All the hype and bravado surrounding the West Indies team fizzled to almost nothingness in typical cold blustery English conditions at the Ageas Rose Bowl, Southampton where Darren Sammy’s men were crushed by the confident England team in the first Natwest One-Day Internationals on Saturday. While all the discussions were centred on Christopher Gayle’s return to international cricket and the strengthening of the West Indies team, England and their supporters were concerned that their best batsman Kevin Pietersen had retired from Limited-Overs cricket and Twenty20 Internationals.
His premature departure from the ODIs robbed England of their most destructive batsman and then there was another setback when his replacement Ian Bell was injured, struck forcefully on the jaw during practice on Friday.
For the Englishmen, there was serious concern whether the inform Bell, who was dropped from the England team after the fifth ODI  versus India last year, would be able to play in the first One-Dayer.
However, their apprehension and tension were removed when Bell decided that he will do battle against West Indies, despite ten stitches and jarring pain to his mandibur condyle (chin). That was welcomed news for the Alastair Cook-led England team and their loyal supporters.
Conversely, the much-hyped West Indies team suffered a crucial blow when Gayle was omitted because of a foot injury, minor hairline crack to his tibia.
While his return to international cricket provided much optimism for a revival of West Indies fortunes following the regular series of defeats against the established nations over the last couple years, his omission would not have deterred the West Indies team that was over trumped-up with the six-hitting prowess of the West Indies batsmen and all-rounders.
Even WI coach Otis Gibson kept reminding everyone of the power-hitter capabilities of members of his squad.
Just for the records, the comparative count among the top six West Indian (including Gayle) and their English counterparts was 418 to 99. With Gayle out of the equation with his WI record 169 sixes meant that West Indies still held the numerical advantage with 249 to 99.
During the match, those figures had no bearing on the eventual result but all the West Indian big hitters flopped big time through carelessness and inability to respond to intelligent tactics employed by the English bowlers, especially, Tim Bresnan (7.4-0-34-4), Steve Finn (6-0-29-1), James Anderson (8-0-48-2) and to a lesser extent Graeme Swann (4-0-21-2) and Stuart Broad (8-0-40-1).
Clearly the West Indians were set up to play the attacking game but were cleverly outfoxed by the disciplined English bowlers who exploited the seaming conditions brilliantly and demolished Sammy’s men in what turned out to be a crushing defeat by 114 runs (D/L system).
Only Barbadian Dwayne Smith, promoted to the opener’s slot, was the only one to register two sixes among the bemused West Indian batsmen.
His enterprising fifty (56) was the singular bright spark and the 70-run second wicket partnership with Denesh Ramdin (22) provided a glimmer of hope that West Indies could pull off a sensational come-from-behind victory.
However, like so many countless times before,  West Indies batsmen failed to rise to the occasion and gifted their wickets away –  as their last nine wickets, being dismissed for a combined total of 77 runs off 18 overs after being in a strong position at 95 for two in 15.4 overs.
Surprisingly, the hero for the day turned out to be the most unlikely player on either team. It was Englishman Ian Ronald Bell whose position was in jeopardy after being struck forcefully on his jaw and was in serious pain and discomfort the day before.
Like a true warrior, he shrugged of the agony and discomfiture and provided a soothing balm for Englishmen whose hearts and minds ached and worried with Pietersen’s sudden retirement last week and overall weakening of their team.
The 30-year-old Bell dropped from England’s ODI team for the series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this year, made full use of another chance to re-kindle and prolong his ODI career.
In the first ODI, he ignored the quick departure of his captain Cook (caught behind by wicketkeeper Ramdin off the bowling of Ravi Rampaul) in the first over (3rd ball), and produced a masterpiece to equal his ODIs career highest score of 126 not out scored at the same venue against the touring 2007 Indian outfit, which was led by Rahul Dravid.
