West Indies claimed their first series win over England in 11 years when they battled to a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the five-match series, to reclaim the Wisden Trophy.

“One of the most pleasing things was the maturity we saw,” said Butts, who played seven Tests for the Windies as an off-spinner between 1985 and 1988.

“The team looked better and better and more aware of the situations. The captain led by example and the experienced players were also brilliant. The newer players also played key roles and we also saw the bowlers coming on.”

West Indies won the first Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica emphatically, winning by an innings and 23 runs inside four days.

The second Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Ground was abandoned after 10 balls and West Indies then drew the remaining matches, including hanging on grimly for tense draws in the third Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground and in the final Test at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad & Tobago.

“I think the West Indies played very well in the Test series and deserved their success. The performance in the first Test was magnificent and set the tone for the series. You could see the players had self-belief and confidence,” Butts said.

“In some of the other matches the players found themselves in some tough situations but were about to work out of them. A year ago we probably would have lost a few of those Test matches, but this time around we saw the fight and determination coming out.”

Butts, a former Guyana captain, said the extended regional first class season had helped with the planning for the international series.

“We have players who showed that they want to play at the highest level,” Butts noted.

“Some (players) started badly but picked up as the season went on. There is a lot of cricket this year and there is a lot to look forward to.”