FATULLAH, Bangladesh (CMC) – Chris Gayle smashed a typically stroke-filled half-century as West Indies crushed England in their first official warm-up match of the Twenty20 World Cup here yesterday.Chasing a modest 132 for victory at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, West Indies easily reached their target with 23 balls to spare.
The left-handed Gayle blasted an unbeaten 58 from 38 balls with six fours and two sixes, posting 78 for the first wicket with Dwayne Smith whose 38 came from 30 balls and was decorated with four fours and two sixes.
Earlier, left-arm seamer Krishmar Santokie was outstanding, taking three for 24 from four overs as England struggled to 131 for seven.
Stand-in captain Eoin Morgan top-scored with a painstaking 43 not out off 42 deliveries.
Morgan shared in two crucial partnerships in the middle of the innings that both yielded 33 runs, a fourth-wicket stand with Jos Buttler who scored 14 and a fifth-wicket association with Ravi Bopara who scored 15.
Moeen Ali hit four fours in a knock of 22 as he attempted to compensate amid a chaotic scenario in which England lost opener Michael Lumb for 14 in the first over and careened to 48 for three.
Santokie and Sheldon Cotterell were the stars of the West Indian bowling effort that contained the Englishmen.
Santokie’s top figures were supported by Cotterell’s impressive two for 23 from two overs while Samuel Badree and Andre Russell picked up a wicket each.
The two bowlers were partly responsible as England’s top three batsmen were dismissed by the end of the sixth over with only 45 runs from them.
The West Indies run chase got off to a speedy start with Gayle leading the way supported by Dwayne Smith.
Johnson Charles and Marlon Samuels were sent back cheaply but the in-form Lendl Simmons played a cameo of an innings with 15 runs coming in 5 balls faced.
He scored two boundaries and a six.