T20 Squad Lose One-Off Match v West Indies.

The two teams which lined up against each other last night at The Riverside bore scant resemblance to the two test teams from last week - but that is the way in this modern age as selectors follow a 'horses for courses' philosophy.

The awesome Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis had been specially imported for this one match and, as openers, contributed more than ninety runs demonstrating some glorious big hitting until Gayle ran himself out. At this point, the Windies looked on for a huge score - possibly well over two hundred.
Joe Root - one of only two English survivors from the test squad - bowled tightly and with Yorkshire colleagues Plunkett and Rashid on great form with the ball - the batsmen were left with a most reasonable 177 to chase down in appalling wet conditions which were far worse for the bowlers than the batsmen.
The clue came in the first ball of the innings with Jason Roy back to early season form as he lifted the ball straight to cover point and England were immediately onto the back foot. Alex Hales did what he could but it was suddenly as if you were watching the test side bat as England gave away wickets in a steady, inevitable stream.
The 21 run defeat was about right.