Dominant England crush Windies
Matt Prior hit his highest ever one-day score
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Tuesday, 26, May 2009 09:51
England have wrapped up a 2-0 one-day series win over the West Indies with a comprehensive 58-run win at Edgbaston today.
A superb batting display helped England to a daunting total of 328-7. Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara opened with an 81-run partnership, but it was a 149-run stand from Matt Prior (87) and Owais Shah (75) which was the cornerstone of the innings.
The West Indies were never in the run chase and despite a strong innings of 68 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they fell well short of the victory target as they were bowled out for 270.
Earlier in the day, West Indies captain Chris Gayle won the toss and surprisingly decided to bowl first on a flat track.
England started in rampant fashion with Bopara in particular looking very good. The Essex batsman struck a number of beautiful fours on the offside. The Windies needed to desperately getting a break and they got that when Bopara dragged-on off Dwayne Bravo and was out for 49.
A quick piece of wicket-keeping from Denesh Ramdin led to the wicket of Strauss. The England captain was on 52 when he was stumped by Ramdin off the bowling of Suliemen Benn.
England were now on 129-2 and a couple of quick wickets would have put them in real trouble, but Prior and Shah played exceptionally to get their side up to 278. A late quickfire 23 from Paul Collingwood helped England over the 300 mark.
Gayle started the West Indies run chase by striking a couple of boundaries, but was then caught at mid-on by Bopara off the bowling of Stuart Broad and the visitors had lost their key weapon.
The West Indies lost Ramnaresh Sarwan for just 9 when he was brilliantly caught by Strauss to give James Anderson his first wicket.
Chanderpaul and Ramdin (45) gave the glimmer of hope, but when they were removed by Broad and Anderson respectively, the West Indies were all but beaten. The West Indies' miserable tour was summed up as they had three men run-out and as England claimed an impressive win.