England trounce Windies

Strauss men score 58-run win to clinch series 2-0

 
Coming after their Test series win over the Windies it was the perfect fillip for the forthcoming World Twenty20 and Ashes series, though England will have to work much harder for success in those competitions.

The home side piled up 328 for seven after being put in, their third-highest total in a 50-over match and the highest against the West Indies, who again looked short on motivation and application.

An 81-run opening stand set England on their way with Ravi Bopara hitting a sharp 49 and captain Andrew Strauss 52.

Wicket-keeper Matt Prior, elevated to number three in place of the injured Kevin Pietersen, grabbed the opportunity with a flashing 87 off 86 balls and he put on 149 with Owais Shah (75).

Both men started steadily but grew in confidence as they scored 55 from five powerplay overs to put England in control.

Wickets fell more quickly after their dismissal but Paul Collingwood's 23 from 14 balls helped complete a daunting score.

It was soon to look even better as West Indies captain Chris Gayle and key batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan fell early and Runako Morton was run out.

Dwayne Bravo had a brief flurry but was lbw to Tim Bresnan for 26, leaving Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin to plod on as the required run rate spiralling into double figures.

Chanderpaul eventually fell for 68, holing out when he finally tried to accelerate in the power play, and Ramdin was caught behind for 45.

Two chaotic runouts accounted for Kieron Pollard and Jerome Taylor and, after another late burst of hitting that  merely showed up their earlier go-slow tactics, James Anderson finished things off by bowling Sulieman Benn for 31 in the final over. It was the seamer's third wicket as the tourists succumbed for 270.

SCORE BOARD

ENGLAND

Strauss st Ramdin b Benn5    2
Bopara b Bravo    49
Prior b Taylor    87
Shah c Morton b Taylor    75
Mascarenhas c & b Pollard    0
Collingwood b Taylor    23
Morgan (not out)    6
Bresnan c Rampaul b Pollard    9
Broad (not out)    6

Extras (B-2, LB-7, W-10, NB-2)    21     

Total (for 7 wkts, 50 overs)    328

Fall of wickets: 1-81, 2-129, 3-278, 4-279, 5-289, 6-308, 7-317.

Bowling: Taylor 10-1-59-3, Rampaul 4-0-29-0, Edwards 6-0-43-0, Bravo 6-0-43-1, Benn 10-0-51-1, Gayle 5-0-31-0, Pollard 9-0-63-2.

WEST INDIES

Gayle c Bopara b Broad    11
Morton (run out)    21
Sarwan c Strauss b Anderson    9
Chanderpaul c Bopara b Broad    68
Bravo lbw b Bresnan    26
Ramdin c Prior b Anderson    45
Pollard (run out)    12
Taylor (run out)    18
Benn b Anderson    31
Rampaul b Swann    16
Edwards (not out)    4

Extras (B-2, LB-2, W-5)    9     

Total (all out, 49.4 overs)    270

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-22, 3-66, 4-99, 5-181, 6-189, 7-212, 8-223, 9-254.

Bowling: Stuart Broad 10-0-63-2, James Anderson 9.4-0-58-3, Dmitri Mascarenhas 7-0-43-0, Bresnan 10-0-36-1, Swann 8-0-38-1, Collingwood 5-0-28-0.