- Reuters
West Indies batsman Dwayne Bravo, celebrates with batting partner Ramnaresh Sarwan after hitting six runs to defeat Engand in the fifth one-day series international match at Beausejour Cricket Stadium, Beausejour, St. Lucia, yesterday. At left is England's Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan, second left.
CASTRIES, St. Lucia (AP):
RAMNARESH SARWAN and Dwayne Smith led the West Indies to a sensational five-wicket victory over England yesterday at the Beausejour Stadium, bringing the teams level at 1-1 in the rain-affected seven-match series.
The home team chased down a victory target of 282 with two overs to spare as the right-handed duo left a capacity crowd of 12,000 jumping in the stands.
England's earlier total of 281 for eight off 50 overs was based on Marcus Trescothick's 130 off 138 balls. Andrew Flintoff contributed 59 off 69 deliveries.
But solid performances through the West Indies innings carried the team through a frantic finale.
Sarwan was the backbone with an undefeated 73 off 77 deliveries, while Smith lashed four sixes and two fours in a sizzling 44 off 28 balls.
Together the pair added 80 off 52 balls at a crucial stage. The West Indies were 221-4 after 43 overs with 61 runs still needed off seven overs.
Within the space of three overs, the match was as good as over as Sarwan and Smith blasted Ian Blackwell, James Anderson and Steve Anderson.
Sarwan started the fireworks with two leg-side sixes in a Blackwell over that cost 17.
Smith was even more explosive as Anderson was spanked for 14 runs in his final over. The 21-year-old then took apart Harmison with two bigger sixes over the leg side as the lanky pacer conceded 17.
That frenzy of runs left the West Indies with just 13 to get off the last four overs.
FINISHING TOUCHES
Andrew Flintoff kept England's hopes alive by bowling Smith at 271-5. But Dwayne Bravo, in his first one-day innings, provided the finishing touches with a six off Gough to seal the win.
Earlier, Chris Gayle (36) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (40) set the West Indies innings off on firm footing with an opening stand of 62 in 12 overs.
But when both openers were dismissed and Ricardo Powell fell for 29, the home team slumped to 115-3.
Captain Brian Lara and his deputy Sarwan rebuilt the chase in a stand of 76 for the fourth wicket.
Lara contributed 37 off 41 balls with three fours. But when Harmison claimed the world record holder to a wicketkeeper's catch at 191 for four after 38 overs, England appeared to hold the advantage.
England's innings earlier was based around Trescothick's seventh one-day century in his 87th match. The left-hander opener spanked 13 fours and two sixes as the tourists, sent in, built a formidable target off 50 overs.
Flintoff provided level-headed support as he and Trescothick added 110 for the fourth wicket.
Ian Bradshaw, on debut, took two for 58 off 10 overs with his left-arm medium pace. Fellow seamer Bravo claimed two for 57 off eight overs.
But Mervyn Dillon (one for 47 off 10 overs) and Chris Gayle (one for 33 off nine overs) were the pick of the home team's bowlers.
Trescothick and captain Michael Vaughan gave England a purposeful start with a stand of 43 in the first nine overs.
Trescothick then took control and blasted the bowlers all around the lightning-fast outfield.
The Somerset man brought up his half century off 44 deliveries as he dominated a second wicket stand of 71 off 51 balls with Andrew Strauss.
Strauss had scored just 10 in that association when Dillon hit his off stump.
When Paul Collingwood nicked Ravi Rampaul to the wicketkeeper England was at the crossroads at 124-3 in the 20th over.
But Trescothick and Flintoff asserted their authority in their century stand, which ended with Flintoff being dismissed as one of two wickets for Bravo in the 43rd over.
Trescothick's marathon effort, his best international score on the West Indies tour, was eventually ended by a direct hit from Shivnarine Chanderpaul at backward point.
Chris Read crisply compiled 24 off 25 balls toward the end to boost the tourists again.
Scoreboard
England innings
M. Trescothick run out (Chanderpaul) 130
M. Vaughan c Jacobs b Bradshaw 25
A. Strauss b Dillon 10
P. Collingwood c Jacobs b Rampaul 4
A. Flintoff c Dillon b Bravo 59
I. Blackwell b Bravo 0
C. Read c Powell b Bradshaw 24
R. Clarke b Gayle 6
D. Gough not out 3
S. Harmison not out 3
Extras: (6lb, 6w, 5nb) 17
TOTAL: (for eight wkts) 281
Overs: 50.
Fall: 1-43, 2-114, 3-124, 4-234, 5-235, 6-249, 7-267, 8-275.
Bowling: Ian Bradshaw 10-0-58-2 (1w), Mervyn Dillon 10-0-47-1 (1nb), Dwayne Bravo 8-0-57-2 (3w), Ravi Rampaul 9-0-48-1 (4nb), Chris Gayle 9-0-33-1 (2w), Ricardo Powell 4-0-32-0.
West Indies innings
C. Gayle c Collingwood b Anderson 36
S. Chanderpaul c Read b Blackwell 40
R. Powell b Anderson 29
R. Sarwan not out 73
B. Lara c Read b Harmison 37
D. Smith b Flintoff 44
D. Bravo not out 12
Extras: (2lb, 10w, 1nb) 13
TOTAL: (for five wkts) 284
Overs: 48.
Fall: 1-62, 2-102, 3-115, 4-191, 5-271.
Bowling: Darren Gough 9-1-45-0 (1w), Steve Harmison 10-1-74-1 (4w), Andrew Flintoff 9-0-32-1 (1w), James Anderson 10-0-66-2 (1nb, 1w), Ian Blackwell 7-0-47-1, Marcus Trescothick 3-0-18-0 (2w).
Result: West Indies won by five wickets with two overs to spare (seven-match series level 1-1).
Man of the Match: Ramnaresh Sarwan.