Coincidentally, his personal tally and the team’s tally were the same as England had amassed 288 for 2 wickets off 50 overs in 2007 compared to 288 for 6 (50 overs) against West Indies on Saturday. Again both proved match-winning knocks and it was his second triple-figure mark in 109 ODIs.
The only slight difference is that Bell batted at number three in 2007 and took 118 balls for his 126 not out (10×4) while he faced 117 balls (11x4s and 2x6s) for his masterpiece against West Indies.
Strangely, Bell, who had struck a total of 15 sixes in 108 matches, started off confidently with a massive on-driven six off Andre Russell who shared the new ball with Rampaul.
It was a strong statement of intent and he provided sumptuous entertainment for the vocal sell-out crowd at the Rose Bowl. Bell’s brilliance inspired his teammates who would be further energised with the convincing victory.
Millions of Englishmen, including their head coach Andy Flower and batting coach Graham Gooch, would declare that Pietersen was not missed and a worrying void was filled.
On the other hand, West Indies now find themselves with more problems to solve quickly before the Second ODI today. They will be sweating and hoping that both Gayle and Darren Bravo, who sustained a groin strain and was surprisingly ask to bat in a futile attempt to stave off a massive defeat, would be fit enough to be in the starting eleven.
Unquestionably, the West Indies bowling attack lack penetration and the mystique of Sunil Narine has been completely removed following his exposure during the rain-affected Third Test at Edgbaston.
As I had pointed out in an earlier story carried in the Guyana Chronicle (check brijparasnath.blogspot.com), Pietersen would definitely take on Narine and try to destroy his confidence once he is pushed to make his Test debut in a losing cause.
Narine mystery decoded and confidence shattered
It was not only Pietersen who decoded Narine’s mystery but also Bell took full advantage when his more attacking partner was on the rampage. Both Pietersen and Bell hammered the debutant Trinidadian unorthodox spinner all over the place and shattered his confidence in the drawn Third Test.
In addition, ECB television broadcaster, SkySports B personnel, also revealed to worldwide cricket watchers the different variations and explained how to read Narine’s bowling action.
Although two full days play were washed out and the prospects of an outright victory very remote, Narine was given his first Test cap and he received a baptism from the flashing blade of Pietersen (78 runs, 81 balls, 11x4s and 1×6) who played with an air of disdain and assurance which when coupled with the skilful  orthodoxy batsmanship of Bell (76 not out with 10x4s)combined to render the Trinidadian mystery spinner hapless and wicket-less (15-1-70-0) on a perfect batting surface. Together they were associated in a 137-run fourth wicket partnership as the match petered out to a tame draw.
Narine’s aura of mystery has been exposed and his confidence shakened. He will now have to show greater mental toughness and resilience to bounce back but it will be a monumental task and uphill battle to regain the guile, control and magic, unless the weather and surface conditions are favourable.
It is clearly evident that once the weather conditions are blustery, Narine and the other West Indian bowlers will struggle to grip the ball properly.
On most occasions, their fingers will be stiff and numb and that’s a major drawback in their quest for victory over opponents who relish and thrive with home advantage and who are relentless and full of quiet confidence.
The Englishmen are not exhibiting useless bravado and boastfulness but are playing with the right spirit and determination to improve their ODIs fortunes and rankings.
The West Indies team can also learn a few important lessons and improve their overall game plan, tactics and strategies. They will appreciate and understand that it’s not only big sixes that will win matches.
They were definitely outplayed by a team that was much more balanced and possessed bowlers with greater bowling firepower and ability to exploit the conditions better.
Strategically at the Ageas Rose Bowl, the boundary markers were pushed back to 80 metres from the traditional 65 metres. Such distances would challenge the best of batsmen to clear the ropes. Only four sixes, two by Smith and one each by Bell and Stuart Broad were scored in the match.
The onus is now on the West Indian players to regroup quickly and to display steadfastness, adaptability and improved technical abilities in all departments of the game so as to be much more competitive and to be in a stronger position to win matches.
West Indies must win the second match tomorrow to level the score and keep the three-match ODIs series alive.