Strauss still wants more

Andrew Strauss saw room for improvement despite England beating West Indies in the second Test at West Indies to wrap up the series.

After Tim Bresnan and James Anderson took four wickets apiece to help dismiss the Windies for 165 in their second-innings, the hosts were left chasing a target of 108 for victory.

Captain Strauss (45) and Alastair Cook (43 not out) sealed a result that was all-but assured by Sunday night's bowling exploits.

Yet Strauss, perhaps alluding to when Marlon Samuels and Darren Sammy both scored centuries after West Indies had been reduced to 133 for six on day one, believes his team can perform better.

"You always like to be a bit more clinical than you have been," Strauss told Sky Sports 1. "We've had match-winning positions where we could have really finished the games earlier than we have.

"But being made to work hard, it makes it feel pretty good when you actually get over the line.

"We had that great session last night that put us in a very strong position to win today but we still had to go out and work hard to take those final wickets and knock off the runs."

Bresnan took three wickets for just 10 runs as the Windies slipped to 61 for six last night although Marlon Samuels' unbeaten 76 ensured England did not have things all their own way.

"We're obviously delighted to get over the line but again it was quite hard work in this Test match," said Strauss.

"We'd gotten ourselves in position where we felt where we could really take this game by the scruff of the neck but all credit to the West Indies, they came back at us there.

"We're just delighted to have won it, it's been a hot, hard four days, there's been some good performances from the lads and it's a well-earned victory."

With an unassailable lead guaranteed, England have the luxury of opting to rest some of their star bowlers, with series against Australia and South Africa to come later this summer.

Strauss added: "I think we're going to have to take stock over the next couple of days, see how the bowlers are feeling and then make a decision on what the best side for that third Test is.

"It's always an ongoing thing, trying to work out how much to play our bowlers, how much to play our players and we'll deal with that in the coming days."

Bresnan was named man of the match after his spell last night turned the game in England's favour.

After James Anderson had dismissed Kieran Powell and Adrian Barath and Stuart Broad had taken the wicket of star man Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Yorkshireman Bresnan took three more scalps to leave the Windies reeling.

"To get them six down was a phenomenal effort by all the seamers and it probably took the game away from West Indies," Bresnan said on Sky Sports 1.

"We backed up well and finished it off this morning."

The 27-year-old took eight wickets in the match to add to his 39 not out in England's first innings - and highlight his credentials as a genuine all-rounder.

Bresnan also took his first Test five-wicket haul and struck 90 in his only other five-day match in Nottingham - last year against India.

"I've enjoyed the two Tests I've played here immensely," he added. "The first one against India was where I felt I could play Test cricket as an all-rounder and I've enjoyed this Test match as well.

"You've always got that confidence boost in the back of your mind or when you're thinking 'I've got a five-for here, I can do it again', and I've got runs here as well."

West Indies captain Darren Sammy was left to bemoan his side's lack of concentration.

England looked poised to claim a large first-innings lead at the end of day two, on 259 for two on a largely unresponsive track, but the Windies' bowlers ensured the advantage was just 58 runs by the time the tourists came out to bat for a second time.

Yet, not for the first time in this series, their top order failed to fire and handed the initiative right back to England.

Although Marlon Samuels added to his first-innings 117 with an unbeaten 76, it was not enough as the West Indies crashed to a heavy defeat - much to the chagrin of Sammy.

"I think we just have to be more focused, continue working hard and put a higher price on our wickets," he said.

"We did really well to put ourselves back in the game because on the end of the second day England were looking at a 200 lead but the bowlers fought back .

"We as a batting group have to really appreciate what the bowlers go out and do because we work really hard for the wickets we get against England and when it's our turn to bat we don't really put a high price on our wickets."

Sammy, who scored his first Test century in his side's first innings, acknowledged a lack of focus at crucial times in the game is a common problem and has not ruled out making changes for the third Test.

"It has been affecting us for the last year but still we managed to keep ourselves in the game," he added.

"We really have to consider how we go about playing the cricket, we've been playing for a while now and we're not ready so something has to be done."

England's fast bowling coach David Saker was quick to pay tribute to Bresnan's all-round performance after England wrapped up their seventh home series victory in a row.

Bresnan had been under pressure coming into the match, having registered a duck and taken match figures of one for 144 in the first Test at Lord's.

Yet he answered his critics in fine style at Trent Bridge, and a beaming Saker said: "I've always been really impressed by him.

"I'm really happy for him that he came out and got some wickets in the first innings and then came out and did what he did last night.

"Really happy for him and he contributed with the bat as well.

"He's a great person for our group, he's a likeable sort of lad and you know what you're going to get when you pick him."