Windies score thrilling win

The loss ended Adam Hollioake’s eight-match unbeaten spell as England one-day captain. At 211 for three in the 39th over, the West Indies appeared to be cruising along before England fought back dramatically. Stuart Williams (68) and Carl Hopper (66) were both out on the same score.

Matthew Fleming struck the first blow, having Hooper caught at short mid-wicket. Then, in the next over, Fleming flew to his left in a similar position to grab a lifted drive by Williams off skipper Hollioake.

Suddenly the West Indies were 211 for five and when two more wickets fell in the very next over, bowled by Fleming. England were right in the game again.

Earlier England reached 266 all out off their 50 overs after being put in by West Indies captainBrian Lara. Nick Knight scored a superb 90 to spearhead the innings to a challenging total of 266 and his flamboyance was followed by some gutsy batting from Mark Ealham and the late order as England overcame a difficult start on a damp pitch.

Knight, who hit 122 in England’s victory in the opening international on Sunday, again provided the inspiration after an initial struggle against some fearsome fast bowling from Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

England had only reached 21 for one in the 10th over but Knight then exploded by hooking Walsh for six — and then began to assert himself as the early moisture in the pitch disappeared.

Ben Hollioake played an important role in the acceleration, as did Mark Ramprakash with 29 from 51 balls. Knight and Hollioake junior put out 50 in six overs, before Knight and Ramprakash added 59 in 14 overs.

But it was Ealham, with support from Dougie Brown and Matthew Fleming, who transformed England’s score from the moderate to above average.

When skipper AdamHollioake quickly followed Knight back into the pavilion, England were wobbling at 158 for six in the 37th over, but Ealham hit 45 from 37 balls to take the attack back to the West Indies.

SCOREBOARD

ENGLAND: N Knight lbw b Simmons 90, A Stewart c Lara b Walsh 3, B Hollioake c & b Rose 16, G Hick b Lewis 0, M Ramprakash c Ambrose b Lewis 29, A Hollioake run out 11, M Ealham c Ambrose b Simmons 45, D Brown b Simmons 21, M Fleming c Williams b Ambrose 28, R Croft not out 11, D Headley b Ambrose 0. Extras (lb 2, w 9, nb 1): 12.

Total (all out, 50 overs): 266

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-71, 3-72, 4-131, 5-154, 6-158, 7-206, 8-238, 9-257.

Bowling: Ambrose 10-0-44-2, Walsh 10-1-51-1, Rose 8-0-50-1, Lewis 10-0-40-2, Simmons 8-0-46-3, Hooper 4-0-33-0.

West Indies: C Lambert run out 25, P Wallace c A Hollioake b Brown 22, B Lara c Ramprakash b Headley 24, S Williams c Fleming b Hollioake 68, C Hooper c Croft b Fleming 66, P Simmons lbw Fleming, R jacobs not out1; Extras: (b3, w1, n2). Total (for five wkts, 49.5 overs) 267

Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-54, 3-79, 4-211, 5-211, 6-221, 7-226, 8-236, 9-265.

Bowling: Brown 8-1-36-1, Headley 7-0-68-1, Croft 10-0-46-0, Ealham 8-0-29-0, Fleming 9-0-41-3, Hollioake 7.5-0-43-2