Lions fail to roar

Vikram Solanki opened for England and was soon into his stride © Getty Images

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England suffered more one-day disappointment when their re-branded Lions side fell to defeat against a makeshift West Indies in Thursday’s rain-hit match at New Road.

After England’s poor showing in the World Cup, a Lions line-up containing nine players capped at senior level slumped to a seven-wicket reversal in a game reduced to 24 overs a side.

The tourists could field only five of their 14-strong one-day squad for the forthcoming Twenty20 and limited-overs internationals with England and had to draft in five players who are playing either league cricket or at university in this country to make up the numbers.

From the one-day squad, only captain Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Runako Morton, Denesh Ramdin and Daren Powell were in action.

Three of the party in Dwayne Smith, Austin Richards and Lendl Simmons did not even arrive in England until Thursday morning - too late to play at Worcester.

The quintet drafted in were Kirk Edwards (Nottingham League), Mali Richards (Oxford UCCE), Esuan Crandon (Lancashire County League), Andrew Richardson (Hertfordshire County League) and Ruel Brathwaite (Loughborough University).

But a target of 175 did not test the tourists, who gained a much-needed morale boost after their 3-0 mauling in the recent Test series thanks to powerful hitting from Ramdin and Morton during a second-wicket stand of 130 in 16 overs.

Lions openers Will Jefferson and Vikram Solanki feasted on the new-ball attack of Richardson and Powell. They plundered 63 from the opening six overs, with Solanki lofting Richardson for successive sixes over third-man and mid-wicket.

Will Jefferson helped England get off to a flying start with Solanki © Getty Images

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But spinner Marlon Samuels applied the brakes and picked up three wickets in an excellent spell of 3-16 from five overs. His first ball saw Jefferson (36) slice a comfortable catch to Morton at mid-off, with 75 on the board.

Samuels struck again in his second over when Solanki (38) was deceived by a quicker ball and was bowled. Then Ed Joyce attempted to cut Samuels and chopped the ball on to his stumps.

The run-rate dropped after the early onslaught and Brathwaite enjoyed instant success when introduced into the attack as Owais Shah miscued to Gayle running back to mid-on.

Alex Gidman (34) was stumped off Gayle, who then ran out Michael Yardy in the final over.

James Anderson worked up a lively pace when he took the new ball for England and quickly had Gayle caught at first slip by Owais Shah.

But Ramdin and Morton adopted a positive approach, and one over from Stuart Broad cost 17 runs as the 50 came up in the sixth.

England were powerless to stop the flow of runs, and the 100 stand between Ramdin and Morton arrived in only 12 overs.

Ramdin was first to his half-century off 34 balls with four fours and two sixes, while Morton’s 50 came from 44 deliveries - with five fours and two sixes.

Broad eventually had Ramdin (73) caught off a full toss at deep mid-wicket, and Kabir Ali’s direct hit on the stumps from mid off ran out Samuels for nought.

But Morton (72no) lofted Yardy for six to polish off the game with five balls to spare.