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West Indies’ winning momentum has been halted by Kevin Pietersen’s heroic 90 which handed England a consolation victory at Ahmedabad. England successfully chased a huge total of 273 to win their last group match by three wickets with 9 deliveries to spare. It was a match that had no importance in the context of the tournament as England were already eliminated out of the tournament more than a week back.
Brian Lara had won the toss to bat first today and his side had a couple of changes with Fidel Edwards and Corey Collymore coming in for Ian Bradshaw and Dwayne Smith. There was no place for the wayward Stephen Harmison who made way for medium pacer Jon Lewis in the England team. It was Jon Lewis who provided a good start for his team by getting Shiv Chanderpaul plumb in front of the stumps in the 8th over. Dwayne Bravo was for the second time promoted to no.3. Chris Gayle and Bravo batted on an on to figure in a massive partnership. Gayle’s innings was a lot disciplined this time around, there was the intent of getting a big one which he did scoring his 14th ODI hundred. Just when Gayle was getting ready for a carnage after getting to his hundred, a run out resulted with Flintoff at mid off firing at the striker’s end to dismiss Gayle in the 43rd over. Gayle scored 101 from 128 balls which had 10 fours and a six which had come off Jamie Dalrymple.
Dwayne Bravo could also get to score a century, his maiden one in ODIs. He finished unbeaten on 112 from 124 balls with 14 fours and a six. Ramnaresh Sarwan had provided the fireworks in the end with a 19-ball 29. Windies closed their innings at 272 for 4 in their allotted 50 overs. Jon Lewis with 10-1-35-1 and off spinner Jamie Dalrymple with 10-0-42-0 bowled well for England. Andrew Flintoff took the opportunity to get back to bowling after a long lay off due to injury. He did not bowl flat out but bowled just fine enough going for 27 in 5 overs.
England’s answer to the 272 for 4 was a blazing one with Andrew Strauss punching the ball in the gap with lots of power. Ian Bell at the other end was as solid as a rock. It was a solid opening stand of 82 before Chris Gayle had got Strauss cutting onto his stumps to an arm delivery. Strauss had raced away to 50 from 47 balls with 8 fours before getting out. The England Captain had come in at no.3 once again and he played a good innings before getting too aggressive in coming down the track and lifting Gayle straight to Taylor at the long on boundary. Flintoff made 25 from 27 with four boundaries. In the same over in which Flintoff was gone, the 21st over, Gayle dismissed Paul Collingwood for a first ball duck. Collingwood playing for the off break was foxed by one that didn’t turn to get an edge to Bravo in the slip. England were now 127 for 3 but they progressed well through the next partnership between Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen.
The platform was well set by Bell and Pietersen as England got into a good position to complete the chase but a needless run out of Bell in the 32nd over got Windies back in the game. Bell was run out for exactly 50 from 79 balls by a direct throw from Lara. England were pegged back once again when they had lost Michael Yardy and Jamie Dalrymple, both to Marlon Samuels. Yardy, the left hander was actually caught on the bounce by Bravo at long off which was something that went unnoticed by the Umpires. A mixture of great shots and some lucky edges saw England comfortably home towards the end. Pietersen remained not out on 90 from just 86 balls which had 9 fours and a six that had come in the 47th over when he had lofted Bravo’s slower delivery between covers and long off.
Kevin Pietersen might have won the match for his side but the Man of the Match had interestingly gone in favour of Chris Gayle who had taken three wickets conceding just 31 in his 10 overs following his hundred with the bat.