Windies v Poms - 5th. ODI

[Donny]

Sarwan and Smith provide the final flourish

The Wisden Bulletin by Freddie Auld

May 1, 2004


Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Smith marched West Indies to a dramatic and, at one stage, unlikely five-wicket victory against England in the fifth one-dayer in St Lucia. After Marcus Trescothick lifted England to 281 for 8 with an impressive130, Sarwan and Smith produced a late onslaught of powerful hitting to blast West Indies home with two overs to spare.

After all the rain about in the Caribbean, and speculation that these two back to back games were going to be wiped out as well, play started on time. A packed Beausejour Stadium were then treated to an exhilarating array of strokeplay by Smith, in particular, as West Indies levelled the series 1-1, and got their revenge for Chris Read's late flourish in Guyana.

After Brian Lara's departed for 37, and at the end of the 41st over, West Indies looked out of it, pure and simple. They still needed 83 runs to win at above nine an over. However, as England proved in the first game, you can't take anything for granted. Indeed, in the following over, Stephen Harmison leaked 12 runs, and Sarwan and Smith then didn't look back.

Needing another 71 runs from 48 balls, the pair decided to do it in stylish sixes. They added 80 in triple-quick time and blasted the game away from England. Sarwan hoiked Ian Blackwell for two maximums in the 44th over, Smith then smashed James Anderson for two more in the next one, and Harmison disappeared for two handsome hits over the midwicket fence. What it all meant was that West Indies had snatched a heart-racing victory.

Andrew Flintoff, who was struggling with an injury towards the end, did bowl Smith, but by that stage it was too late. His cameo 44 from 28 balls ambushed England's bowlers and their best laid plans. By the end, they were at sixes and sevens, and cut resigned figures when Dwayne Bravo smacked Darren Gough for yet another six for the winning runs.

It was a cruel blow for Michael Vaughan and his men, who had the game under control after Lara's departure, and especially for Trescothick, who once again was on the losing side after scoring a century. However, he at least put a miserable tour with the bat behind him with a sparkling innings. He flew out of the blocks, belting boundaries all over the place, 13 fours and two sixes in all, before adding a handy partnership of 110 with Flintoff to give England a competitive score.

Everybody knows he hasn't had the best of tours, but, today he was in superb form from the off, taking advantage of the slow track and fast outfield. Preferring the aerial route, he hammered all the bowlers to all parts of the ground with a mixture of shots for the purists, and for the punters.

He had good company in Flintoff, who initially played carefully, putting away the big hits in favour of ones and twos, and helped see Trescothick to his seventh one-day ton from 96 balls. The pair built the platform of the innings with quick running and quick thinking. Flintoff signalled his half-century from 62 balls by hitting Ricardo Powell back over his head, but just when he was about to launch the onslaught, he was caught at the second attempt by Merv Dillon on the long-on boundary (234 for 4).

It was an important wicket for West Indies as the England tail failed to take full advantage of Trescothick's and Flintoff's partnership, adding only 33 more runs from the final five overs. In any case, it promised to be an exciting run chase, and that's exactly what happened.

After a slow start, Chris Gayle showed glimpses of getting back to somewhere near his best. He spanked the expensive Harmison for three emphatic boundaries, and then gave Gough the treatment, hitting him for two fours before launching him way into the stands. However, Paul Collingwood lifted England's spirits with a breathtaking catch at backward point.

Gayle cut Anderson and Collingwood leapt fully to his left to take the ball with both hands, and with both feet in the air (62 for 1). His team-mates recognised what a marvellous moment it was, mobbing him in celebration, but careful not to touch his nose.


Powell made a positive start before Anderson sneaked one through his flat-footed defence for 30 (102 for 2). Shivnarine Chanderpaul was his usual sensible self, mixing watchful defence with two boundaries from Harmison, who went for 35 from his first five overs. However, Chanderpaul then cut Blackwell into Read's gloves, and the ball popped up in the air before Read dived fully infront of him to scoop the catch (115 for 3).

Those two quick wickets then slowed the game right down. Sarwan and Lara were content to bide their time and ease the singles. It was a key partnership for West Indies, and Lara just started to show some ominous signs with some delicate late and square cuts. But, in the end, that shot proved to be his downfall when he nicked Harmison through to Read for 37 (191 for 4). That was supposed to be England's big moment. It closed a promising stand of 71 with Sarwan, and they were well on top. But Smith had other ideas.

[couragous cloke]

oh and boy wasnt it exciting.. i stayed up ALL night.. with 10 overs to go i was really disappointed.. yelling out "TOO MANY SINGLES" but little did i know Smitty was about to Go MENTAL!

6th ODI tonight.. same venue.. Big game

GO WINDIES!