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West Indies' Gayle blows down England |
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July 21, 2000 NOTTINGHAM, England, July 20: Chris Gayle was the West Indies' hero as the tourists claimed an unexpected last-over victory by three runs in the final Triangular Series one-day international group match here at Trent Bridge on Thursday. Alec Stewart, who finished unbeaten on 100, his second consecutive century, was powerless to prevent defeat as Gayle's off-spin did the damage in the final over with England needing five runs to win and three wickets standing. Off the first ball debutant Paul Franks was run out for four on his home ground by Mahendra Nagamootoo's direct hit, but at least that got Stewart back on strike. A leg-bye saw new batsman Darren Gough facing Gayle. But he played all-round a full toss to be bowled for nought, leaving England with four runs to win off three balls. That became four off two after last man Alan Mullally failed to make contact as the ball hit his pad. Gayle's next ball was straighter and Mullally was plumb lbw for a duck. Stewart had batted beautifully facing 147 balls, including 11 fours and on another day his would have been a match-winning innings. West Indies celebrated but their victory was a touch hollow as England and Zimbabwe had already qualified for Saturday's final at Lord's before this match started. Worryingly for England the next best score after Stewart's was fellow opener Marcus Trescothick's 23. Their middle order, who have had little to do in this tournament, failed when the pressure was on and that is bound to give encouragement to Zimbabwe. Earlier England were knocked out of the comfort zone by a burst of three wickets for two runs in nine balls from Reon King. Cruising at 46 without loss after 10 overs in pursuit of West Indies' vulnerable score of 195 for nine, King made his triple intervention to leave England suddenly struggling at 80 for five at the halfway mark. Their prospects of a fourth successive one-day victory lay squarely on the shoulders of Stewart especially when captain Nasser Hussain was adjudged caught behind off leg-spinner Nagamootoo after the ball appeared to brush the top of his pad. King removed Andy Flintoff and Graeme Hick in successive deliveries and life suddenly became more difficult for Hussain's team. When Graham Thorpe hesitated to be run-out by a throw from Franklyn Rose, England were 56 for four and, when Hussain departed at 75, the winning line was looking some distance and several hurdles away. A solid stand of 63 between Stewart and Craig White took England to 138 before White was needlessly run out for 19. Mark Ealham frequently looked like departing the same way, charging down the wicket for non-existent singles. He helped Stewart get the target down to less than a run a ball before on 16 giving Gayle a simple catch at midwicket off Rose, England 170 for seven, needing 26 off 31 balls for victory. England were given another bristling start by Trescothick, who struck five boundaries in quick succession before the cloud cover thickened and the ball began to seam around. Trescothick (23 in 36 balls) was undone in a particularly good 11th over from King, nicking a catch behind to Ridley Jacobs. Flintoff (two) showed little foot movement when he, too, fell victim to Jacobs in the next over from King, before Hick diverted the next ball onto his stumps. That made it two consecutive ducks for Hick after his second ball zero at Edgbaston on Tuesday and there could be case for Nick Knight to be recalled for the final, though Hick's off-spin would be a valid argument in his favour. After losing the toss West Indies' strokemakers got a start and then got out. Gayle made 37, captain Jimmy Adams 36 and new boy Ramnaresh Sarwan 20 without expanding to bigger scores. They could argue the luck was against them with four batsmen giving 'assists' to the bowlers by playing on. Adams and Ricardo Powell dragged deliveries into their stumps, while Sherwin Campbell and Sarwan could count themselves particularly unfortunate. Campbell played the ball into the ground, only for it to bounce up and hit his right elbow before dropping on to the stumps. Then Sarwan drove, the delivery shot up off his back foot and was bowled via the toe-end of the bat. England's bowling effort was once more consistent, with Ealham (10-0-37-2) and White (10-0-35-3) controlling matters in mid-innings.
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