Victory with a smile

Third one-day international

Preview

The bookies have caught up with the rest of us and now hardly a day passes when the Ashes price about England is not reduced. Cold and windy at Edgbaston; more England conditions than West Indian; and the home side ought to win again

To lunch

Chris Gayle did not put England in to take wickets but so that they could set his side a total. For once the home side put up a near perfect display. Matt Prior top scored and Owais Shah avoided being run out as they did pretty much as they pleased. Note that handful of runs from Paul Collingwood as he prevented the lower order frittering away the good start. I love the way all the batters wore a smile. England are beginning to enjoy their cricket.

To close

Sadly the West Indies had nothing to smile about. The confusion and lack of focus that has epitomised their tour was never better demonstrated than when Shivnarine Chanderpaul repeatedly hesitated about taking the batting power play. He crawled to 68 after allowing himself to be tied down by Tim Bresnan and the target of 329 was a distant dream long before he was out. There must be divisions within the side perhaps because they are unwilling to be here. It will be fascinating to see how these Stanford millionaires fare in the Twenty-20 stuff next month.