The Hindu : Sport : West Indies draws level with a big win scoreboard

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Friday, Jul 06, 2007
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Sport

West Indies draws level with a big win scoreboard

Ted Corbett

BIRMINGHAM: So far in summer 2007 there has been no skill in making forecasts. Rain, England beats the West Indies by a distance, more rain, Shivnarine Chanderpaul bats forever, England still wins; what is to prophesy?

The Shiv was at it again on Wednesday with an undefeated 116, his seventh ODI century as West Indies made 278 for five.

This time England never got to grips with the chase in rain and bad light. West Indies won by 61 runs making the third match at Trent Bridge on Saturday the decider. Ravi Rampaul claimed four for 41 for the tourist.

Chanderpaul was promoted to No.3, noted how England had gone about winning the first one-day international and set himself to guide West Indies through the second match so that it put together a total that made life difficult, and maybe impossible for an England side that seemed strangely diffident after its comprehensive win at Lord’s.

When England replied Matt Prior might have been run out in the second over and Alastair Cook was caught after an adventurous 23 balls for 19 out of 23.

At 30 Ian Bell was adjudged lbw and left the field complaining. No wonder.

This time there was no question about the replays; they showed the ball heading over the stumps. Pietersen began badly but appeared to have recovered when he was bowled by Rampaul.

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