West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was again a gigantic roadblock that England could not dislodge, and the second Test ended in a draw on Sunday here.
England declared in enough time to give themselves 65 overs to bowl out West Indies a second time, but they could claim five wickets, including three to left-arm spinner Jack Leach.
But a singing Barmy Army in typically good voice could not quite inspire the visitors across the finish line, and the West Indies finished on 135 for five in a match best remembered for the remarkable batting of Brathwaite.
After occupying the crease for almost 12 hours to score 160 from 489 balls in the first innings, he was unconquered on 56, having spent all but about one hour off the field over the five days of the match.
A victory target of 282 was never a realistic possibility for the hosts in a contest that followed a remarkably similar trajectory to the first Test in Antigua that also ended in a draw.
England declared setting West Indies a winning target of 286 from 71 overs in that contest, which was ultimately drawn, though not before the Windies lost four early wickets, and needed Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder to hold out for the remaining 36 overs.
Holder could not repeat the feat this time, and he was caught off Leach for a 24-ball duck in the 45th over and the visitors strongly fancied their chances.
Wicketkeeper Joshua da Silva, whose batting average is a respectable 26, proved a good foil for Brathwaite and was not out on 30, as Leach and part-time off-spinner Dan Lawrence could not make another breakthrough.
Leach finished with 3-36 from 25 overs, while Test newcomer Saqib Mahmood got the other two wickets, making it four for the match.
Earlier, England dodged a couple stoppages for rain that amount to about 45 minutes before they declared their second innings at 185 for six at lunch.
The third and final Test of the series starts on Thursday in Grenada.
(Reuters)
