England halt Windies' charge

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Needing victory to prevent West Indies adding a one-day series win to their surprise Test series triumph earlier in the tour, England looked set to face a massive target after an early Chris Gayle onslaught.

But three wickets in three overs pegged West Indies, who had been put in to bat, back and a further breakthrough from Dimitri Mascarenhas left them on 137 for four when rain stopped play after 30.4 overs.

West Indies captain Gayle had earlier put his side on course for a series-winning total, hitting a blistering 46 off 39 balls including three fours and five sixes to dominate a 72-run opening stand with Lendl Simmons spanning 12.4 overs.

Picking up where he left off from Friday's stunning 80 off 42 balls, which secured their emphatic eight-wicket win, Gayle took West Indies' tally of sixes in the series to 21 and underlined their superiority over England, who have managed only one in their three innings so far in the series.

It took the return of Stuart Broad to finally break the partnership when Gayle, who had hit another six over long on off the previous delivery, for once mis-timed a big shot and spooned the ball high in the air for wicketkeeper Matt Prior to take the catch.

Seven balls later England were given an unexpected second success when opener Simmons was sent back by Ramnaresh Sarwan going for a second run to mid-wicket but was unable to reach his crease before Mascarenhas' throw reached Prior.

Andrew Flintoff also struck in his next over when Sarwan played on before Mascarenhas, savaged for 24 in one over by Gayle during Friday's match, struck to break up the 43-run stand between Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Denesh Ramdin.

Wicketkeeper Ramdin had contributed 26 off 29 balls to the partnership but had become frustrated by Mascarenhas' accurate spell and spooned the ball high in the air to Flintoff at mid on.

But, just as England began to exert pressure, Kevin Pietersen suffered a lower back spasm and was forced off the field before he could finish his only over before rain halted play three overs later.