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West Indies vs England, 4th ODI at Bridgetown, , Mar 29 2009 - Ball by Ball Commentary

RESULT
4th ODI, Bridgetown, March 29, 2009, England tour of West Indies
(18.3/20 ov, T:135) 136/1

England won by 9 wickets (with 9 balls remaining) (D/L method)

Player Of The Match
79* (61)
andrew-strauss
New
ENG
Full commentary

England have levelled the series 2-2, and though the revised target made their job significantly easier, they ensured they made a point winning the game as convincingly as they have. Huge applause around the ground, from players and spectators alike, for Steve Bucknor who has just completed umpiring his last international match, bring to an end an illustrious career. He's doing a lap around the ground, walking of course, acknowleding the reception.

So the series will be decided in St. Lucia then, but there's also a small matter of the West Indies player dispute with their board being resolved. We'll bring you the details from the presentation in just a bit.

Chris Gayle: "I'm very disappointed with the collapse after that start. Bravo pulled things back but it was always going to be difficult 135 in 20 overs. We were looking at a score of around 290-300 and we lost key wickets at the wrong times and that set us back a little. Cricket will happen in St Lucia and we've got to ensure we stay focused. Things that are not in our control, we can't handle."

Andrew Strauss, by the way, is also the Man-of-the-Match: "Much needed this effort, after Friday's performance. Taking wickets in the middle was always important and though the fact that the match was reduced to 20 overs did help us a bit, we still did a pretty good job. Broad bowled well to get us through to the West Indies middle order. I played pretty well today and am delighted that we won the game and St Lucia' s the stage for an exciting finale for the series. Hopefully Freddie and Pietersen will both be fit for the next game. A win in the final game will set it up nicely for the English summer."

Thanks for tuning in and mailing your comments. Join us for the final ODI in St Lucia on April 3. Until then, it's goodbye from Siddhartha Talya on the commentary. Adios!

18.3
4
Dwayne Bravo to Strauss, FOUR runs

edged, deliberately done, just a fraction short outside off, Strauss guides that past the keeper to the third-man boundary to seal a comprehensive win for England.

18.2
1
Dwayne Bravo to Prior, 1 run

short on middle, pulled away to deep midwicket, just one hit away now

18.1
1
Dwayne Bravo to Strauss, 1 run

fullish on middle and leg, turned away to deep square leg

Five to win off two overs

end of over 187 runs
ENG: 130/1CRR: 7.22 RRR: 3.00
Andrew Strauss74 (59b 8x4 1x6)
Matt Prior13 (10b 1x4)
Fidel Edwards 3-0-24-0
Dwayne Bravo 3-0-16-0
17.6
1
Edwards to Strauss, 1 run

back of a length outside off, dabbed down to third man for a single

17.5
1
Edwards to Prior, 1 run

short of a good length on middle and off, worked away off the back foot wide of midwicket for a single

17.5
1w
Edwards to Prior, 1 wide

down the leg side, Fidel straying in line there, a run conceded

17.4
Edwards to Prior, no run

slower ball on middle, Prior is into the attemtped slog a little too early, misses, just goes over the stumps

17.3
1
Edwards to Strauss, 1 run

full outside of, tries to drive it with a full face, gets a thick outside edge wide of a diving point for a single

17.2
1
Edwards to Prior, 1 run

short on middle, Prior makes room and chips that in the direction of third man, fals well short and they get a single

17.1
2
Edwards to Prior, 2 runs

driven back firmly past the bowler, full on middle and Prior drills that down the ground, Pollard runs a fair distance to his right from long-off to dive and cut that off just inside the ropes

Fidel Edwards brought back into the attack. Last throw at the dice, that cliched phrase again.

end of over 177 runs
ENG: 123/1CRR: 7.23 RRR: 4.33
Matt Prior9 (6b 1x4)
Andrew Strauss72 (57b 8x4 1x6)
Dwayne Bravo 3-0-16-0
Daren Sammy 4-0-31-0
16.6
1
Dwayne Bravo to Prior, 1 run

full on middle, driven down the ground to long-on

16.5
4
Dwayne Bravo to Prior, FOUR runs

slower ball bowled on a good length outside off, makes room to smash that over extra cover, gets the inside edge that just manages to escape off stump and evades a diving Ramdin to roll down the fine-leg boundary. That pretty much seals it

16.4
1
Dwayne Bravo to Strauss, 1 run

back of a length on leg stump, pulled away to deep square leg

16.3
Dwayne Bravo to Strauss, no run

short of a length on middle, a bouncer, comes forward and then tries to swat it into the leg side, misses

It's England's match to lose now

16.2
Dwayne Bravo to Strauss, no run

slower ball that Strass fails to pick, ends up in the blockhole but outside off, dug out towards midwicket

16.1
1
Dwayne Bravo to Prior, 1 run

short of a length on leg stump, tries to turn it fine, is hit on the thighs and they scramble a run

end of over 165 runs
ENG: 116/1CRR: 7.25 RRR: 5.00
Andrew Strauss71 (54b 8x4 1x6)
Matt Prior3 (3b)
Daren Sammy 4-0-31-0
Kieron Pollard 4-0-20-1
15.6
Sammy to Strauss, no run

almost chopped it on, short of a length outside off, tries to run it down, gets an under edge on the bounce to the keeper

15.5
2
Sammy to Strauss, 2 runs

full on middle and off, walks across to tickle it wide of Baker at short fine who's dived well before the ball has got to him and ends up having to drag himself towards it, comical stuff that

Andrew: "Why doesn't Gayle bowl himself? He is pretty good at restricting runs." Valid question

15.4
1
Sammy to Prior, 1 run

short of a good length on the off stump, dropped off the back foot short of cover for a quick single

15.3
1
Sammy to Strauss, 1 run

dragged in short on middle, Strauss is down the track and pulls it away towards deep midwicket