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Windies see off England

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England suffered defeat to defending champions West Indies at Fatullah in their first World Twenty20 warm-up.

The Windies, who beat the same opponents 2-1 in the recent Twenty20 series, powered to a target of 132 with seven wickets and 23 balls to spare.

Chris Gayle, who was rested for last Thursday's third T20 international, eased the holders to victory with an unbeaten 58 from the top of the order.

England’s other warm-up game is tomorrow against India at Mirpur ahead of Saturday’s tournament opener with New Zealand in Chittagong.

Stand-in captain Eoin Morgan, who won the toss, top-scored for his team today with an unbeaten 43 as they posted 131 for seven.

Eoin Morgan top-scores with an unbeaten 43 in England's 131 for seven

Morgan, leading the side due to Stuart Broad's ongoing tendonitis, hit three fours and the only six of the innings in his 42-ball stay but lacked significant back-up.

Moeen Ali's 22 was the next best score as England, wearing their 'solar red' shirts for the first time, slipped after a strong start.

The innings began with an eventful first over, Michael Lumb taking 14 from five balls before losing his middle stump to Krishmar Santokie.

Moeen, who had come in at number seven when the sides met in Barbados five days ago, was this time sent in at three.

He had a quick look at the pace of the pitch before hitting two boundaries in three deliveries, one off Santokie and then off the leg-spin of Samuel Badree.

Moeen found the ropes again with an imperious back-foot drive in the fifth over but was gone when he went to heave Santokie over midwicket and top-edged to mid-on.

With the game moving on around him, opening batsman Alex Hales had edged along to nine in 12 balls and he fell as soon as he looked to lift the tempo.

A missed slog-sweep against Badree saw him pinned lbw and left England 48 for three after six powerplay overs.

Morgan and Jos Buttler took the score to 70 at the halfway mark, both men starting cautiously. The pair added 33 before Buttler backed away to leg and spooned a gentle catch to point to give Andre Russell a wicket in his first over.

Chris Gayle dominates West Indies' reply as his 58 not out earned victory

With the run-rate slipping, Morgan launched Marlon Samuels over the boundary midway through the 16th over, Bopara following up with a one-bounce four to take the tally into three figures.

Bopara picked up four more from Sheldon Cottrell before holing out down the ground for 15, leaving England on 114 for five with three overs remaining.

Santokie snared Tim Bresnan, for nought, and Chris Jordan but Morgan ensured a reasonably competitive total.

West Indies’ reply was emphatic from the off.

Smith struck two boundaries in James Tredwell's opening over, before Jordan conceded 11 from the other end.

Then came a run of three maximums in six deliveries. Dwayne Smith got the ball rolling by lifting Tredwell over the top before he and Gayle smashed Bresnan straight and long.

The Windies reached 50 from five overs as their opening pair continued to throw the bat with abandon, Jade Dernbach taken for two streaky boundaries and Bresnan leaking 15 from his second over.

After the six-over powerplay, the score was 65 without loss but the wily Bopara joined Tredwell in putting the brakes on.

Tredwell claimed the first wicket, Smith caught at long-leg for a fine 36, although Bopara's tricky seamers were crucial to the cause.

His first three overs yielded just 12, but with Gayle still at the crease a Windies win appeared inevitable.

Johnson Charles and Samuels fell to Bopara and Stephen Parry respectively, but Gayle - whose innings occupied just 38 deliveries - finished the job with Lendl Simmons unbeaten on 15.

Click here for images of the game.


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