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England bid to avoid their ninth Test series whitewash

England bid to avoid their ninth Test series whitewash
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Joe Root's side are 2-0 down in their series against West Indies.

England go into the third Test against a resurgent West Indies looking to avert a 3-0 clean sweep in St Lucia.

They have only been on the wrong end of a clean sweep eight times in their history, in series involving three matches or more, with three of those coming in the 21st century.

Here, Press Association Sport looks back at the most recent whitewashes against England.

2013/14 – Australia 5 England 0

Australia whitewashed England in 2013/14
Australia whitewashed England in 2013/14 (Anthony Devlin/PA)

The end of the road for the most successful England side in recent memory, who were ruthlessly shredded in grim revenge for their memorable success in 2010/11 series Down Under. Inspired by a career-best series from paceman Mitchell Johnson, Australia took no prisoners on a tour that came with a heavy price. It was the last time the brilliant but divisive Kevin Pietersen would be seen wearing the Three Lions, the conclusion of Andy Flower's time as team director, Graeme Swann retired mid-series and Jonathan Trott's anxiety issues flared up publicly for the first time.

2011/12 Pakistan 3 England 0

Jonathan Trott was England's highest run-scorer in the UAE, averaging just 26.83
Jonathan Trott was England's highest run-scorer in the UAE, averaging just 26.83 (Anthony Devlin/PA)

England arrived in the United Arab Emirates as the number one team in the world, the apex of Andrew Strauss' achievements as captain. But they proved unable to tailor their tactics or their talent to their opponent's adopted home in the desert. England's misjudgements were apparent when they started the series with just one spinner, an error exposed by the fact Saeed Ajmal and Abdur Rehman ended the campaign with a combined 34 wickets. The failures in batting hit a low when they were bowled out for 72 chasing 145 in Abu Dhabi, and not a single batsman averaged 30.

2006/07 – Australia 5 England 0

Andrew Flintoff was England captain during their 2006/07 whitewash in Australia
Andrew Flintoff was England captain during their 2006/07 whitewash in Australia (Gareth Copley/PA)

The first 5-0 scoreline in the Ashes since 1921 and a crushing blow for those who had hoped for a sequel to the unforgettable scenes 18 months earlier, when England regained the urn for the first time in 18 years. With captain Michael Vaughan unfit, Andrew Flintoff stepped up to lead the side into what became a massacre. Steve Harmison's opening ball of the series, a huge wide to first slip, is still remembered for setting the tone but this was an Australia side loaded with wounded greats hell-bent on setting the record straight. Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer and Damien Martyn all retired after doing so in style.

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Joe Denly during an England nets session on January 29, 2019
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