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NWS: Kent v West Indies

Tuesday, June 22 2004

NatWest Series 2004: Warm Up Game

Kent v West Indies (50 Overs) @ Kent County Cricket Ground, Beckenham.

Half centuries from the experienced trio of Lara, Sarwan and Chanderpaul and then four wickets to the fast bowler Lawson saw the West Indies side home against Kent at Beckenham.

It's not often that more action seems to happen before a game than during it but the two teams did their very best today as both teams suffered major set backs in the build up.

The West Indies suffered at the hands of the English traffic that the drivers of the UK enjoy so much daily, the result of a major route between the teams hotel and the Kent out ground being closed after a major accident.

For Kent the situation had a major knock on effect as the Kent side had to wait about longer and as a result they stayed out and did some extra pre match warm ups, during this time the prolific Kent batsman Matthew Walker broke his hand and had to pull out of the match, worst still the next game for Kent sees them take on the current County Championship leaders in a must win match this week.

Back to the match and when the West Indies finally turned up the game was forced to be reduced to a 48 over match in which the West Indies would bat first.

With just the second ball of the match England Test bowler Saggers clean bowled the dangerous Gayle for a duck. The West Indies trio of Chanderpaul, Sarwan and then Lara all hit fantastic half centuries as the West Indies batsman all hit form at just the right time ahead of the NatWest Series.

It was Chanderpaul who played the anchor role while the more attack minded Sarwan went on the aggressive after the pair added 106 together it was Saggers who made the break through again as he picked up his third wicket of the innings with Chanderpaul caught by Carberry for 60.

At this stage for Kent the last person you really want to be seeing walking to the middle is a certain Lara and he didn’t disappoint as he smashed a splendid 68 from just 53 deliveries in a partnership of 99 with Sarwan.

However Kent hadn't given up the fight just yet and it was the talented young spinner Tredwell who came back into the attack and had both Sarwan and Lara dismissed within the space of just ten runs, both caught by Khan.

With the big two out the West Indies fell away somewhat as the next four wickets could only muster twenty runs between them, mainly due to another fantastic spell of bowling from Saggers who collected the two more wickets he required for the five wicket haul.

The West Indies completing their allotted overs on 274/8, meaning Kent required 275 runs to win from a maximum of 48 overs at a starting rate of 5.7


Kent as so often this season lost the plot in the shorter version of the game and were never once in the hunt despite a rare success for Smith this season who hit a stubborn 54 to defy the West Indies a complete rout.

Only Khan down at eight gave the opener any sort of assistance as he hit 21 from 55 balls and the Irish wicket keeper O'Brien hit 18 before coming the fourth victim of the fast bowler Lawson.

The West Indies bowlers on a whole bowled very well throughout with Lawson impressive taking four wickets in the process of going for 59 runs.


West Indies: 243/3 (Sarwan 79, Lara 68, Chanderpaul 60; Saggers 5/51)
Kent: 246/5 (Smith 54; Lawson 4/59. Rampaul 2/14)
Result: West Indies Won By 91 Runs
Cricket Web MOM: R.Sarwan


Posted by Richard