according to Wisden there were nevertheless still some contentious issues, notably those of slow over rates, excessive short-pitched bowling and throwing.

England were the main culprits in wasting time; having won the second Test they set out to avoid defeat in the remaining three matches.

Two bowlers playing regularly for West Indies in the Tests had actions that Wisden considered to be suspect.