CRICKET:ENGLAND COMPLETED a clean sweep over West Indies to wrap up the first part of their hectic summer before turning their attention to bigger challenges. With the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and a home Ashes series to come, the early Test and one-day series against West Indies was never at the top of England's priorities.
But they managed to gain as much out of these early matches as possible, claiming a whitewash in the two-Test series before wrapping up their one-day series triumph in emphatic fashion yeserday with a 58-run victory in the final one-day international at Edgbaston.
Demoralised and disjointed just a few months ago following the shock double exit of coach Peter Moores and captain Kevin Pietersen, England have regrouped impressively to deliver their most dominant display of the summer.
Put into bat on a slow wicket, England produced a superb batting display to record their third highest total in a 50-over international of 328 for seven, their highest against West Indies.
It was a target way beyond the capabilities of a West Indies side who have shown little appetite for the battle ever since they arrived on English soil five weeks ago, and they subsided to 270 all out in reply.
England’s total, their highest since scoring 340 for six in the tied match against New Zealand in Napier last year, relied on a solid opening partnership and a superb, 149-run third-wicket stand between Matt Prior and Owais Shah.
Making his final England appearance until the start of the Ashes in Cardiff in July after being overlooked for the World Twenty20, Prior seemed determined to make a point to England’s selectors.
Adapting quickly to the number-three role he has been given in the absence of Pietersen, who is resting an Achilles’ injury, Prior hit a superb 87 off 86 balls to record his highest one-day international score.
Facing a major target, West Indies’ hopes depended on captain Gayle playing another of his destructive innings but once again England undermined their reply from the start with early wickets.
Gayle’s innings was brought to an abrupt halt after two boundaries when he attempted to pull a full-length delivery from Stuart Broad which looped to mid-on.
Ramnaresh Sarwan followed in the next over when he was brilliantly caught one-handed by Strauss at cover off James Anderson.
Without two of their most experienced batsmen, the responsibility of guiding West Indies into a position where they could chase the huge target once again fell to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
While Chanderpaul carefully attempted to build partnerships, his team-mates were contriving to get themselves out at the other end with Runako Mortano capping another desperate display by being run out after leisurely attempting to regain his ground having being turned back going for a second run.
Chanderpaul fell four balls into the batting powerplay when he drove Broad to mid-wicket for a determined 68 and they subsided gently after that, their dismal display being highlighted when Kieron Pollard was run out off a wide by wicketkeeper Prior.
Edgbaston Scoreboard
West Indies Won Toss
England Innings
A Strauss st Ramdin b Benn 52
R Bopara b Bravo 49
M Prior b Taylor 87
O Shah c Morton b Taylor 75
A Mascarenhas c b Pollard 0
P Collingwood b Taylor 23
E Morgan not out 6
T Bresnan c Rampaul b Pollard 9
S Broad not out 6
Extras(b2 lb7 w10 nb2) 21
Total(7 wkts, 50 overs) 328
Fall of wickets:1-81, 2-129, 3-278, 4-279, 5-289, 6-308, 7-317.
Did not bat:G Swann, J Anderson.
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 Innings
C Gayle c Bopara b Broad 11
R Morton run out 21
R Sarwan c Strauss b Anderson 9
S Chanderpaul c Bopara b Broad 68
D Bravo lbw b Bresnan 26
D Ramdin c Prior b Anderson 45
K Pollard run out 12
J Taylor run out 18
S Benn b Anderson 31
R Rampaul b Swann 16
F Edwards not out 4
Extras (b2 lb2 w5) 9
Total(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:Broad 10-0-63-2, Anderson 9.4-0-58-3, Mascarenhas 7-0-43-0, Bresnan 10-0-36-1, Swann 8-0-38-1, Collingwood 5-0-28-0.
England beat West Indies by 58 runs.
