Cricket: Little sympathy for England's plight in tri-series

By MARK GEENTY

New Zealand coach John Bracewell couldn't resist a crack at tri-series hosts England yesterday, saying they had shot themselves in the foot as they missed their own final.

Bracewell admitted that a jam-packed Lord's final against England on Saturday was his ideal scenario, but after the hosts lost by seven wickets to the West Indies, it had left the two visitors to slug it out.

They start with a dress rehearsal at the Rose Bowl in Southampton tonight.

"It would have been great to play against England. But they stacked everything in their favour to make the final and they've missed out," Bracewell said.

He was irked at what he saw as specially prepared seaming pitches to suit England's pacemen in the preliminary rounds.

Every side bowling first has won in six completed matches, with New Zealand the main beneficiaries after Stephen Fleming won every toss in their three wins.

"The pitches have been set up to bowl first, England have taken that punt and it's kicked them in the backside because they haven't won the toss," Bracewell said.

"One-day cricket is not about 75 per cent of the game being decided by the toss."

Bracewell was relieved that Lord's was a top surface for yesterday's game, with more than 550 runs scored, and would offer minimal advantage for the side bowling first in the final.

He expected another green seamer for tonight's match at England's newest international venue, which hosted Zimbabwe and South Africa for its first international a year ago.

While Bracewell saw it as a royal chance to set up a game plan for the talented West Indies, there was the dilemma of who to rest ahead of the final.

He revealed that Fleming, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram and Daryl Tuffey were all battling injury, although none was serious.

Auckland allrounder Andre Adams was called in from the Lancashire League as cover for the allrounders, and could play his 29th one-day international if Cairns or Oram is ruled out.

Fleming, who has got through this tour on cortisone injections, might earn a rest tonight after his match-winning innings of 99 on Sunday.

"He's struggling ... you've got to admire him," Bracewell said of his captain, meaning Michael Papps could make his first start of the series.

Oram, meanwhile, has earned a rest after being the standout New Zealand bowler of the series.

New Zealand are nearing the end of their 10-week tour, but are intent on racking up their ninth straight one-day win.


The West Indies showed yesterday they are dangerous opponents when on song, with Chris Gayle unleashing an unbeaten century and erratic speedster Tino Best causing havoc at the top of the England innings with two early wickets.

Man-of-the-match Gayle earlier took three for 57 in England's innings, including the wickets of Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss in the final over.

The pair had shared an England record stand of 226 to lift the home side to 285 for seven.

Flintoff blasted an England record of seven sixes in his 104-ball 123.

The left-handed Strauss made 100, his highest one-day score, from 116 balls.

Teams

NEW ZEALAND (from): Stephen Fleming (c), Nathan Astle, Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori, Gareth Hopkins, James Franklin, Ian Butler, Daryl Tuffey, Andre Adams, Michael Papps.

WEST INDIES (from): Brian Lara (c), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy, Ridley Jacobs, Carlton Baugh, Ian Bradshaw, Ravi Rampaul, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson.

- NZPA