England vs http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 – One-off T20 – Hales blitz leaves Windies’ winless
A master class innings from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Alex-Hales-c985 ensured that the touring West Indies went home empty handed after England secured a record-chasing win in the One-off T20, played at Trent Bridge, Nottingham on June 24, 2012.
Widely renowned as T20 pace setters, the Windies were in a shout to claim their first victory of the tour after a timely acceleration from the Dwayne duo, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KA-Pollard-c1754, had helped them to post 172 on the board.
With a record chase on the cards, the English contingent hardly disappointed with local boy Hales, and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RS-Bopara-c2373 guiding their side to victory with a record-best stand of 159 for the second-wicket.
With the third ODI between the two sides washed out due to rain, the one-off game delivered another indication of the effectiveness of T20 with crowd, rather than rain, pouring in.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ST-Finn-c2566 striking in his second over of the day to get rid of
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221, who managed 2.
A short-ball ploy worked well, with the dangerous left-hander being holed out at deep fine leg by Jonny Bairstow. Broad, coming in as first-change, then got rid of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/LMP-Simmons-c1843, aided by another superb outfield catch by Bairstow, who ran in from deep and
dived full length.
The Powerplay overs produced just 29 and the next one, bowled by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marlon-Nathaniel-Samuels-c74804 nicking behind the stumps.
The innings now belonged to three IPL specialists, Smith (70), Bravo ( 54) and Pollard ( 23*). The former two first rescued the innings and upon gaining momentum, unleashed into the slow bowlers, along with Dernbach.
The trio collected a whooping 107 from the final eight overs and in total slammed 10 sixes. Smith’s stay was ended by Finn but Bravo kept things flowing by posting an aggressive half-century off 36 balls.
England’s reply hit an early blow when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Peter-Hewitt-c66001 in the ODI format, England management had little trouble
in finding KP’s replacement in the shortest format as Hales took centre stage.
The opener smashed four sixes and six fours to answers his team’s need with a bludgeoning 99, partnered by Bopara, who himself illustrated his credentials as a regular member with a composed 59.
Both men played with determination, picking up anything - ones, twos, fours, sixes - to keep the score rate under check and in process, also managed to upset the balance of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013’s T20 stats. Hales became the side’s highest run-getter of the side in this
format, beating Eoin Morgan’s 85, while Bopara also notched up a career best 59.
Both fell in successive overs, the penultimate and the final, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morgan-c77707 hit the winning runs to see his side home with two balls to spare.
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