Smith, Sarwan blitz sinks England

CASTRIES: Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Smith blasted the West Indies to a sensational five-wicket victory over England with an orgy of sixes in the fifth one-day cricket international at Beausejour Stadium yesterday. The rain-affected seven-match series is level at 1-1 with two to play. The home team chased down a victory target of 282 in 48 overs as the right-handed duo left a capacity crowd of 12,000 jumping in the stands. England’s total of 281 for eight wickets off 50 overs was based around Marcus Trescothick’s 130 off 138 balls. Andrew Flintoff contributed 59 off 69 deliveries.
 
But the West Indies got solid performances right through their innings and Sarwan and Smith iced the victory in a frantic finale. Sarwan was the backbone with an undefeated 73 off 77 deliveries. Smith lashed four sixes and two fours in a sizzling 44 off 28 balls. The pair added 80 off 52 balls at a crucial stage as the sound system in the ground became louder with every big hit. The West Indies were 221 for four after 43 overs with 61 runs still needed off 42 balls. Within the space of three overs, the match was as good as over as Sarwan and Smith blasted Ian Blackwell, James Anderson and Steve Harmison all around the picturesque arena. Sarwan started the fireworks with two leg-side sixes off Blackwell in a 44th over that cost 17.

Smith was even more explosive as Anderson was spanked for 14 runs in the 45th. The 21-year-old then took apart Harmison with two bigger sixes over the leg side as the lanky pacer conceded 17 in the 46th. That runs frenzy left the West Indies with just 13 to get off the last four overs. Flintoff briefly lifted England’s hopes by bowling Smith at 271-5. But Dwayne Bravo, on debut, provided the finishing touches with a six off Darren Gough to seal the win. Earlier, Chris Gayle (36) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (40) set the West Indies innings off on a firm footing with an opening stand of 62 in 12 overs. But when both openers were dismissed and Ricardo Powell fell for 29, the home team slumped to 115 for three. Captain Brian Lara and his deputy Sarwan rebuilt the run chase in a stand of 76 for the fourth wicket. Lara contributed 37 off 41 balls with three fours. But when Harmison claimed the skipper to a wicketkeeper’s catch at 191 for four after 38 overs, England appeared to hold the advantage. But Sarwan and Smith had other ideas.

England’s innings was based around Trescothick’s seventh one-day century in his 87th match. The left-handed opener spanked 13 fours and two sixes as the tourists, sent in, built a  formidable target off 50 overs. Flintoff provided levelheaded support as he and Trescothick added 110 for the fourth wicket. Ian Bradshaw, on debut, took two for 58 off 10 overs with his left-arm medium pace. Fellow seamer Bravo claimed 2-57 off  eight. But Mervyn Dillon (1-47 off 10) and Chris Gayle (one for 33 off nine) were the pick of the home team’s bowlers. Trescothick and captain Michael Vaughan gave England a purposeful start with a stand of 43 in the first nine overs. Trescothick then took control and blasted the bowlers all around the lightning-fast outfield. The Somerset man brought up his half century off 44 deliveries as he dominated a second-wicket stand of 71 off 51 balls with Andrew Strauss.

Strauss had scored just 10 in that association when Dillon hit his off stump. When Paul Collingwood nicked Ravi Rampaul to the wicketkeeper, England was at the crossroads at 124 for three in the 20th over. But Trescothick and Flintoff calmly asserted their authority in their century stand. The West Indies struck at a crucial time to dismiss Flintoff, one of two wickets for Bravo in the 43rd over. Trescothick’s marathon effort, his best international score on the West Indies tour, was eventually ended by a direct hit from Shivnarine Chanderpaul at backward point. Chris Read, England’s match-winner in the opening match, crisply compiled 24 off 25 balls toward the end to boost the tourists again. But the home team would have been happy to concede just 66 runs from the last 10 overs when England seemed set for a score of over 300.