Third Test ends in damp draw

The third and final Test between England and West Indies ended in a predictable draw on Monday after a third washout in five days.

With the first two days lost to the weather at Edgbaston a result always seemed unlikely, but Denesh Ramdin's century and Tino Best's record-breaking 95 batting at number 11 moved the game on significantly on Saturday. England did wobble at the top of the order but 78 from Kevin Pietersen and an unbeaten 76 from Ian Bell steadied the ship and meant that Andrew Strauss's side would have begun day five on 221-5 had play been possible. The game would have petered out into a draw anyway but persistent rain in Birmingham kept the players from the field for the entire day and the umpires put everyone out of the misery in the afternoon. England therefore claimed the series 2-0 after wins at Lord's and Trent Bridge and will now turn their attentions to the visit of South Africa later in the summer who will play three Tests against the number one-ranked five-day side.