England near crushing win in Windies Test

England were on the brink of winning the second Test against the West Indies with more than a day to spare at Trent Bridge here on Monday. Set 108 for victory, England were 74 without loss at tea on the fourth day -- needing just 34 more runs for a victory that would give them an unbeatable 2-0 lead in this three-match series. England captain Andrew Strauss, who made 141 in the first innings to follow his hundred in his side's five-wicket first Test win at Lord's, was 40 not out and fellow left-hander Alastair Cook 33 not out. Earlier Marlon Samuels resisted England's attack with a dashing 76 not out, top-scoring for the tourists for the second time in the match after his first innings 117. However, there was a sense in which he was merely delaying what would, barring a dramatic collapse, be West Indies' seventh straight Test loss on English soil. Shortly after lunch, West Indies were all out for 165 in their second innings. Tim Bresnan took four wickets for 37 runs in 17 overs for a Test-best match haul of eight for 141, while James Anderson was close behind his fellow paceman with a second innings return of four for 43 in 20.1 overs. Considering they'd resumed on their overnight 61 for six, West Indies' total represented a considerable recovery. Samuels started the day on 13 not out with West Indies captain Darren Sammy, who made a maiden Test hundred in his side's first innings 370, when he helped his partner add 204 for the seventh wicket, unbeaten on nought. They made a positive start, with Samuels clipping Bresnan for a boundary off his pads while Sammy drove him through extra-cover for four. Sammy too went for his shots, slamming Bresnan for a boundary behind point. But Bresnan had Sammy lbw -- his fourth leg before wicket of the innings -- for 25. Sammy reviewed the decision and replays showed the ball, which hit him on the back leg, would have just clipped the top of the stumps. As Aleem Dar had already given Sammy out, the Pakistani umpire's call was upheld and West Indies were now 110 for seven after their two best batsmen of the match had only added 49 this time around. Kemar Roach struck several fours before he was lbw to Anderson for 14, although England had to review umpire Asad Rauf's original not out decision. Samuels, on 58, survived a sharp chance to Cook at short leg off the bowling of off-spinner Graeme Swann, who did dismiss Shane Shillingford for nought. But Swann then conceded 16 in an over to Samuels, who drove him for a four and a six in successive deliveries before, two balls later, lofting him for a huge straight six. Anderson wrapped up the innings when had No 11 Ravi Rampaul caught in the slips by Bresnan, with Samuels unbeaten after facing 160 balls with two sixes and nine fours.