England Wins VI ODI Series Against West Indies
England VI ODI cricket team brothers in arms (L-R back) Mark and Roy Turnham, Gavin and Matt Dean, Dave Powers and his brother Andy, using the npower urban cricket bat.
England Wins VI ODI Series Against West Indies
Andy Powers in action during the series.
The second match in the three-match series saw records tumble as England won the toss and posted a mammoth 474-2 in their 40 overs. Having scored 179 the previous day, an international record for a partially-sighted Englishman, Andy Powers shared a record opening partnership of 330 with Nathan Foy in 26 overs, with Foy out-hitting his wicket for 192 immediately before the second drinks break. His breathtaking 87-ball knock included just one boundary and some confident running by Powers and Foy’s runner, Dan Field.
Rather than being just a repetition of the previous day’s triumph, Powers deliberately hit the ball in new areas with a much larger percentage of his runs coming straighter or finer on the leg side rather than through mid wicket, although Foy pummelled the mid wicket region in between delicate cuts to fine leg.
The West Indian fielding was proficient; however, the targeting of new areas left them unable to stem the flow. Forte again bowled some testing deliveries and his figures of 8-0-81-1, including the wicket of Powers, stumped by Phillip in his last over, showed him to be the pick of the bowlers.
The West Indies made an aggressive start in their uphill task with Sheldon Phillip and Ricardo Manning adding 69 in 14 overs before Manning was run out by a spectacular direct throw from just inside the boundary by Redditch’s Luke Sugg.
Phillip departed at 88, stumped by Field, heralding a period when four wickets fell for ten runs in four overs. The collapse was started in Garbett’s fifth over when he dismissed Phillip and Cummins – the latter to the first of Matt Dean’s three catches. Garbett finished with impressive figures of 8-0-32-3 and then substitute, Dave Allen, ran out Yohan Alexander.
Despite spirited resistance from Kerwin Casimir and Mosi Andrews in an unbroken stand of 36 in 14 overs, West Indies only mustered 167 from their 40 overs.
Day three of the series was cancelled due to rain.
The squad is preparing for the Ashes series in Sydney, Australia in December, when they will be hoping to retain the trophy.
Kevin Rodgers from Worcester-based npower watched the match and later presented players from both teams with urban cricket kits to take back to their clubs and give to local children as part of the company’s aim to encourage more youngsters to get involved and enjoy cricket. He said: “The standard of play today was phenomenal. Both teams demonstrated the quality of play and level of enjoyment spectators can expect from a blind One Day International – I’d recommend cricket enthusiasts take advantage of opportunities to watch the international sides, it’s a great day’s cricket.”
