… Jonathan Trott carves out 118 for the Lions
NORTHAMPTON, England (CMC) – A magnificent century from batsman Kirk Edwards was not enough, as West Indies slipped to a five-wicket defeat to England Lions in their second match of the Tri-Nations Limited Overs series yesterday.
The right-handed Barbados batsman slammed 147 from 132 balls to catapult Windies A to 279 for six from their 50 overs after they opted to bat first at the County Ground at Wantage Road. However, England’s A side, comprising eight players who have already played Tests or one-day cricket, easily chased down their target to reach 281 for five with eight balls to spare.
Jonathan Trott, who averages 50 from nine Tests, carved out 118 to lead the run chase while captain Alistair Cook hit 71 at the top of the order.
Fast bowler Gavin Tonge grabbed three for 55 to be the leading bowler for West Indies A.
Searching for their second win in as many days after beating India handily on Monday, West Indies A lost a wicket to the first ball of the day when captain Devon Smith was caught behind off right-arm fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad (2-25).
The left-handed opener, who scored a century against India A on Monday, got one that bounced and moved and could only edge to wicketkeeper Steve Davies.
His opening partner Andre Fletcher (10) followed in the eighth over when he was bowled by fast bowler Chris Woakes at 16 for two and Windies A were in further trouble at 46 for three when left-hander Omar Phillips was caught at the wicket for 15, attempting an aggressive shot.
With his side struggling to stay afloat, Edwards rose to the occasion with a superb knock, stroking 18 fours and three sixes to revive the innings.
His innings was the foundation of a 137-run, fourth-wicket stand with Assad Fudadin who scored 51 from 74 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Edwards dominated the partnership, smashing James Tredwell and Sajid Mahmood for huge sixes, the second of which raised his fifty. He motored on like a man possessed and reached his century from just 103 balls with a square cut off medium pacer Ravi Bopara (2-42) for four.
Fudadin eventually perished in the deep off Bopara at 183 for four in the 41st over, leading to a 54-run, fifth-wicket stand off 36 balls between Edwards and Kevin Stoute who scored just 12 before falling to catch at mid-wicket off Shazad.
Edwards eventually fell in the search for quick runs, yorked by medium pacer Chris Woakes (2-48) but Andre Russell blasted an unbeaten 22 from 10 balls to end the innings on a high.
England Lions lost Davies (11) cheaply at 24 for one but Cook and Trott combined to add 113 for the second wicket to put the hosts back on course.
Cook, England’s regular Test opener with 56 matches under his belt, stroked nine fours and a six off 81 balls while the right-handed Trott cracked 14 fours in facing 130 balls.
When the left-handed Cook departed at 137 for two in the 27th over, Trott and Ian Bell (44) added another 82 for the third wicket to set up victory.
Bell, Bopara (16) and Trott fell in quick succession but by then, the result was inevitable.
WEST INDIES A innings
D. Smith c wkp. Davies b Shahzad    0
A. Fletcher b Woakes    10
O. Phillips c wkp. Davies b Bopara    15
K. Edwards b Woakes    147
A. Fudadin c Mahmood b Bopara    51
K. Stoute c Woakes b Shahzad    12
A. Russell not out    22
I. Khan not out    1
Extras: (b-1, lb-5, w-13, nb-2)    21     
Total: (6 wkts, 50 overs)    279
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-16, 3-46, 4-183, 5-237, 6-257. 
Bowling: Shahzad 10-2-25-2, Woakes 10-3-48-2, Mahmood 10-0-79-0, Bopara 8-0-42-2, Tredwell 9-0-54-0, Stevens 3-0-25-0.
ENGLAND LIONS innings
S. Davies c Smith b Tonge    11
A. Cook c Baker b Khan    71
I. Trott c wkp. Fletcher b Russell    118
I. Bell c wkp. Fletcher b Tonge    44
R. Bopara bTonge    16
A. Gale not out    3
D. Stevens not out    6
Extras: (b-2, lb-3, w-5, nb-2)    12     
Total: (5 wkts, 48.4 overs) 281
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-137, 3-219, 4-253, 5-274.
Bowling: Tonge 9.5-0-55-3, Russell 7.4-1-60-1, Baker 8.1-1-45-0, Martin 10-0-44-0, Khan 9-0-46-1, Smith 4-0-26-0.
Points: England Lions 4, West Indies A 0.