England humble WI at Headingley

LEEDS: England powered to their first victory of the NatWest Series yesterday at Headingley with a seven wicket win over the West Indies on the back of incisive fast bowling from Steve Harmison and James Anderson and a Marcus Trescothick half century. Harmison and Anderson each took three wickets as the hosts swept aside the West Indies for 159 off 40.1 overs. Ramnaresh Sarwan top-scored with 46. Left-hander Trescothick then charted the victory course with a power-packed 55 off 46 balls as England romped to victory with 28 overs to spare. Left-hander Andrew Strauss (44 not out) and the returning Andrew Flintoff (21 not out) completed the job with an undefeated stand of 40 off 30 deliveries. Earlier, Harmison and Anderson starred as the visitors faltered after being sent in. Harmison led the way with three for 31 off ten overs, bettering his three-wicket haul at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday as his personal best.

Anderson claimed the prize wicket of Brian Lara on his way to three for 37 off eight overs. Harmison granted England a rousing start with the wicket of Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his first over. The left-hander nibbled a catch off the outside edge to Geraint Jones, one of four catches for the Kent gloveman. Jones and Harmison also combined to remove Dwayne Smith cheaply and the run out of Chris Gayle next ball put England in control at 29 for three. Michael Vaughan’s swift pickup and direct hit left Gayle a yard short after Sarwan had pushed his first delivery into the covers. The Jamaican left-hander smacked five fours in 23 off 29 balls before he was cut short. Anderson ensured the advantage was not lost as he mowed down the middle order starting with West Indies captain Lara. The star left-hander made just six before he dragged back onto his stumps as he tried to drive through the off side.

Dwayne Bravo and Ridley Jacobs also fell cheaply to Anderson as the West Indies slumped to 72 for six. Bravo nicked for another Jones catch while Jacobs lost his off stump as he deflected off the inside edge. Sarwan and Ricardo Powell (36) then gave the innings some substance in a crucial seventh wicket stand of 63. They responded positively to the crisis and their flourishing stand was only broken by a stunning overhead catch by Paul Collingwood at backward point. The Durham man leapt high to pluck a rasping square cut in his right hand to the disbelief of Sarwan and the delight of a sellout crowd of 15,000. The West Indies vice captain passed 2,000 runs in his 65th match on his way to 46 off 78 deliveries. Sarwan struck four fours. Powell fell two runs later in Harmison’s final over as he was bowled off the inside edge. The Jamaican lashed four fours and one six off 37 balls. The West Indies and England now both have nine points and trail New Zealand (12) in the three-team tournament. (AP)

Scoreboard
ENGLAND vs WEST INDIES
West Indies inns:
C Gayle run out 23
S Chanderpaul c Jones b Harmison 3
D Smith c Jones b Harmison 2
R Sarwan c Collingwood b Trescothick 46
B Lara b Anderson 6
D Bravo c Jones b Anderson 5
R Jacobs b Anderson 2
R Powell b Harmison 36
I Bradshaw c Jones b McGrath 12
R Rampaul c Anderson b Gough 10
J Lawson not out 0
EXTRAS (LB4, W9, NB1) 14
Total (40.1 overs) 159
Fall of wickets: 9; 29; 29; 40; 62; 72; 135; 137; 159; 159.
BOWLING: Gough 8.1-2-23-1; Harmison 10-2-31-3 (NB1, W2); Anderson 8-1-37-3; McGrath 10-1-36-1 (W2); Trescothick 4-0-28-1 (W1)
England inns:
M Trescothick run out (Bradshaw) 55
M Vaughan c Gayle b Bravo 14
R Key b Bravo 6
A Strauss not out 44
A Flintoff not out 21
EXTRAS (LB8, W4, NB8) 20
Total for three wickets (22 overs) 160
Did not bat: P Collingwood, G Jones, A McGrath, D Gough, S Harmison, J Anderson.
Fall of wickets: 55; 64; 120.
BOWLING: Bradshaw 6-0-29-0 (W1); Lawson 7-0-50-0 (NB4, W1); Bravo 4-0-29-2 (W2); Rampaul 3-0-28-0 (NB4); Smith 2-0-16-0.
Points: ENGLAND 6, WEST INDIES 0.