Chanderpaul ton draws West Indies level

FE Team | Published: July 06, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Inspired by another outstanding century from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, West Indies levelled the three-match one-day series with a 61-run win at Edgbaston. Chanderpaul's unbeaten 116, and a third-wicket stand of 175, formed the backbone of an impressive total as West Indies' final 10 overs brought 102 runs. England's chase never got off the ground with Ravi Rampaul claiming the key wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Owais Shah, reports Cricinfo.
It was an impressive resurgence from West Indies after their drubbing at Lord's, especially after they'd been asked to bat in overcast conditions and a day after the ground was soaked by torrential downpours. They assessed the situation early on, forming a solid platform before the late assault from Chanderpaul and Samuels launched them to a strong total. Chanderpaul's seventh ODI ton was a perfectly paced innings off 114 balls and showed the importance of not panicking if early momentum is tough to come by.
No-one could produce a similar performance for England as wickets fell at regular intervals. Alastair Cook and Matt Prior are still getting used to their opening partnership, and the styles they need to play, but Cook made a positive start with three flowing boundaries in his 19 before inexplicably carving to mid-off where Fidel Edwards produced a well-timed leap. However, Ian Bell can feel unlucky with his dismissal after the ball struck him high on the back leg and would have carried over off stump.
Kevin Pietersen hasn't quite seemed at his peak since the end of the Test series and his failed whip across the line, against the impressive Rampaul, ended a brief stay and left England with an uphill struggle. Prior and Owais Shah were in the tricky position of needing to ensure against further loss, while also keeping an eye on the Duckworth-Lewis figures with showers never far away from Birmingham.
Prior again mixed solid defence with some fine attacking shots including - amazingly for a batsman renowned for his power-hitting - the first six of his ODI career when he pulled Powell over mid-on. He went to his first ODI fifty off 71 balls, then in the following over spooned a limp chip shot to midwicket with his job only half done.
England suffered from not having a wicket-taking option in the middle overs - relying on medium-pace throughout - but, sensing the kill, Chris Gayle was able to recall the hostile Edwards at Paul Collingwood. After one searing bouncer, Edwards aimed at the stumps and trapped Collingwood plumb and proceeded to give Shah a working-over too.
Shah, though, kept England's hopes alive in a 54-run stand with Michael Yardy. He had a dip against Dwayne Smith, taking two fours and a swivel-pull for six. However, in the space of four balls Yardy picked out deep square-leg with a pull and Shah got a thin-edge on a similar shot, as Rampaul collected a career-best haul, to ensure the series goes to a decider in Nottingham.
The result vindicated the long-awaited move of making more of Chanderpaul's prolific form. After a tour of walking to the middle with his side in trouble, Chanderpaul was finally shifted up the order to No. 3 and was able to build on a 50-run opening platform from Gayle and Devon Smith. His runs came with a sense of inevitability, although for large sections of his innings he didn't set the world alight with the scoring rate.