England v West Indies - http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 World Twenty20 2012 (14th match - Group 1) – Match Recap – Windies down England by 15 runs
Getting their Super Eights stage of the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 2012 off to a hard-hitting start, surprise but stellar performances from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, at
the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on September 27.
Both teams came into the match looking shaky, but the West Indies (who made it to the Super Eights without having won a single group stage match) appeared the weaker team in comparison to England (who downed http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Afghanistan-c745 by 116 runs, only to concede a massive
90-run defeat at the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750).
Nevertheless, the recent victory saw the West Indies winning their third consecutive World T20 match against England (having previously defeated them in the 2010 and 2009 editions of the tournament as well) – a triumph which is likely to prove a major confidence
booster for the Windies.
The team’s intent was visible from the start – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221 and Johnson Charles set-up a record opening stand at the top of the order which enabled their side to post a solid total of 179, setting England their highest T20I chase yet. The Windies then followed
it up with an intense bowling attack which saw them cutting the Poms 15 runs short – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Rampaul-c2233 launched an early assault, after which the spinners stifled the remainder of the batting order.
The match started off with the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 winning the toss and elected to bat first, with Gayle and Charles opening for their side. Gayle was in form, as usual, and blasted 58 off 35, including 4 sixes and 6 fours, but Player of the Match Charles proved
to be the surprise package of the day.
Initially getting off to a slow start, the young right-hander appeared to grow more confident alongside his more experienced opening partner, and finished by registering the highest score of his career in any format (84 of 56, including 3 sixes and 10 fours),
in addition to teaming up with Gayle for the first T20I century stand for the West Indies against England – a 103-run partnership.
Charles was dropped by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/GP-Swann-c1501 (3-0-32-1) on 39, but the next delivery resulted in Gayle being caught out by Finn off Swann in the 11th over, granting the Poms their first wicket of the day.
None of the remaining batsman managed to contribute much, but Charles kept the innings moving steadily forward. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SCJ-Broad-c2465 (4-1-26-2), while the latter
was taken care of by Finn (4-0-26-1). However, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DJ-Bravo-c1379 chipped in with an unbeaten 11 off 8, in addition to partnering with Charles for a 26-run stand for the fourth wicket.
The partnership came to an end with the dismissal of Charles in the 18th over – finally dislodged by Jade Dernbach (4-0-38-1) – but by this point, the Windies’ total had swelled to a substantial 154. Skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DJG-Sammy-c1382 fell on 4 at the hands
of Broad, but the combined efforts of Bravo and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andre-Dwayne-Russell-c44235 (10*) enabled the team to post a final total of 179 by the end of 20 overs.
Fired up by their stellar batting display, the Windies carried the same momentum into their bowling performance, cutting England off at 164 to claim their first victory of the tournament, while England suffered their second consecutive defeat.
Contrary to what might have been expected, given England’s struggles with spin in their previous match against India, it was pacer Ravi Rampaul (4-1-37-2) who dealt the Poms the first few blows. He set the tone for the innings by claiming two quick wickets
in the very first over – opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LJ-Wright-c1841 followed on the very next ball, also sent packing on duck.
Reeling under the aftermath of the sudden assault, England attempted to rally themselves, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Hales-c985 (68) and Jonny Bairstow (18) setting up a 55-run partnership for the 3rd wicket, in a bid to get the team back on track. However, Bairstow
further proved the susceptibility to spin which he had revealed against India, and made a quick exit at the hands of Gayle (4-0-27-1) in the 10th over.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sunil-Philip-Narine-c91869 (4-0-33-0), and Gayle drawing the noose tighter
around the Poms, the efforts of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morgan-c77707 and Hales proved a classic case of too little, too late, and by the penultimate over, England still required 39.
Morgan took two sixes off Rampaul in the second last over, but by the final over, England still needed 23. Although Morgan hit Samuels (3-0-32-1) for a four off the first delivery, the fourth ball of the over saw Hales stumped by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/D-Ramdin-c1299, and England
were eventually cut off at 164.
The 15-run win sees the Windies’ chances improving by a considerable degree, and the pressure on the team is bound to ease, with a win under their belts. However, England’s defeat puts a question mark over their ability to successfully defend their title,
which now hangs by a thread.
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